Live sand?

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stratmaster

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Jul 14, 2009
Messages
290
Location
Port Saint Lucie
Is it true once a year you're supposed to change out your sand in your tank? This guy at my LFS says so. I can't remember exactly why but he said something about it will effect your nitrates.

Steve
 
I didnt want to say anything until someone else did, and my answer was going to be the same as buddha's. Im almost 100% sure that your not supposed to change out your sand once a year rofl. The critters that sift the sand play around with it and keep it clean. Also, you would be killing the things inthe sand that make it "live" after a while.
 
Or you could just go back there and own his face. Be like "Why are you trying to play me out and tell me the sand needs to be changed once a year? Only a *salesperson* would say something like that." And then walk out, and THEN find a new lfs. xD
 
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Some folks do replace the sand that gets sucked out with the siphon. I can't recall if anyone replaces all of their sand...I suppose it could be done, but if you have a decent CUC, you really shouldn't have to.
 
Or you could just go back there and own his face. Be like "Why are you trying to play me out and tell me the sand needs to be changed once a year? Only a *salesperson* would say something like that." And then walk out, and THEN find a new lfs. xD

Rofl haha!
 
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I was just in there today again, I mentioned how I'm a member of aquariumadvice.com to him and how I posted about changing the live sand out to you guys. I guess he said he recommends changing it out because of excess nutrients collected up by the sand which causes nitrate troubles. No? not true eh?

Steve
 
Just depends on your school of thought, but in general I see no need for it and as long as you keep the environment "clean" there shouldn't be any toxicity issues down the road. There are those, some have been featured in "ReefKeeping", that do replace their sand on a yearly basis.
 
man, i changed my substrate from crushed coral into sand. what a mess! ask that guy how often they change the sand in the ocean lol.

if you have any problems just suck the top layer and funnel in some new to put on top. i assume i may do this just for looks from time to time.

protein skimmer, and clean up crew should get plenty of nutrients out of that stuff. maybe even some burrowing creatures? like a sea star?
 
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