Cycling question

[Wizaugh]

I did try searching and came up with over a thousand results. Also I have not read everything (yet) newbies should read. That being said...
Instead of using the fish or shrimp method of cycling, am I correct in assuming I can use uncured LR to cycle a tank? Also, If I were to put sand down which was not "live" that it would eventually become LS due to the LR? Bear with me, I'm new. TIA!!!

 

[Nels22]

cycling your tank with lr can work, but i would say most people on hear would recommend that you help the process along with a shrimp from the grocery store. Sand will turn "live" from the lr in time, as long as your sand is aragonite, and you have a decent amount of it.

 

[Biggen]

Instead of using the fish or shrimp method of cycling, am I correct in assuming I can use uncured LR to cycle a tank?

No problem with that method at all. That is what most of us do when we buy uncrued LR for a tank. That is what I did.

Also, If I were to put sand down which was not "live" that it would eventually become LS due to the LR?

Correct! The critters will migrate down from the LR and populate the sand bed. In time, the entire thing will be LS.

FYI, we have some pretty good articles written about curring LR here:
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/showfaq.php?fldAuto=2

 

[indy]

And it does not need to be aragonite based sand in order to become live, nor do you need a specific amount of it to become live. To be an effective filter you need quite a bit more.

 

[jaiden]

any sand will become live. The aragonite sand will buffer pH while other sand will not.

 

[Wizaugh]

Right on, thanks guys!
One more question. LR is purple due to all the life on it correct? If this is true, why does LS look just like regular sand?

 

[jaiden]

not really. the purple is coralline. Live sand specifically has little critters which move around through the sand and shift it a bit so that no parts get totally anoxic.

LR has bacteria in it at different depths (it's porous) which is really why it works as a filter. The coralline is mostly just for looks.