can you reuse old live sand??

[b3noodles]

Hi again all!! We were just able to pick up a great deal another 55 gal tank with oak stand and top and filter,skimmer,lights and everything for 150.00!!! Can you believe it the guy my hubby works with just wanted it gone!! my question is that he has a bunch of old dried up live sand and I was wondering if I could use that as a base and just seed it with some live sand or would you just pitch it and buy new? Our other tank has crushed coral in it. Also he said he has the proper lights for corals and annemonies how can you tell by just looking at them? Thanks for all your help guys!!! :0) Sue

 

[quarryshark]

I would pitch the sand. You don't know if some cleaner was dumped in, a cat used it 8O, etc.
Not sure about the lighting question though.

 

[WarOrks15]

well look at the bulbs and look for the brand and the type.

 

[loganj]

Some folks have different ideas about what kind of lighting you need for corals and anemones. What do the bulbs look like? Are they like regular fluorescent bulbs? Are they small fluorescent bulbs with two tubes running parallel? Or do they look kinda like regular light bulbs, but with a bigger base? If they are either of the fluorescent types, measure them and give us the length of the bulbs.

 

[24 hours? NE!]

What if you know that nothing foul was done to the sand, but it was just sitting around a while?

 

[mrrrkva]

Is it worth the gamble? Sand is pretty cheap when it comes to how much life and $$ you will have invested overall? Do you have any Southdown, old castle or yardright up there. That is $5 for a 50 lb bag!! You should only need like 3 bags TOPS in a 55 for a DSB