cycle live sand?

[tripleup05]

I am finally getting around to adding more live sand to my tank. It is the Nature's Ocean bagged kind. Awhile back I asked about the best way to put it in the tank, and I was told to use a cup and slowly add it. That makes since and all, but a few people posted and said I should cycle it first. Does everybody else agree? I just put 40lbs into a 15 tank, and I am going to hook up a Whisper 30 with a Bio-sponge that has been hidden at the back of my display tank for over 6 months. I'm sure its covered with bacteria! I figured I could add it this way over the course of a few weeks instead of putting it all in at once and making a huge mess. So do you think it would be OK to start adding a cup or two a day, or should I wait and watch for an ammonia spike first and let it cycle before adding any sand? thanks alot!

 

[kasper4lyf]

opinions may vary on this but IMO if this is a new tank I would use the live sand to help along the cycling process.

 

[tripleup05]

nope not new at all. set up for over a year

 

[ChrisRD]

I wouldn't expect a bagged sand product to have much effect on ammonia levels.

 

[kasper4lyf]

That is a lot of sand for a 15g tank to be adding it all at one if the tank is running. Although the amonia level in a bag of sand should not be too high, in a 15g tank it may be enough to cause an issue. You should be finr adding it in thirds, but remember not to let the rest of the sand dry out. put it in some kind of container that can be left open and WET.

 

[ChrisRD]

By the sounds of the original post, the 15 gallon tank is for holding the sand - it is not the display tank.

IMO a bagged product is not real live sand and is not going to create ammonia problems simply because it won't have any real life in it that could die off. Personally I think holding it in the 15 gallon tank isn't necessary (although it can't hurt).

JMO...

 

[fungia]

i have added the bagged live sand from caribsea to my 100g and it didnt cause any problems. i added about 50 lbs of it and no ammonia spike but honestly i dont see much life. i am thinking about adding real live sand soon.