Older Wet Live Sand

[NYfishies]

Hello there,

I bought 3 bags of CaribSea Arag-Alive Special Grade Reef Sand (20 lbs) when I purchased the equipment for my first tank. I only used about half of the sand, but had already dumped it all out of the original bags. Half of the sand now resides in my DT and the other half in a bucket sitting next to the tank filled with salt water which has evaporated over the past 2 months it has sat there. I have added more water to keep it wet, but other than that the sand has been sitting in still water for 2 months uncovered.

I was so new when I bought the sand (didn't know how much to get) and the limited space I have is the reason it still sits there, but I am worried it is ruined.

I added a pistol shrimp last night and he has made quite the hole to live in so I need to add 5 or 6 cups of sand to fill in some gaps around the live rock.

Is it ok to use my stagnant old sand? Can I clean it at all or no worry?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Odysi]

Rinse it and dump it in. You will be fine.

 

[dacaptain78]

It is fine to use. I would just rinse it with either some saltwater from a water change or RODI water just to be on the safe side.

 

[coralcruze]

as others have said you can use the sand. just give it a good cleaning and it will recycle back in your tank. FWIW I siphon out my sand bed once every three month or so. However, I do it in sections so I don't kill everything at one cleaning.