- Location
- LONG ISLAND NEW YORK
If I add live sand (4-5lbs) to fill in a corner low spot in my existing tank (29 gal biocube, 40 lbs live rock, 30 lbs live sand) will it restart a cycle?
More Live Sand to Existing Tank
- Thread starter DREUTZ
- Start date
- Location
- Bethpage,NY
It will if you do it that way,start with a little at a time,Maybe like fist-full at a time a day.
- Location
- LONG ISLAND NEW YORK
If I thoroughly rinsed the sand would the cycle be less extreme? also because this is just for looks should I just not add it because of the risk of a cycle or will adding it a little at a time be safe?... I dont want to kill all my corals!!!!
- Location
- Bethpage,NY
Like Jerl said,Don't take a chance even if it's rinsed,you're introducing new bacteria.
- Location
- Amityville
Really depends on a lot of factors.
What kind of live sand?
Where did you get it?
Does it smell?
Are there live animals in the tank?
How old is your tank?
If there are no critters in the tank add it you will be fine even if there is a small spike the tank will handle it in a few days. If there are critters in the tank and the sand has a possibility of being filled with decaying stuff then you would not want to add it directly to your tank but possible put it in a bucket with fresh made salt water for a bit so it can cycle.
If it was from say a friend that lived in the next town and they had it in a well maintained tank it should be fine to add directly to the tank. If you have doubt cycle it for a few days by itself in a bucket and test for spikes in ammonia and such.
Don't rinse it that will defeat the whole purpose of getting live sand in the first place.
What kind of live sand?
Where did you get it?
Does it smell?
Are there live animals in the tank?
How old is your tank?
If there are no critters in the tank add it you will be fine even if there is a small spike the tank will handle it in a few days. If there are critters in the tank and the sand has a possibility of being filled with decaying stuff then you would not want to add it directly to your tank but possible put it in a bucket with fresh made salt water for a bit so it can cycle.
If it was from say a friend that lived in the next town and they had it in a well maintained tank it should be fine to add directly to the tank. If you have doubt cycle it for a few days by itself in a bucket and test for spikes in ammonia and such.
Don't rinse it that will defeat the whole purpose of getting live sand in the first place.
- Location
- Amityville
- Location
- Staten Island
Its a small tank to begin with and with all the current rock and sand you have in the tank your water column if much less than 29g so you need to be careful. Like others have said I would add the sand very slowly.
- Location
- LONG ISLAND NEW YORK
Its aragalive sand just opened the bag today and it does not smell. most of the sand went into a tank in my office that we are starting up, but there is some left over that i figured I would use.
Current livestock:
Fish: 6
corals: softies and Lps
Inverts: hermits, emerald crab, pepperment shrimp, cleaner shrimp, snails of all types, electric flame scallop
the tank is 3 months old
- Location
- LONG ISLAND NEW YORK
it says its from indo pacific
- Location
- LONG ISLAND NEW YORK
So i added a handful of sand. The bag is open, will it go bad if I just leave it out with the bag rolled up?
- Location
- Amityville
it wont go bad its been sitting on a shelf for god knows how long. Its really just plain sand with some bacteria added. I personally don't think adding it all at once will do anything since it has no real live components.
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