Question about live sand.

blackout12 · 10/11/2014, 08:13 PM

Hello all! I have a quick question about live sand. I had a 75 gallon reef set up but tore it down about 4 months ago. The tank has been in my garage ever since with sand still in it. Im setting up a 40b reef and was wondering if it is possible for the dead sand to become live again or if I should just buy new sand. Im planning on using dry rock/base rock.

Xavibear · 10/12/2014, 05:32 AM

You could rinse the sand very, very well or buy new sand.

thegrun · 10/12/2014, 09:53 AM

If your old setup had high nitrates or phosphates I would not use it. If it didn't and you are willing to put in the work you could clean it.

Coelli · 10/12/2014, 10:14 AM

Or if it had high nitrates and phosphate you could use it but it'll take a while to get them down, and will limit you in what you can keep at first (this happened to me - as a newbie I used the old sand from a used setup and even after rinsing phosphate was .14. It took 3 weeks of GFO to bring it down to .01). Nitrate has been dropping more slowly, but has come down too.

10/11/2014, 08:13 PM	#1
blackout12 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 75	Question about live sand. Hello all! I have a quick question about live sand. I had a 75 gallon reef set up but tore it down about 4 months ago. The tank has been in my garage ever since with sand still in it. Im setting up a 40b reef and was wondering if it is possible for the dead sand to become live again or if I should just buy new sand. Im planning on using dry rock/base rock.

10/12/2014, 05:32 AM	#2
Xavibear Crazy Prophet Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Worcester, MA Posts: 1,008	You could rinse the sand very, very well or buy new sand. __________________ 36g bowfront Current Tank Info: Pair of Occellaris clowns, Royal gramma, Yellow Watchman Goby/Tiger Pistol Shrimp, Blue tuxedo urchin, Fire shrimp, Trochus snails, Cerith snails, Nassarius snails, Ricordea mushroom, Kenya tree, Acan brain & Frogspawn

10/12/2014, 09:53 AM	#3
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	If your old setup had high nitrates or phosphates I would not use it. If it didn't and you are willing to put in the work you could clean it.

10/12/2014, 10:14 AM	#4
Coelli Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Tujunga, CA Posts: 1,443	Or if it had high nitrates and phosphate you could use it but it'll take a while to get them down, and will limit you in what you can keep at first (this happened to me - as a newbie I used the old sand from a used setup and even after rinsing phosphate was .14. It took 3 weeks of GFO to bring it down to .01). Nitrate has been dropping more slowly, but has come down too.