seeding sandbed question

Bruce51 · 02/03/2015, 10:02 AM

new to marine aquariums and my wife and I are on a budget. was looking at buying "dry" sand and using live sand to seed it. My question is what would be the best ratio and what would be the best way to mix it?

dfm34 · 02/03/2015, 05:37 PM

You really only need one scoop of live sand Or a single live rock. You can use 100% "dry sand" for that matter 100% dry rock both your rock and sand will eventually become "live" as long as you add something to start bacteria to colonize or start your cycle. For example use a raw cocktail shrimp and throw it into your tank as it decays it will start the nitrogen cycle ammonia to nitrite to nitrate. This cycle is what creates the bacteria that will turn your dry rock and sand live. If you do start with 100% dry it just takes longer. You can also seed with a single live rock on top of dry sand. Hope this helps.

Bruce51 · 02/03/2015, 05:53 PM

yes it does....just means lots of patience which I have...not in any hurry.

username in use · 02/03/2015, 06:13 PM

Yup, find a local reefer or store and just buy our get one cup of sand.

Bruce51 · 02/03/2015, 10:28 PM

so just poor the live sand in on top of it?...will be getting about 50 lps of dry rock and figure 5 lps of live rock from lfs. not in any hurry for tank to cycle. Going to use a 40 gallon tank for main display with a 20 gallon refugium/sump.

cloak · 02/04/2015, 12:09 PM

IMO, just wait it out. The sand will be loaded with the beneficial bacteria in no time. (shrimp method)

If you want to add some "real life" to your sand bed, buying one of the detrivore kits online would probably be your best bet.
Getting a cup of sand from a fellow reefer or a piece of live rock from the LFS might introduce a few critters here & there, but there's really no guaranty this will happen.

http://www.ipsf.com/

hotelbravo · 02/04/2015, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cloak

IMO, just wait it out. The sand will be loaded with the beneficial bacteria in no time. (shrimp method)

http://www.ipsf.com/

Why wait it out if you have the means to speed it up with live rock or live sand?? whats the harm in giving it a helping hand??

ecksreef · 02/04/2015, 12:45 PM

That piece of live rock will seed the entire tank just fine. There will probably be pods and worms and bacteria that will make its way in the sand in no time. Just cycle the tank, add livestock slowly, and it will mature. Every snail, crab, and frag will bring more diversity.
I have heard that a bag of live sand is just wet sand. But I have heard that you can buy some sand from the ocean floor too.

SGT_York · 02/04/2015, 01:01 PM

The more sand/Cured Live Rock you get the faster the cycle will be, diminishing returns.

A scoop is fine to get you started, needs to be free of pests so pick a reputable reefer.

cloak · 02/04/2015, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hotelbravo

Why wait it out if you have the means to speed it up with live rock or live sand?? whats the harm in giving it a helping hand??

No harm, but do you know how much time you might be shaving off by going this route? Remember, there is not set time for a tank to cycle, and the OP did say that he wasn't in a big hurry to begin with. The shrimp method just seems like an easier way of going about things and achieving the same results IMO.

Sk8r · 02/04/2015, 03:14 PM

Typically if you use 95% dry rock and 5% live, you're looking at about 12 weeks to cycle and that will include the sand. It'll take longer to become fully mature, with bacteria deep into the rock. I personally don't bother with shrimp: I just use a few flakes of fishfood daily.
If you are starting out with dry rock and dry sand, first of all, wash it until water runs clear: sand is very powder-laden.
Secondly, I'd start a GFO reactor running concurrent with the cycle, to suck up the phosphate that's going to soak out of that rock. If you get on it now, before algae sucks it up, you may have an easier time. [GFO is Phosban, eg.] Otherwise you'll be courting yards of algae.

02/03/2015, 10:02 AM	#1
Bruce51 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: reno, nv Posts: 201	seeding sandbed question new to marine aquariums and my wife and I are on a budget. was looking at buying "dry" sand and using live sand to seed it. My question is what would be the best ratio and what would be the best way to mix it?

02/03/2015, 05:37 PM	#2
dfm34 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Spotswood, New Jersey Posts: 588	You really only need one scoop of live sand Or a single live rock. You can use 100% "dry sand" for that matter 100% dry rock both your rock and sand will eventually become "live" as long as you add something to start bacteria to colonize or start your cycle. For example use a raw cocktail shrimp and throw it into your tank as it decays it will start the nitrogen cycle ammonia to nitrite to nitrate. This cycle is what creates the bacteria that will turn your dry rock and sand live. If you do start with 100% dry it just takes longer. You can also seed with a single live rock on top of dry sand. Hope this helps. __________________ Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. 180 gal DT with 75 gal sump/fuge,10 gal cryptic zone, 3x400w MH with 4x80w T5. life reef vs3 30" skimmer

02/03/2015, 06:13 PM	#4
username in use Sciencing Daily Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 6,560	Yup, find a local reefer or store and just buy our get one cup of sand. __________________ Joshua "With fronds like these, who needs anemones?" - Albert Einstein Current Tank Info: multiple nano's sprinkled around the house

02/04/2015, 12:09 PM	#6
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	IMO, just wait it out. The sand will be loaded with the beneficial bacteria in no time. (shrimp method) If you want to add some "real life" to your sand bed, buying one of the detrivore kits online would probably be your best bet. Getting a cup of sand from a fellow reefer or a piece of live rock from the LFS might introduce a few critters here & there, but there's really no guaranty this will happen. http://www.ipsf.com/ Last edited by cloak; 02/04/2015 at 12:16 PM.

02/04/2015, 03:14 PM	#11
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Typically if you use 95% dry rock and 5% live, you're looking at about 12 weeks to cycle and that will include the sand. It'll take longer to become fully mature, with bacteria deep into the rock. I personally don't bother with shrimp: I just use a few flakes of fishfood daily. If you are starting out with dry rock and dry sand, first of all, wash it until water runs clear: sand is very powder-laden. Secondly, I'd start a GFO reactor running concurrent with the cycle, to suck up the phosphate that's going to soak out of that rock. If you get on it now, before algae sucks it up, you may have an easier time. [GFO is Phosban, eg.] Otherwise you'll be courting yards of algae. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

02/03/2015, 05:53 PM	#3
Bruce51 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: reno, nv Posts: 201	yes it does....just means lots of patience which I have...not in any hurry.

02/03/2015, 10:28 PM	#5
Bruce51 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: reno, nv Posts: 201	so just poor the live sand in on top of it?...will be getting about 50 lps of dry rock and figure 5 lps of live rock from lfs. not in any hurry for tank to cycle. Going to use a 40 gallon tank for main display with a 20 gallon refugium/sump.

02/04/2015, 12:45 PM	#8
ecksreef Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 165	That piece of live rock will seed the entire tank just fine. There will probably be pods and worms and bacteria that will make its way in the sand in no time. Just cycle the tank, add livestock slowly, and it will mature. Every snail, crab, and frag will bring more diversity. I have heard that a bag of live sand is just wet sand. But I have heard that you can buy some sand from the ocean floor too.

02/04/2015, 01:01 PM	#9
SGT_York Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Washington State Posts: 1,746	The more sand/Cured Live Rock you get the faster the cycle will be, diminishing returns. A scoop is fine to get you started, needs to be free of pests so pick a reputable reefer.