Question about live sand expiration date?

audio101 · 09/24/2007, 09:55 PM

I just bought a bag of nature's ocean bio-activ live aragonite from petclub and just notice it had an expiration date on the back that says "use before Aug. 15". I'm planning on using this sand in my new medium cpr refugium that I'm putting on my 24g ap and also in a 12g nano cube that will have live rock and water from a tank I'm breaking down. I'm wondering whether I should return it or if it doesn't matter and I should just keep it?

bertoni · 09/24/2007, 09:58 PM

That sand isn't live enough that the expiration date means much, in my opinion. I'd stick with dry sand since it's cheaper. For a 24g tank, I probably wouldn't bother with high-qualiry live sand.

IslandCrow · 09/24/2007, 10:01 PM

That's actually kind of nice to see that they're putting expiration dates on the sand. Most don't. Of course, I don't know if that makes it any more likely that this sand is truly "live" even if it is before the expiration date. . .who knows what they're basing the expiration date on.

But in answer to your question, I'd return it and get a bag of dry sand for much cheaper. Since the sand is "expired", I think you have every right to return it. . .and don't let the LFS tell you it doesn't matter. It only makes sense that live sand wouldn't last forever. Anyway, if you go with the dry sand suggestion, it can be seeded with either live rock or a cup of truly live sand from someone else who has an established tank. It'll save you some money, and the end result will be the same.

Oh yeah, and whatever bertoni says. . .

audio101 · 09/24/2007, 10:25 PM

OK, thanks for the advice. Now that I think of it, I'm sure most the times I've bought this kind of live sand it's been bought past the expiration date. It's a rip spending $25-30 for 20 pounds of dead sand..

09/24/2007, 09:55 PM	#1
audio101 Moved On Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Napa, CA Posts: 1,091	Question about live sand expiration date? I just bought a bag of nature's ocean bio-activ live aragonite from petclub and just notice it had an expiration date on the back that says "use before Aug. 15". I'm planning on using this sand in my new medium cpr refugium that I'm putting on my 24g ap and also in a 12g nano cube that will have live rock and water from a tank I'm breaking down. I'm wondering whether I should return it or if it doesn't matter and I should just keep it?

09/24/2007, 09:58 PM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	That sand isn't live enough that the expiration date means much, in my opinion. I'd stick with dry sand since it's cheaper. For a 24g tank, I probably wouldn't bother with high-qualiry live sand. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

09/24/2007, 10:01 PM	#3
IslandCrow Reef Monkey Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Rockledge, Fl Posts: 5,759	That's actually kind of nice to see that they're putting expiration dates on the sand. Most don't. Of course, I don't know if that makes it any more likely that this sand is truly "live" even if it is before the expiration date. . .who knows what they're basing the expiration date on. But in answer to your question, I'd return it and get a bag of dry sand for much cheaper. Since the sand is "expired", I think you have every right to return it. . .and don't let the LFS tell you it doesn't matter. It only makes sense that live sand wouldn't last forever. Anyway, if you go with the dry sand suggestion, it can be seeded with either live rock or a cup of truly live sand from someone else who has an established tank. It'll save you some money, and the end result will be the same. Oh yeah, and whatever bertoni says. . . __________________ All opinions in the above message should be taken with 35 ppt salt. -Mike C. Current Tank Info: I have a reef screen saver on my phone, does that count?

09/24/2007, 10:25 PM	#4
audio101 Moved On Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Napa, CA Posts: 1,091	OK, thanks for the advice. Now that I think of it, I'm sure most the times I've bought this kind of live sand it's been bought past the expiration date. It's a rip spending $25-30 for 20 pounds of dead sand..