how long will live sand stay live in a bucket?

jayb12 · 07/09/2009, 08:49 AM

i just picked up my 250 last night and i got a bonus of 2 5gal buckets full of live sand, i was going to put them in my sump to seed the main tank but it will be a bit before it all gets up and running

how long will the sand stay viable in a bucket? its quite moist with water and such,

tryptal · 07/09/2009, 09:14 AM

I'm pretty sure it should be fine for atleast a month probably 2 as long as it stays damp. I had mine for a little over a month before I used it and it was fine..

jayb12 · 07/09/2009, 01:56 PM

good to know!

LobsterOfJustice · 07/09/2009, 02:00 PM

No. About a day. After that it gets absolutly rancid.

evsalty · 07/09/2009, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by LobsterOfJustice
No. About a day. After that it gets absolutly rancid.

Not true at all unless it was origionally part of a deep sandbed. My sand stayed in buckets for 3 days on my last move and was perfectly fine. When I moved from Cali to AZ I had to stay two nights in LA and the sand was good then as well and that was in August.

jayb12 · 07/10/2009, 08:09 AM

bump, anyone else?

LobsterOfJustice · 07/12/2009, 08:17 AM

I've moved twice in the past two years. First time it got really gross after a few days, this past time I only let it sit overnight but it was already starting to stink.

betamed · 07/12/2009, 09:02 AM

If its someones old sand thats been collecting detrius in the bottom of their tank for years it probably isn't worth re-using. fresh live sand should be fine for a long time.

07/09/2009, 08:49 AM	#1
jayb12 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: niagara falls, canada Posts: 552	how long will live sand stay live in a bucket? i just picked up my 250 last night and i got a bonus of 2 5gal buckets full of live sand, i was going to put them in my sump to seed the main tank but it will be a bit before it all gets up and running how long will the sand stay viable in a bucket? its quite moist with water and such,

07/09/2009, 09:14 AM	#2
tryptal Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: NYC Posts: 54	Live Sand I'm pretty sure it should be fine for atleast a month probably 2 as long as it stays damp. I had mine for a little over a month before I used it and it was fine..

07/09/2009, 01:56 PM	#3
jayb12 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: niagara falls, canada Posts: 552	good to know! __________________ 250 gal aggressive reef tank. 24" zebra moray------- 5" emperor snapper 5" yellow tang---------- 5" purple tang 3" volitan lion----------- 12" volitan lion 5" cinnamon clowns--- 6" clown trigger 11" harliquin tusk------ 6" niger trigger various sps, lps and soft corals and one hell of a clean up crew!

07/09/2009, 02:00 PM	#4
LobsterOfJustice Recovering Detritophobe Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Cary, NC Posts: 7,443	No. About a day. After that it gets absolutly rancid. __________________ If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. I remember when zoanthids were called things like "green" and "orange" and not "reverse gorilla nipple." Current Tank Info: 180g reef with all the bells and whistles

07/10/2009, 08:09 AM	#6
jayb12 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: niagara falls, canada Posts: 552	bump, anyone else? __________________ 250 gal aggressive reef tank. 24" zebra moray------- 5" emperor snapper 5" yellow tang---------- 5" purple tang 3" volitan lion----------- 12" volitan lion 5" cinnamon clowns--- 6" clown trigger 11" harliquin tusk------ 6" niger trigger various sps, lps and soft corals and one hell of a clean up crew!

07/12/2009, 08:17 AM	#7
LobsterOfJustice Recovering Detritophobe Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Cary, NC Posts: 7,443	I've moved twice in the past two years. First time it got really gross after a few days, this past time I only let it sit overnight but it was already starting to stink. __________________ If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. I remember when zoanthids were called things like "green" and "orange" and not "reverse gorilla nipple." Current Tank Info: 180g reef with all the bells and whistles

07/12/2009, 09:02 AM	#8
betamed Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Cooper city fl Posts: 1,383	If its someones old sand thats been collecting detrius in the bottom of their tank for years it probably isn't worth re-using. fresh live sand should be fine for a long time.