Live Sand in a Bag!

Toadally · 08-04-2001, 01:23 PM

What do you think about CaribSea's new Agra-Alive live sand in a bag?
I saw it in a LFS for $27 for a 20lb. bag. Sounds good, but I dunno. Any thoughs?

**Ninong** · 08-04-2001, 02:35 PM

Just as long as you realize exactly what they mean by "live" sand, I don't see any real problems with it other than the fact that it is a bit expensive. I wouldn't use too much of it because of the grain size being a bit on the large side. You might use one bag of it mixed with Southdown sand or ESV Oolitic sand. That would give you a head start on the bacterial population and speed things up a little.

If you are setting up a new tank with live rock, your "dead" sand bed will become alive with bacteria within five or six days anyway, with or without any pre-packaged so-called "live" sand with a shelf life of 9 months or so. Just don't confuse that stuff with genuine live sand that has microcrustaceans and wormy critters in it. All that packaged stuff has is a semi-dormant bacterial film on the sand particles.

Ninong

mastaJ · 08-05-2001, 09:06 PM

I think it is crud. Here's why...I just set up a new tank and i added 15lbs of uncured live rock (it is a 15g tank) the ammonia and nitrite skyrocketed, which i kinda expected but it took forever and I could of been better off with dead sand and doing water changes (which I had to do anyway because if I didn't, the high levels would of killed more stuff on my rock.)

However, I do kinda think it would be good in the right situation, but not mine. For the price I would go with dry sand...FWIW, take my comments with a grain of salt, i'm sure other ppl have had good expierences with it...HTH

08-04-2001, 01:23 PM	#1
Toadally Tenant Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 58	Live Sand in a Bag! What do you think about CaribSea's new Agra-Alive live sand in a bag? I saw it in a LFS for $27 for a 20lb. bag. Sounds good, but I dunno. Any thoughs? __________________ http://www.oceanreef.20m.com

08-04-2001, 02:35 PM	#2
Ninong Moderator Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Louisiana Posts: 20,691	Just as long as you realize exactly what they mean by "live" sand, I don't see any real problems with it other than the fact that it is a bit expensive. I wouldn't use too much of it because of the grain size being a bit on the large side. You might use one bag of it mixed with Southdown sand or ESV Oolitic sand. That would give you a head start on the bacterial population and speed things up a little. If you are setting up a new tank with live rock, your "dead" sand bed will become alive with bacteria within five or six days anyway, with or without any pre-packaged so-called "live" sand with a shelf life of 9 months or so. Just don't confuse that stuff with genuine live sand that has microcrustaceans and wormy critters in it. All that packaged stuff has is a semi-dormant bacterial film on the sand particles. Ninong __________________ Ninong

08-05-2001, 09:06 PM	#3
mastaJ Council Join Date: May 2001 Location: Lakeville, MN Posts: 294	I think it is crud. Here's why...I just set up a new tank and i added 15lbs of uncured live rock (it is a 15g tank) the ammonia and nitrite skyrocketed, which i kinda expected but it took forever and I could of been better off with dead sand and doing water changes (which I had to do anyway because if I didn't, the high levels would of killed more stuff on my rock.) However, I do kinda think it would be good in the right situation, but not mine. For the price I would go with dry sand...FWIW, take my comments with a grain of salt, i'm sure other ppl have had good expierences with it...HTH __________________ -mastaJ

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