any problems with re-using livesand?

arcab4 · 12-01-2001, 02:34 PM

hello,

i'm in process of buying some liverock from a guy who's tearing down his tank. he also has some livesand that he wants to get rid of. is there anything bad about re-using his livesand? my LFS told me to start with new livesand because it's unknown how long he's had the sand and something about the ph buffering of the sand "expires" after a few years. i'm probably misquoting him on this. haha.

also, after reading about DSBs and stuff, i asked him about it and he said with my setup (liverock,wetdry no bioballs, aquac urchin skimmer) he said i shouldn't go with a dsb. instead, i should go with about 1/2 or 1inch of sand.

what do u guys think?

thanks,

johnny

MarkS · 12-01-2001, 05:40 PM

My first piece of advice would be for you to never set foot in that LFS again. Ever.

OK, now that that's out of the way...

The buffering is caused by the breakdown of the agronite. This stops when all of the sand disolves. Basically, never in your life time. Also, this buffering is hotly debated and many people feel that it either does not occur or occurs so slowly that it really makes no difference.

The main reason for a DSB is denitrification. 1" or less will not do it. You need at least a 4" DSB.

Using the old sand should not be a problem, but I would test it for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and PO4 before you add any livestock. You are stirring up an established sand bed and that can be a bad thing.

One last piece of advice: Never take advice from someone who is or could be making money off of it.

HTH,
Mark

fishpoo · 12-02-2001, 07:46 AM

i wouldn't take a chance. i would set up a new bed and use some of the top layer of the old and sprinkle it around the new sand. i tried to once and result was dinoflaggellates, so i'm very careful.

afss · 12-02-2001, 12:32 PM

As long as you are adding it to a new tank there is no problem. You may get a spike of amonia etc as the sand adds to the cycle with any die off in the sand. Same thing will happen in an existing tank. The problem with an existing tank is that the spike may be more than can be safely handled by the existing filration system (live rock etc.).
One thing to check if you are adding it to an existing system might be smell.. as long as it doesn't stink then it shouldn't be too bad.

IMO if i were to add it to an existing system i would do so slowly.

Like Mark S said, Take all advice from someone who stands to make money form you, with a grain of salt.
Good luck
Scott

MarkS · 12-03-2001, 06:06 PM

Just bumpin' up.

arcab4 · 12-04-2001, 12:13 AM

thanks for the help. it's going into a new tank so i'm not worried about the amonia spike..more concerned about keeping those lil' buggers alive.

using the calculator i found online somewhere..it figures i need about 125lbs of sand for a 4inch dsb? my tank is a 60gallon 48x16 i think.

12-01-2001, 02:34 PM	#1
arcab4 Just Moved In Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Arcadia, CA Posts: 20	any problems with re-using livesand? hello, i'm in process of buying some liverock from a guy who's tearing down his tank. he also has some livesand that he wants to get rid of. is there anything bad about re-using his livesand? my LFS told me to start with new livesand because it's unknown how long he's had the sand and something about the ph buffering of the sand "expires" after a few years. i'm probably misquoting him on this. haha. also, after reading about DSBs and stuff, i asked him about it and he said with my setup (liverock,wetdry no bioballs, aquac urchin skimmer) he said i shouldn't go with a dsb. instead, i should go with about 1/2 or 1inch of sand. what do u guys think? thanks, johnny __________________ http://www.aquaprop.com - who likes frags?

12-01-2001, 05:40 PM	#2
MarkS Governor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: San Antonio, Tx Posts: 1,799	My first piece of advice would be for you to never set foot in that LFS again. Ever. OK, now that that's out of the way... The buffering is caused by the breakdown of the agronite. This stops when all of the sand disolves. Basically, never in your life time. Also, this buffering is hotly debated and many people feel that it either does not occur or occurs so slowly that it really makes no difference. The main reason for a DSB is denitrification. 1" or less will not do it. You need at least a 4" DSB. Using the old sand should not be a problem, but I would test it for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and PO4 before you add any livestock. You are stirring up an established sand bed and that can be a bad thing. One last piece of advice: Never take advice from someone who is or could be making money off of it. HTH, Mark __________________ 2 + 2 != 4 Two is only loosely associated with two by a plus sign and therefore doesn't enter the equation at all since it is only there by mere complicity. We shouldn't count it and leave well enough alone.

12-02-2001, 07:46 AM	#3
fishpoo Citizen Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: north bergen, nj, usa Posts: 174	i wouldn't take a chance. i would set up a new bed and use some of the top layer of the old and sprinkle it around the new sand. i tried to once and result was dinoflaggellates, so i'm very careful. __________________ great post! bring this one up to the top.

12-02-2001, 12:32 PM	#4
afss Just Moved In Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: St Catharines, Ontario Posts: 16	As long as you are adding it to a new tank there is no problem. You may get a spike of amonia etc as the sand adds to the cycle with any die off in the sand. Same thing will happen in an existing tank. The problem with an existing tank is that the spike may be more than can be safely handled by the existing filration system (live rock etc.). One thing to check if you are adding it to an existing system might be smell.. as long as it doesn't stink then it shouldn't be too bad. IMO if i were to add it to an existing system i would do so slowly. Like Mark S said, Take all advice from someone who stands to make money form you, with a grain of salt. Good luck Scott __________________ Scott Stackhouse afnss@cogeco.ca 905 685 3635 ICQ 10928562

12-03-2001, 06:06 PM	#5
MarkS Governor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: San Antonio, Tx Posts: 1,799	^^^^^^^^^^ Just bumpin' up. __________________ 2 + 2 != 4 Two is only loosely associated with two by a plus sign and therefore doesn't enter the equation at all since it is only there by mere complicity. We shouldn't count it and leave well enough alone.

12-04-2001, 12:13 AM	#6
arcab4 Just Moved In Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Arcadia, CA Posts: 20	thanks for the help. it's going into a new tank so i'm not worried about the amonia spike..more concerned about keeping those lil' buggers alive. using the calculator i found online somewhere..it figures i need about 125lbs of sand for a 4inch dsb? my tank is a 60gallon 48x16 i think. __________________ http://www.aquaprop.com - who likes frags?

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