Adding live sand to freshwater?

[Travis]

I am setting up a new tank with base rock and base sand already setup. Can I add the salt after the live sand and water have been placed, or should the sand be placed after?


I think adding the live sand once the tank is filled and the salt is addded, that the sand will go all over the place. If I start with two inches of water I can add the live sand and put it were its needed, and then finish adding water and salt.

Do I need saltwater for live sand to live?

This was hard to explain.

[ziggy222]

for the cost of live sand,why take the chance?i put the sand in and then place a glass dish on the sand bed and pour the sw into the dish.the dish keeps the sw from blowing sand all over the place.since live sand is already wet,it should fall straight to the bottom if the water is already in the tank with minimal cloudiness.

[cuttingras]

Filling it, having the cloud, and having to wait for it to settle, will teach you patients. Plus it's kinda like a rite-of-passage. You gotta do it! Mix the salt and water to the right SG then pour it all over the sand in the tank!

[reef_guru]

if your using dried base rock and dry sand its not alive. but you should mix the salt with the water prior to filling the tank. a large dish or bowl will minimize the cloud, what also will limit cloudiness is the pressure the water enters the tank.

[Camilsky]

Do I need saltwater for live sand to live?

Yes, you do! Freshwater/tap water will cause plasmolysis of any saltwater adopted microorganisms. The idea of live sand is to introduce together with your sand bed whole variety of these small organisms. This is what you have paid for! Add 1/3 of prepared salty water, add sand and than 2/3 of salty water! As guru said use large dish or bowl when adding 2/3 of salty water on top of sand bed!

Hope that helps!

Cheers!

[Travis]

I am glad I asked before I started. Once I add the water and the salt, I think I should let the filter and power head run 24 hours before adding the ls? Also the bag of ls(10lbs) says there is a 12 month shelf life. The sticker on the bag says use before december 2007. Is this bag too old? I will buy some LR at the LFS to help the process but 25.00 a bag for it to do nothing worries me.

30 gallons
350 penguin filter, no bio wheels
50lbs base rock
Aqueon Heater - 100 Watt
Hydor Koralia 1 - 400GPH
15lbs aqua terra natural white sand
carib sea LS 10lbs

[djnzlab1]

HI,
I usally buy any good sand thats fairly inert and then set up the tank, wait a week or so, and then visit my favorite LPS and beg to buy some seasoned live sand that has pods swimming around in it. I did this in a sump DSB and a tank worked great.
To me live sand is loaded with living things not just bacteria, you will need to feed a little this help the bacteria and the pods keep going till the system is cycled, I usally cycle with a few nasirus snails they are pretty tough and will add the organic waste to speed up the cycle.
Most dust falls out pretty fast. Many saltwater mixes are pretty cloudy the first 24 hours.