Can I get "live sand" from the ocean?

lapin · Dec 19, 2018

Subsea said:
I would consider Montauge Point, but northeasterners chill me. I could consider Corpus Christie but hurricanes kill me. I could consider San Diego but for the “big quake”..

Minor problems

Subsea · Dec 19, 2018

Swingline77 said:
Setting up a tank, I'd rather not have to wait for a DSB to develop. I live near long island sound. I'm thinking of driving to the beach, digging down a foot or so, and getting myself a bucket of sand. At the very least, this seems like a good way to seed a bed with a small amount.

A major concern I have is the introduction of pathogens by doing this. Another concern is that there was some SERIOUS PCB dumping around here in decades past. This might mean that an entire bucket of sand would be slightly toxic, but a spoonful shouldn't have that many pollutants in it.

The alternative is to find someone with an established tank, and ask for a 1/4 cup of sand to get things started. What do you think?

Why are you interested in a DSB?

Paul B · Dec 19, 2018

I didn't say to live at the bottom of the ocean. Just where it's damp is fine.

lapin · Dec 19, 2018

Paul B said:
I didn't say to live at the bottom of the ocean. Just where it's damp is fine.

Its plenty damp here in Austin as Im finding out. That warm 100 % humidity is making me mold.

Swingline77 · Dec 19, 2018

Subsea said:
Why are you interested in a DSB?

Good info. After reading a bit more, I've decided against a DSB. I'll probably add 0.5"-1.0".

Subsea · Dec 19, 2018

Swingline77 said:
Good info. After reading a bit more, I've decided against a DSB. I'll probably add 0.5"-1.0".

I like 2” of aroggonite with a grain size of 1mm-2mm

Paul B · Dec 19, 2018

Swingline77 said:
Good info. After reading a bit more, I've decided against a DSB. I'll probably add 0.5"-1.0".

DSBs were a silly invention when they invented them and they are still a sill y invention.

Subsea · Dec 19, 2018

Paul B said:
DSBs were a silly invention when they invented them and they are still a sill y invention.

In the day when nitrate was considered bad and it needed to be removed, denitrification bacteria acting in low oxygen did the job. Today, I dose ammonia to feed nitrates to my reef in addittion to heavy feeding.

DSB was a lot of work for nothing.

vetteguy53081 · Dec 19, 2018

I viewed and focused on sand in both Jamaica and florida. I saw lots of little pieces of wood, glass, remnants of a crab and even fish. I also considered that people use the beach and food, beverages, suntan lotion and other substances wash up on the shoreline and likely are in the sand rendering " Not worth the risk"

Jr'sReef · Dec 19, 2018

Every tank I’ve started I collected the sand from the beach. I did rinse it all out though every time. So not really live but definitely from the beach/ocean. No issues, I live in south Florida though.

Cujo#31 · Dec 19, 2018

I would think that if it is a mineral based sand it might not be worth the risk of bringing in unwanted minerals. The sand we buy is typically crushed coral and it won’t have much of a concentration of unwanted minerals me thinks. But that is all guess-work on my part and not based on any real knowledge

mtfish · Dec 19, 2018

I would suggest only skimming to first couple of inches of substrate. Further down you may get into some nasty stuff you do not want in your tank. Can't say much for up there, but here in Texas there is plenty of "live sand", but it is all quartz so no buffering as there will be with calcium based sand. I currently have a red tailed wrasse in QT with only beach sand. It is happy as an oyster.

VR28man · Dec 19, 2018

@Paul B of course knows how to best collect around Long Island, and anyone sensible would defer to him. (or other experienced LI reefers).

But as an alternative, in the US you can get live sand from Gulf of Mexico. This is real live sand, not sterilized sand seeded with nitrifying bacteria that you get from CaribSea. @liverock /Tampa Bay Saltwater sells some, though I believe they require air freight for sand. I ordered my Gulf sand from live-plants.com, came in two days via USPS priority. Smelled nice and oceany (not like dead ocean life), and even included an Olive Snail hitchhiker.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/lettered-olive-snail-on-the-glass.527382/

kbknot · Dec 20, 2018

I live i Florida and when I set up my 90 gallon i have now i drove to the west coast and got 6 5 gallon buckets of fine white sand from longboat key and the cycle was pretty much non existent i had sand fleas and other inverts swimming around from the start and it's fine sand so all my creatures and fish love it but i wouldn't think it's any good unless you are in tropics/sub-tropical area

DrewBrees713 · Dec 20, 2018

smoothmove said:
I used NJ sand from the beach- Long Beach Island with good results. The problem comes when all the hidden stuff starts to hatch. About six months into an established tank, I started seeing small clams, sand fleas and dozens of mystery crabs appearing. I had to scoop them out and return them to their home.

I , and perhaps, many on here appreciate your kind act. Thanks!

Belgian Anthias · Dec 20, 2018

Are you going to add " live rock"?
Corals cultivated in natural waters? Or corals cultivated in captivity?
All bacteria needed will be present including the competitors, so called "nuisance" organisms.
Will water and sand retrieved from an other aquarium be better, free of pathogens?

Setting up a new aquarium needs time and patience certainly when trying to minimize the risk for introducing pathogens. While cycling the tank and after the introduction of " live" -rock and -sand, a waiting time of at least 6 weeks is needed before introducing the first quarantined end users. This will prevent diseases entered with "live rock" and " live sand" may find a host in time and give time for any introduced larvae and eggs to develop. During this waiting time traps can be used to catch away any unwanted scavengers introduced. But why one should use " live rock"?

Any target animal entered will have all bacteria needed in and on them. Target animals should be quarantined, monitored and eventually be treated before to become part of the system as they are the main source of pathogens and diseases. If one can not or will not do that why bother about any pathogens entered at setup as they will be introduced anyway?.

Belgian Anthias · Dec 20, 2018

Subsea said:
Instead of collecting sand on the beach, go back in the salt water marshes & estuaries and collect some biodiversity. Add that to inoculate your tank.

I don’t live near the coast. I get live sand from vendors that have established ecosystems. Better than that is diver collected live rock from GOM.

Why " live " rock from GOM is better?

Subsea · Dec 20, 2018

Belgian Anthias said:
Why " live " rock from GOM is better?

My focus is more than beneficial bacteria. Diversity of higher level invertebrate provides diversity in food webs.

http://www.gulfliverock.com/premium-decorative-rock.html
Premium Decorative Live Rock is our most popular rock. This rock will have thick coralline algae on it and a mixed variety of plants, animals, hard and soft corals, sponges and so much more. This type of rock has an enormous variety of animal and encrusting marine life.The shapes and sizes are extremely unique. This rock could contain multi-colored christmas tree worms, cup and tube corals, feather dusters, gorgonians, serpulid worms and encrusting clams.