Collecting beach sand and water curious

[South Carolina reef]

I'm new to this. I have what I think is an experiment question. I live close to the beach in Charleston sc. I've been wondering if harvesting beach sand during low tide would benefit my tank. Maybe place in in my sump, also considering a cup or two of sea water? Does anybody know if this would be a beneficial thing.As my tank is not quite 4 months old. I was wondering if it would help with biodiversity. Assistance with a natural biology against pest algae. I'm not sure I'm just intrigued by the idea .

 

[bushdoc]

Lucky U, I just got shipment of live sand from Tampa Bay Saltwater and I had to pay for it big bucks.
Yes, live sand would benefit your tank, just don’t know how tropical is a beach you are going to collect it from.

 

[Caliginosity]

I strongly urge you to reconsider. Just think of all the crazy pests you'll bring along with it.

 

[rja]

The water:
No, it would not be beneficial at all. There is nothing in “pure” ocean water that cannot be provided by a high quality reef salt. If anything, you run the risk of adding actual pollution to your tank.

The sand:
I would highly doubt you will be getting any helpful beneficial bacteria from this. South Carolina is a very different climate from, lets say, the indo pacific. The same bacteria that thrives on the coral reef is likely not the same bacteria that thrives in South Carolina. Again, you may introduce crazy pests, pollution, or tons of organic matter that will be broken down in your system.

 

[His Coral Highness]

Haha well you certainly came to the right person with this question... Yeah I did the exact same thing with sand/water off Kiawah when I first started. I didn't wind up getting anything ruinous in my tank, but I did pick up a few weird sponges and something I could not tell you what it was for the life of me. Looking back I'd say that you're realistically going to be doing all of your water changes with RODI water and reef salt, so why even add in who-knows-what for a one time thing with seawater. As for the sand... I mean honestly I don't really think there is anything wrong with using beach sand as long as you know you're gonna pick up some sort of hitchhiker.

Also as someone pointed out to me, Kiawah has a lot of golf courses, and that means fertilizer runoff. I only did it for the first time I filled my tank, but it is something to consider.

 

[His Coral Highness]

I also want to mention that I have a thin stripe hermit crab in my tank I snagged off Morris Island that has been thriving in my FOWLR tank since July (molted 2-3x). So I think Charleston weather is similar enough to reef waters to have decent success with the flora/fauna.

 

[South Carolina reef]

Exactly why I asked this question. Thank you for all the feedback. I do think there would be many so called toxins in and around here due to shipping lanes and the aforementioned runoff.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

The water:
No, it would not be beneficial at all. There is nothing in “pure” ocean water that cannot be provided by a high quality reef salt. If anything, you run the risk of adding actual pollution to your tank.

The sand:
I would highly doubt you will be getting any helpful beneficial bacteria from this. South Carolina is a very different climate from, lets say, the indo pacific. The same bacteria that thrives on the coral reef is likely not the same bacteria that thrives in South Carolina. Again, you may introduce crazy pests, pollution, or tons of organic matter that will be broken down in your system.

Disagree with the water comment. There are a minimum of thousands of bacterial strains in a tiny bit of ocean water not to mention other microorganisms that could be beneficial.

 

[His Coral Highness]

There's some really great local stores in the Charleston area if you need some info and are just starting out. I really like Ocean Realms and Aquaman's Coral Cave, both in Goose Creek. And Tideline Aquatics in Hanahan, as well.

 

[South Carolina reef]

There's some really great local stores in the Charleston area if you need some info and are just starting out. I really like Ocean Realms and Aquaman's Coral Cave, both in Goose Creek. And Tideline Aquatics in Hanahan, as well.

I shop exclusively at Tideline. Hands down cleanest and best place around.

 

[Nemo&Friends]

I have collected sand in NC close to your border but I cleaned it before I added to my tank. Do not take the very fine sand as it will blow all over when you use the power head. I might do that the next time I go the beach.
Paul B who has a tank over 50 years old, adds very regularly ocean water in his tank. In fact he adds lots of stuff from the ocean in his tank. His posts are quite entertaining and you may want to read them.
Paul B lives in NY state, far from the tropic.

 

[His Coral Highness]

I shop exclusively at Tideline. Hands down cleanest and best place around.

I'd check out Ocean Realms and Aquaman's, I honestly prefer them

 

[AydenLincoln]

The water:
No, it would not be beneficial at all. There is nothing in “pure” ocean water that cannot be provided by a high quality reef salt. If anything, you run the risk of adding actual pollution to your tank.

The sand:
I would highly doubt you will be getting any helpful beneficial bacteria from this. South Carolina is a very different climate from, lets say, the indo pacific. The same bacteria that thrives on the coral reef is likely not the same bacteria that thrives in South Carolina. Again, you may introduce crazy pests, pollution, or tons of organic matter that will be broken down in your system.

I agree with this especially if you collect it right off the beach! You’d have to go miles off shore to get clean water. And yes you never know what pests are hiding in the water there’s way to minimize it/kill them like running a UV but it’s not full proof. Making your own saltwater provides the same benefits and allows you to control the parameters and know exactly what’s in it. But yes you can have a tank with natural ocean water and sand I just don’t think it’s the wisest decision especially right off the coast/beach.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

I agree with this especially if you collect it right off the beach! You’d have to go miles off shore to get clean water. And yes you never know what pests are hiding in the water there’s way to minimize it/kill them like running a UV but it’s not full proof. Making your own saltwater provides the same benefits and allows you to control the parameters and know exactly what’s in it. But yes you can have a tank with natural ocean water and sand I just don’t think it’s the wisest decision especially right off the coast/beach.

The OP is looking for biodiversity...how much biodiversity do you think there is in ASW vs NSW? I agree with the pollution concern but no ASW doesn't provide the same benefits.

 

[fishmonkey]

@Paul B does this and swears by it.


“If you have access to a salt water beach, collect a little mud and sprinkle it around the tank. That is for bacterial diversity. If you can’t get that, you can use garden soil with no pesticides or fertilizer.

(I did not invent that, it was “Robert Straughn” The Father of salt water fish keeping.)

The idea is that I want parasites living in the tank along with the fish. They will keep reproducing and trying to infect fish but they will fail.

I know the argument that there is much more water in the sea than in a tank and the parasites are more numerous. But that is of no consequence because the fishes immune system will get as strong as it needs to be to repel parasites and the more parasites there are, the stronger the immune system.”

The Other Way to Run a Reef Tank (no Quarantine)

The other way to run a reef tank (No Quarantine) I was asked by my friend Humblefish to start a thread on my practices of running a tank with no quarantine, hospital tanks, medications, dipping or almost anything else. It is "not" just to take...

www.reef2reef.com

But once you do this you can’t go back. His tank is over 50 years old. It’s actually a very involved process and you might be better off going sterile tank. Live foods and lots of live rock is needed.

You can buy live sand or rubble from https://aquabiomics.com/product/live-reef-rubble but it’s not cheap and not 100% guaranteed to be perfect but probably the closest you can get if you run sterile.

 

[fish farmer]

@Paul B does this and swears by it.


“If you have access to a salt water beach, collect a little mud and sprinkle it around the tank. That is for bacterial diversity. If you can’t get that, you can use garden soil with no pesticides or fertilizer.

(I did not invent that, it was “Robert Straughn” The Father of salt water fish keeping.)

The idea is that I want parasites living in the tank along with the fish. They will keep reproducing and trying to infect fish but they will fail.

I know the argument that there is much more water in the sea than in a tank and the parasites are more numerous. But that is of no consequence because the fishes immune system will get as strong as it needs to be to repel parasites and the more parasites there are, the stronger the immune system.”

The Other Way to Run a Reef Tank (no Quarantine)

The other way to run a reef tank (No Quarantine) I was asked by my friend Humblefish to start a thread on my practices of running a tank with no quarantine, hospital tanks, medications, dipping or almost anything else. It is "not" just to take...

www.reef2reef.com

But once you do this you can’t go back. His tank is over 50 years old. It’s actually a very involved process and you might be better off going sterile tank. Live foods and lots of live rock is needed.

You can buy live sand or rubble from https://aquabiomics.com/product/live-reef-rubble but it’s not cheap and not 100% guaranteed to be perfect but probably the closest you can get if you run sterile.

I remember back in my FO days seeding my tank with a couple of "live rocks" from Narragansett Bay, RI, whatever round stones that were found there covered with seaweed. I got a good population of copepods and amphipods that way. I think I may have had some hydroids hitchhike as well.