Old sand

[EHaddad]

I just recently acquired some sand still in the bag unopened. It has been stored in a garage for around a year. is it okay to use? What should I do to it?

 

[glb]

I just recently acquired some sand still in the bag unopened. It has been stored in a garage for around a year. is it okay to use? What should I do to it?

If there were temp extremes in the garage I probably wouldn’t use it if it’s live sand. Just my personal opinion.

 

[EHaddad]

If there were temp extremes in the garage I probably wouldn’t use it if it’s live sand. Just my personal opinion.

No way to clean it or make it useable?

 

[Nick428]

Yea no reason why you couldnt mix it and wash it in a bucket if its aragonite the wash water probably will always be a slightly cloudy white

 

[Tl02022020]

If you’re going to be cycling a new tank anyway, it’s probably fine. If adding to an established tank I would rinse it well and only add a bit at a time.

 

[Starkrost]

Did it start out as live or dead sand?

 

[andrewkw]

Not that I use sand anymore unless I have to, but if I were to use sand I would treat new in the bag, old in the bag, or from an existing tank all the same way. Rinse, rinse and rinse until the water is clear. Do this outside if possible. Set aside a couple of hours to do this.

Even if it was live sand, it will become "live" again in time. Get it clean, then add it.

 

[EHaddad]

Not that I use sand anymore unless I have to, but if I were to use sand I would treat new in the bag, old in the bag, or from an existing tank all the same way. Rinse, rinse and rinse until the water is clear. Do this outside if possible. Set aside a couple of hours to do this.

Even if it was live sand, it will become "live" again in time. Get it clean, then add it.

Just wash it with water from the hose or should I use RODI water?

 

[brandon429]

hose. you will have to rinse it for hours.

your sand is the exact same as brand new sand in the bag, yours is not harmed. we do not need sandbed bacteria in reefing, they're just a sales pitch option. what we need is simply rinsed clean sand, then it activates over time like A mentioned. even if your sand was brand new we would still rinse it in tap water, and then RO as the last rinse to jet out the tap. here is what is risked if we do not pre rinse:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/so-i-didnt-rinse.592624/
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/sandbed-stirred-up.544852/#post-5723606

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/very-cloudy-water-after-sand-and-rock.559386/#post-5735864
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/question-about-vacuuming-sand-bed.616059/ https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/new-tank-milky-cloudy.616519/

not everyone pre-rinses, but that is because they're under the impression that a. we need sandbed bac and b. rinsing sand removes bac, neither of those are the case.

 

[Dburr1014]

+1 hose it and use it.