Switching substrate.. should I add live sand?

[Be102]

I have an established 65 gallon setup and I am currently going through a fallow period. I am looking to do a good cleaning on my tank and switch my sand bed. At first I was planning on sitting through the sand and just trying to remove the big shells and debris but I think I will be adding more sand to it overall. There’s some good sales for Carib-sea around and I was wondering if it would be beneficial or not really important to buy live arag alive vs regular aragonite sand. Either way I will be rinsing the sand prior to adding it thanks to the sand rinsing thread found on here.. just couldn’t figure if it’s worth the extra $10 on each bag for “live sand” after I already had it and my tank is well established with a Fuge and everything

 

[rcpalmer1]

If you are going to rinse the sand that will defeat the purpose of the live sand. Live sand should be added unwashed and any water in the bag also poured into the tank.

 

[Reef-junky]

If your just topping the sand off then you could just use the clean sand box sand or cheap stuff. If your going to take all the sand out then I wouldn’t do it in one shot because you will cause your tank to crash.

 

[RobZilla04]

Rinsing a bag of "live" sand defeats the purpose. You're washing the beneficial bacteria from the substrate.

 

[Be102]

This is where I go the info from, give it a read https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-official-sand-rinse-thread-aka-one-against-many.230281/ from @brandon429

 

[KrisReef]

If your tank is already cycled, and you clean the old sand bed but do not remove it, then adding new sand should not impact the biodiversity and the bio filter that you currently have. Save your money (get the least expensive sand you like) and you should be ok. The new sand will be colonized with bacteria soon enough after you add it.

One against many is a good thread. GL

 

[Be102]

If your tank is already cycled, and you clean the old sand bed but do not remove it, then adding new sand should not impact the biodiversity and the bio filter that you currently have. Save your money (get the least expensive sand you like) and you should be ok. The new sand will be colonized with bacteria soon enough after you add it.

One against many is a good thread. GL

That’s the thing.. it’s like $5 for a pack of aragonite and then $10 for a aragoinite alive. I don’t ultimately need the “Alive” yet the biodiversity could help. I’m happy someone else read the thread so I don’t seem like an idiot to everyone thus far. I just want to try avoid cloudiness and unnecessary stuff in the tank

I am thinking of using a net to scoop the sand I have now put and the finer stuff will stay behind. I then was gonna rinse the sand for a little bit then add it and add rocks then corals then coral.

 

[RobZilla04]

One does not need to read the thread you linked to tell you that rinsing "live" sand will kill off most, if not all, the bacteria population. I don't care what that thread says! If you rinse thoroughly enough to remove the finer particles that create a cloud storm, all you're left with are the bacteria in the pores of the fine substrate. Which is significantly less than you started with. Why pay more to flush the increased cost down the driveway???

If you do use the "live" sand without rinsing, know that it does create a rather terrible cloud storm that takes weeks to months to remove and recover from.

Use dry new sand and one of the bacteria in-a-bottle supplements if you'd like biodiversity. https://aquarium.bulkreefsupply.com/search?w=bacteria&asug=

 

[Be102]

One does not need to read the thread you linked to tell you that rinsing "live" sand will kill off most, if not all, the bacteria population. I don't care what that thread says! If you rinse thoroughly enough to remove the finer particles that create a cloud storm, all you're left with are the bacteria in the pores of the fine substrate. Which is significantly less than you started with. Why pay more to flush the increased cost down the driveway???

If you do use the "live" sand without rinsing, know that it does create a rather terrible cloud storm that takes weeks to months to remove and recover from.

Use dry new sand and one of the bacteria in-a-bottle supplements if you'd like biodiversity.

I understand your viewpoint and get where you are coming from. To each their own I guess. I think that thread is a great resource and expected answers similar to what you have provided. Everything you say makes sense I just don’t really see the rinsing as the worst thing. People rinse their established tank beds with freshwater and the tank comes back thriving. It’s an interesting concept.