Collecting sand from the ocean

[wunderlong88]

I am setting up a ~170 gal reef tank. If I bring home some sand from the ocean to help seed it out, how much should I bring? Do I want only shallow sand or is some of the darker dirtier sand helpful for beneficial organisms and bacteria? Can I use only this or should I still buy commercial sand? If so, what are some sand options? I don't think I need it to be live because I am going to purchase quite a bit of live rock, not sure how much yet, still researching that.

I am planning for live rock, fish, soft corals and inverts.

 

[Paleozoic_reefer]

Do you mean sand from the beach? I wouldn’t put anything in the tank from the ocean because you don’t know what it contains or has absorbed over time. Plus beach sand is almost all silica and will cause diatom blooms in your tank. Your best bet is just to buy live rock or get it from a fellow reefer if you want it to seed your tanks Happy reefing!

 

[Fish Fan]

Silica sand doesn't cause diatom blooms, it has been used for years in Deep Sand Beds (DSB). But, I agree, I wouldn't put anything from your local beach in your tank. First of all, you may be violating local laws; most public beaches don't allow you to removed anything, even rocks and sand. But almost everywhere is going to be polluted with who knows what. I wouldn't risk it.

Get some live rock from your Local Fish Store and start your tank with that :-)

 

[Tahoe61]

Personally I wouldn't add sand from the beach. Too many variables to worry about. A saltwater tank is an investment in time and money, but you get to decide how to run your system.

 

[Uncle99]

I am setting up a ~170 gal reef tank. If I bring home some sand from the ocean to help seed it out, how much should I bring? Do I want only shallow sand or is some of the darker dirtier sand helpful for beneficial organisms and bacteria? Can I use only this or should I still buy commercial sand? If so, what are some sand options? I don't think I need it to be live because I am going to purchase quite a bit of live rock, not sure how much yet, still researching that.

I am planning for live rock, fish, soft corals and inverts.

I’ve used Carib-Sea Figi pink forever.

 

[wunderlong88]

Ok...thank you. What about a "handful of mud" if that is the right term that I saw Paul B's recommendations in keeping an immune type tank? I did mean from under the water out away from shore some distance, possibly. Not sure how he meant.

 

[Fish Fan]

Ok...thank you. What about a "handful of mud" if that is the right term that I saw Paul B's recommendations in keeping an immune type tank? I did mean from under the water out away from shore some distance, possibly. Not sure how he meant.

I can't speak for Paul B who's a very well respected reefer here at R2R. But he may have been talking about a prepacked mud, like Miracle Mud or similar products:
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/mira...AxYr0zdnGn4TfJXB5xQ0nCNJJeyPkv_EaAmrQEALw_wcB
Also, unless you're on the level of a Paul B, I would try for "Ich eradication" (which admittedly may not be 100%) vs. "Ich management". That's just my very non-expert $0.02 :-)

 

[wunderlong88]

Unless I misread I thought he said if you are near and ocean to get a handful of mud to put in your tank for upping the health.

But no matter that Miracle Mud sounds like and interesting thing to check out. TY!

 

[Fish Fan]

Unless I misread I thought he said if you are near and ocean to get a handful of mud to put in your tank for upping the health.

But no matter that Miracle Mud sounds like and interesting thing to check out. TY!

He could well have, I don't know, and I am not trying to speak for him. Just know that he has decades of experience with these tanks, and while I follow him and would listen to his advice over mine, he walks a path that's a little different than most here :)

 

[cilyjr]

I use local sand and I'm doing ok. This particular tank is 2 years old.
I use it because it's unique and a large grain, think tropic Eden meso and reef flakes.

To the OP, get it if you want it, it's likely not gonna help it may hurt (probably not).

If more microfauna biodiversity is your goal, trade a piece of live rock or 2 with a local hobbyist with a nice tank.

 

[Fish Fan]

I use local sand and I'm doing ok. This particular tank is 2 years old.
I use it because it's unique and a large grain, think tropic Eden meso and reef flakes.

To the OP, get it if you want it, it's likely not gonna help it may hurt (probably not).

If more microfauna biodiversity is your goal, trade a piece of live rock or 2 with a local hobbyist with a nice tank.

Hard to argue with your results, your tank looks great!

That sand is not typical calcium carbonate beach sand. It looks very much like CaribbSea's Peace River freshwater substrate. Is that natural in your area, or did your local city bring that in for the beaches?

https://fresh.bulkreefsupply.com/super-naturals-substrate-peace-river-caribsea.html

 

[Subsea]

Unless I misread I thought he said if you are near and ocean to get a handful of mud to put in your tank for upping the health.

But no matter that Miracle Mud sounds like and interesting thing to check out. TY!

I have been to Paul’s home within sight of Long Island Sound where he collects pods & macro algae. Paul says a lot of things for shock value and he did say to get dirt from your backyard.

Miracle mud for reef hobby industry does not have the organics that you are looking for. I purchased the product for its high iron content and its very fine matrix to home a diversity of worms. Over a period of time, detritus collects in the sump and becomes
MULM: and this is what @Paul B says about that

https://wamas.org/forums/topic/78578-mulm-in-a-reef-tank/

 

[Fish Fan]

Thanks for your help here @Subsea!

 

[wunderlong88]

I have been to Paul’s home within sight of Long Island Sound where he collects pods & macro algae. Paul says a lot of things for shock value and he did say to get dirt from your backyard.

Miracle mud for reef hobby industry does not have the organics that you are looking for. I purchased the product for its high iron content and its very fine matrix to home a diversity of worms. Over a period of time, detritus collects in the sump and becomes
MULM: and this is what @Paul B says about that

https://wamas.org/forums/topic/78578-mulm-in-a-reef-tank/

Thank you for this information. I read that thread and find that very interesting. I would very much like to learn his technique or others who are doing similar. It seems like it would be valuable for more of us to learn how to keep tanks in a way that are more natural if that is the right word.

 

[cilyjr]

Hard to argue with your results, your tank looks great!

That sand is not typical calcium carbonate beach sand. It looks very much like CaribbSea's Peace River freshwater substrate. Is that natural in your area, or did your local city bring that in for the beaches?

It is natural. The beaches where it is found are not the ones many people lay about on. They are steep and surrounded by rocky tidepool areas.
It is feldspar.

 

[Subsea]

Thank you for this information. I read that thread and find that very interesting. I would very much like to learn his technique or others who are doing similar. It seems like it would be valuable for more of us to learn how to keep tanks in a way that are more natural if that is the right word.

Those things are talked about on differrent threads on this website. I speak on these things on many threads that I post. Paul has been Reefing 6 months longer than me and I am 6 months older than him. And, I still have some hair.

Check out a long winded thread on nutriment management with emphases on nutrient recycling using the microbial food web.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/nutrient-management-by-“old-school”-reefer.784640/

 

[KrisReef]

Ok...thank you. What about a "handful of mud" if that is the right term that I saw Paul B's recommendations in keeping an immune type tank? I did mean from under the water out away from shore some distance, possibly. Not sure how he meant.

Fly to Saint Thomas for the day. Have a nice time snorkeling and when you are done grab a handful of wet sand from the beach and put it in a jar for a souvenir. If you don't take a plane load you won't attract any extra baggage fees.

Otherwise, the same/similar product is available from a few vendors who collect legally in Florida. They are ok, but I recommend the day trip snorkeling myself.

 

[Paul B]

I can't speak for Paul B who's a very well respected reefer here at R2R. But he may have been talking about a prepacked mud, like Miracle Mud or similar products:

No, regular and free mud from the sea. Sand or rocks would also work as long as you find it underwater and not on a dry beach. :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

Low tide here in this lagoon.

 

[KrisReef]

No, regular and free mud from the sea. Sand or rocks would also work as long as you find it underwater and not on a dry beach. :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

Low tide here in this lagoon.

On the beaches in Ca I noticed many loose small clusters of muscles that were dislodged from the rocky substrate and scattered across the sand at low tide.

(My fish loved them) Do you see many loose live muscle clumps that are detached into singles or groups of 2or 3 on your coastline?

 

[Subsea]

Kris,
I suspect that after a Northeasterner, that the beaches of Long Island on the Atlantic Coast would be covered with stuff.