Dead live sand.

Gdk414 · Dec 18, 2016

So I've recently acquired a nice setup that's been broken down for a few months and the sand was just left in the empty tank to dry up. Would I be OK to just rinse the sand and put it in the new tank I'm setting up, or is this a bad idea and why.,? Thanks
Geoff from Boston

Mr_Banana_Pants · Dec 18, 2016

A fellow Massachusetts reefer =)

How was the tank when it was torn down? If it was clean you can probably backwash it in a 5 gal bucket. If there was any algae or parasites then I'd soak it in bleach. Then backwash it with copious amounts of water. Just be sure when you backwash it to stir it around a little and let it run clear

Alfrareef · Dec 18, 2016

I always use "new" sand when starting a tank. The "old" sand it's full of dirt. Even the rock it's a risk to reuse. You need to cure it very well.

Mr_Banana_Pants · Dec 18, 2016

Alfrareef said:
I always use "new" sand when starting a tank. The "old" sand it's full of dirt. Even the rock it's a risk to reuse. You need to cure it very well.

How is the old sand full of dirt? It might have some detritus from the old tank, but a good cleaning and backwash should take care of that. Even "new" sand is old sand from the ocean

Ineedhelp · Dec 18, 2016

as someone who just went through this process, I would advise to buy new sand if it is a large tank.... Im fighting one of the biggest algae outbreaks I ever seen and I rinsed the sand for hours!

Alfrareef · Dec 18, 2016

Mr_Banana_Pants said:
How is the old sand full of dirt? It might have some detritus from the old tank, but a good cleaning and backwash should take care of that. Even "new" sand is old sand from the ocean

Organic waste and all the stuff that precipitated. It's just my opinion and the way I've been doing it.
In fact I only use sand because I'm not a BB fan.

saltyfilmfolks · Dec 18, 2016

rinse and wash the living heck ouuta it if you want to use it. peroxide fresh water soak. get the organics out.
after that its only phosphate that MAY remain. after you do a final rinse let it sit in ro or salt water ant test the po after 24 hrs. that will tell you if it will leach. If its low to no your ok. if its a little the bacteria will most likely lower those numbers during the cycle.

saltyfilmfolks · Dec 18, 2016

Mr_Banana_Pants said:
How is the old sand full of dirt? It might have some detritus from the old tank, but a good cleaning and backwash should take care of that. Even "new" sand is old sand from the ocean

some sand is actually mined coral skeleton from now dry land then crushed and cleaned actually. The aragonite sand most use now is crushed coral, ie dead rock(live rock)