Questions on Sand (rinsing live)

[Reeficheep]

Hi everyone,

As per the thread title, had a few questions on sand and sand beds, especially around live vs. dry.
I am thinking about setting up an aquarium (13.5g) using one 10-pound bag of Carib-Sea Arag alive Fiji Pink live sand, which as far as I can see is a very popular sand choice and seems to work pretty well. I'm not planning on any burrowing fish, so I don't think I need special grade or anything.

However, I've seen a lot of articles discussing rip cleaning, most of which were diverted to this thread, https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/official-sand-rinse-and-tank-transfer-thread.230281/ , and have also seen that a lot of people pre-rinse their sand to stop it from clouding the water. However, doesn't this just rid the sand of all the beneficial bacteria already on it (thereby defeating the whole point of live sand)?

Following this, is it better to
a. get this product (comes with BB) and leave it
b. get this product and rinse it (possibly getting rid of all the BB)
c. get a different, non-bacteria seeded product (which I assume would also be cheaper) and seed it with live ocean sand or something
or
d. Something else?

Probably a dumb question, but I was curious.

Also, do you manually stir your (shallow) sand bed each water change to prevent toxic buildups, or is it better to leave it? I guess that would also depend whether there was a conch involved or not...

 

[JonoH]

I think the general view is that 'live sand' is a bit of a gimmick, and all the beneficial bacteria you need will be in your live rock.

 

[Reeficheep]

Is it better to buy 'dead' sand then? Are there any brands you recommend?

It's a shame it's illegal to just get beach sand... would save me a whole lot of money ;)

 

[Macbalacano]

I personally do not think there is much benefit from buying live or dead sand - I would choose it more on getting the grain size / amount / price / colour that works for you.

I would highly recommend washing it nonstop until the water runs clear. As you've read in those other sand threads, it will save you lots of hassle in the future and your water will be much clearer from the start.

 

[fishywishy]

Is it better to buy 'dead' sand then? Are there any brands you recommend?

It's a shame it's illegal to just get beach sand... would save me a whole lot of money ;)

CaribSea Fiji Pink and Special Grade sand are both good options. Live or dry, it doesn’t matter too much, but dry sand is often preferred since it’s cheaper. Just make sure your rinse it.

Just take the beach sand when nobody’s looking, i wont tell on you;)

 

[JonoH]

Is it better to buy 'dead' sand then? Are there any brands you recommend?

It's a shame it's illegal to just get beach sand... would save me a whole lot of money ;)

CaribSea Fiji Pink is what i used from memory - took heaps of washing to get it to be clean though, close to an hour per bag - i documented it on my Build Thread.

I think normal beach sand would be too fine TBH

 

[Reeficheep]

Has anyone her used just pure beach sand for their aquarium? I've read up on it a bit, and it seems some people are concerned by potential contaminants, finer grain size (causing it to be blown all over the tank), and it leaching stuff into the water. Also, if anyone has used it, was it wet (a lot heavier to transport but has potential BB) or dry?

Also, is there a cheaper alternative that's similar to Fiji Pink but dry? I like the colour, but not the price ;)