Quote:
Originally posted by a4twenty
hmmmm, did i miss something? i thought there was no point in using live sand in a RDSB. something about wrong type of bacteria ............ guess i'll have to back track and see if i missed something.
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There are two basic types of bacteria at play here. One can live in an oxygen rich environment, one can't. What you get in a scoop of another reefer's sand is Aerobic bacteria, which live in an oxygen rich environment. IF there is actually any live bacteria in that "Bag 'O Live Sand" from the LFS, it's also Aerobic bacteria. If you added that live sand to the bottom of a bucket, with 100 lbs of dead sand on top, you would have a bucket full of dead sand.
Now, Aerobic bacteria will do you no good at all, if your aim is to lower nitrates. Aerobic bacteria consume/convert Ammonia through nitrite, and on to nitrate. You need Anaerobic bacteria to convert nitrate to nitrogen gas.