live sand VS beach sand

[95accord]

i was wondering if you could use sand from the beach to put in your tank as live sand. (from a non-polluted beach )

same concept of adding actual sea water to your tank.......


would it work? instant live sand?

[an411]

I would not do it personally I would buy dry aggregate sand and seed it with live sand from LFS or fellow reefer

[WaterKeeper]

Probably not as often beach sand is just imported sand from a land quarry. However, if you can get the proper fine sand from the sea in that area it should be pretty good. Just remember that Canadian sand is not tropical like a reef so you may want to add some true LS from a tropical source to help seed it.

[papagimp]

I wouldn't want to try it. Beaches have all sorts of nasty stuff wash up on it, not to mention the natural protien skimming that goes on with waves/beaches.

[95accord]

where im from....we have the warmest salt water north of virginia! lol which isnt saying much :P

[wildcrazyjoker8]

Is their actually a such thing as a non-polluted beach. They don't exist. It is the same myth as bigfoot or the lockness monster. The beach is the oceans crapper. Heck I personally love finding metal objects and pocket change at the beach. DONT USE BEACH SAND. Just get free sand from other reefers or LFS.

[95accord]

im already set for sand....i was just curious thats all.

[coast2coast7390]

Beach Sand is dirty and filled with serilizers...lets just leave it at that

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Using sand or water you collect yourself is the same as using tap water in your tank - it's a total crapshoot. Some people get away with it, other times it ruins people's tanks.

[kevin2000]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by 95accord
i was wondering if you could use sand from the beach to put in your tank as live sand. (from a non-polluted beach )
Thats possible if you collect ocean sand in a warm place like Hawaii or the gulf of Mexico. However, if you live in Canada or another "cold" place ... forget it. Critters that thrive in cold water tend to die in warm water of our SW tanks - a major die off isn't the way to cycle a tank.

[down and outman]

My mother gave me a bucketfull of beach sand and I paid dearly for it. Algae and crap, even after washing it out. Don't do it. I started my new tank with caribsea sugar sand, all new. Cost was $60. Doing well.

[cutegecko3]

live sand should only be collected pretty deep in the ocean,say around 30 to 60 feet down.pollutants gather around the surface and then they get deposited onto the beach.most any beach has been collecting pollutants for decades(thank you exxon).

[bach2pilot]

Exxon????

More damage is done in the intracoastal/beach areas from people over-fertilizing their lawns.

[jim70]

no sand from beach to risky

[jmarti705]

Ya ill agree with everyone else and say that the best way to go is get sand from LFS bc it will come from a tropical source that will have the least amount of "bad stuff."

[JMR99]

I would't do it....

[Playa-1]

I took my metal detector to a nice beach in so cal and all i could find all day was rusty nails. I don't think i will be walking bare foot on the beach much less using that stuff in my fish tank.

[rhoptowit]

man you guys are lucky you can buy good live sand, here i remember seeing a small bag of crushed coral at a LFS for 20 bucks. not much options in anything, except to go and get it yourself.

[dwd5813]

don't bring sand to the beach! wait, that's not what you asked....
the major concerns i would have with using beach sand in my tank would be pollution(runoff, exxon, what have you) overconcentration of nutrients, and the fact that like some stooge (excuse me, i mean as a wise man ) said up there, a LOT of beaches are actually quarried sand that is trucked in to make that silky smooth beach you love so much.
so i guess what i was trying to say is that unless you know a few things about the sand that would be difficult to find out, don't bring sand home from the beach!

[Mini Me6]

rhoptowit: You could always order sand ONLINE. There are many sorces to choose from. I am very happy with Mairine Depot. No problem with shipping or customer service. Give it a try.

[rhoptowit]

no i cant do that hawaii has to strict of laws.

[down and outman]

If your putting in LR a good sand will become live. You can add a little from another tank to seed it. Save some bucks and get some CaribSea sand and add a little live sand to it.