Live Sand, Live?

[rick505]

I'm cycling my tank right now with 50lbs of southdown and 45lbs of LR in a 36gallon AGA. Because my southdown is lifeless I sought out to liven it up a little by adding some sand from a previously established tank. I got a bag full of a sand and although the sand seemed to be full of life before, now that its been out of water for I don't know how many weeks I can't seem to find any life on it besides a dead worm, but then again i'm looking at it through a plastic zip lock bag.

The color isn't the same as my southdown (my sand is white, this sand is brownish). If I add the sand to my sand, what are the chances of life coming back in the sand and also if I mix this sand with my white sand, how noticeable would the difference be?

Help!!

[d4a2n0k]

If the sand was in a bag for a few weeks, theres no benefit in adding it now. Everything will be dead. As long as you got good quality live rock, IMO theres no reason to add more critters, you should have plenty in a few months time. They will come. Plus adding critters now during the cycle wont help as most of it will be dead in the toxic soup in your tank.