Caribsea Hawaiian Black Aquarium Gravel Live Sand

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#1
Okay so I been going bare bottom and now I want to go with this sand. Everywhere I seen it they suggest just to add it to the tank and to just do water changes as nitrate will skyrocket. So apparently this sand has dormant bacteria that creates no cycle. What do you guys think? I remember someone told me to just add a cup a week but can
 

Speaker73

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#2
I would think that if it's new sand you can just add it and you should be ok. You probably would get a nitrate spike only if you were disturbing existing sand or using old sand.

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#3
I would think that if it's new sand you can just add it and you should be ok. You probably would get a nitrate spike only if you were disturbing existing sand or using old sand.

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Yeah since it has no organic on it
It makes sense. Just nervous to add it now I guess


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Wankel

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#4
I thought all of their substrates contain live bacteria, I don't think its cycle proof though. Never added a bag to an existing tank, I would imagine there is enough life in the tank already on an existing setup to not affect it too much.
 

Smite

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#7
Wow, and it was brand new sand? I never would have thought that would happen. Does this sand come wet or dry?

Sorry to hear. Just don't do anything drastic, bring them back down slow. What were your nitrates at before?
 
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Wow, and it was brand new sand? I never would have thought that would happen. Does this sand come wet or dry?

Sorry to hear. Just don't do anything drastic, bring them back down slow. What were your nitrates at before?
Yes it was brand new sand it comes moist.
They were undetectable but I guess it
 

Wankel

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#10
Water changes would be a good start, I would be afraid of much more than that causing more damage with the fast fluctuations. Im tempted to say add some nitrifying bacteria, but I don't know how quickly it works.
 

Speaker73

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#13
Well first victim of adding sand my nitrates skyrocketed to 40ppm I
Aww man...I'm sorry about that.

Just thought of something. The sand was seeded with live bacteria and if that bacteria died I guess that would cause a nitrate spike.

Now I feel like an a hole. When your tank stabilizes let me know. I can probably give you something For my horrible advice.

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#14
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Aww man...I'm sorry about that.

Just thought of something. The sand was seeded with live bacteria and if that bacteria died I guess that would cause a nitrate spike.

Now I feel like an a hole. When your tank stabilizes let me know. I can probably give you something For my horrible advice.

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You mean like a walt disney frag? lol
 
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#19
Just for anybody looking to add sand on an established system. Add it slowly
everything is starting to bleach. Just ad the sand slowly overtime.


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