Starting new tank help

[toomuch420]

Is live sand a gimmick?
Looking at special grade..
It's been so long since starting a tank 4 me and don't know the ins and outs of new methods of cycling etc

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[bakbay]

Is live sand a gimmick?
Looking at special grade..
It's been so long since starting a tank 4 me and don't know the ins and outs of new methods of cycling etc

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I haven’t used sand in years — all my tanks have been bare bottom! It’s very easy to crank up flow and don’t worry about detritus traps. However, it’s gonna to take awhile (a year) to mature vs sand.

Cycle: I just use a bottle of Fritz 9000 for an instant cycle. If you have some LR from other established tanks, that would help speed things up.

How big is the new tank?

 

[toomuch420]

I haven’t used sand in years — all my tanks have been bare bottom! It’s very easy to crank up flow and don’t worry about detritus traps. However, it’s gonna to take awhile (a year) to mature vs sand.

Cycle: I just use a bottle of Fritz 9000 for an instant cycle. If you have some LR from other established tanks, that would help speed things up.

How big is the new tank?

Going from old 90 gal been running about 10 yrs to 120 gal but everyone said get new sand and gonna do new dry rocks I have stored cause 90 gal has alot vermid snails. Think can seed with rocks from 90 gal sump unless they also have pests

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[N2SWIMN]

+1 on the Fritz Turbo start. I cycled a FOWLR within 2 weeks using live rock and porous ceramic media from current tank.

 

[joseserrano]

Live sand dies have bacteria, but from Caribbean reefs, so not necessarily the ones from where your corals come from. That being said if you are doing specifically Marco rock, I would throw the kitchen sink bacteria bottle wise. I have a piece of Marco mixed into my 60g for almost a year now, still looks like s

 

[mescobar]

I've heard that carribsea live sand is kinda a gimmick; the amount of good bacteria in the sand is questionable, and the argument could be make that it contains bad bacteria as well.

If I were to start a new tank, I'd likely go with the dry sand route and pair it with bottled bacteria.

 

[bakbay]

Going from old 90 gal been running about 10 yrs to 120 gal but everyone said get new sand and gonna do new dry rocks I have stored cause 90 gal has alot vermid snails. Think can seed with rocks from 90 gal sump unless they also have pests

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Oh — if that’s the case, go new and don’t re-use your old sand! I would just go bare bottom and new dry rocks! Once ready, slowly move fish and then corals over. There are multiple ways to skin this cat but for me — BB, high flow, lots of rocks.

 

[bakbay]

Check this out - 450gal, BB — half established rocks, half dry rocks, 4mos old.

https://youtube.com/shorts/blBSRfzNpVI?si=gWlC3C_8or5sZW9V

 

[toomuch420]

Check this out - 450gal, BB — half established rocks, half dry rocks, 4mos old.

https://youtube.com/shorts/blBSRfzNpVI?si=gWlC3C_8or5sZW9V

Beautiful. Think wanna do sand tho.
All established rock imma trash cause damn pests

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[bakbay]

Lagoon/Frag tank, next to the 450gal, is also BB, medium flow, and super low maintenance!
https://youtube.com/shorts/2d43hY5ZEkc?si=ONLlPFxUJFtVQae3

That said — sand is more natural and aesthetically pleasing but in the long run, it’s a lot of work. You can also host other sand-loving creatures. It’s a matter of preference really. For me — BB all the way.

 

[bakbay]

Cool — sand it is but I would buy new sand and not re-use the old ones. Let us know how the new tank goes.

 

[Reeferkcp]

my 2 cents, new sand new rock is a PITA. Your are going to be dealing with ugly phases and Dino and what not. I would not use old sand. But old live rocks are worth their weight in gold. I got a little vermatid and they don’t seem to be a big issue. I would add some bubble bee snail or starve out the vermatid in ur new tank. It probably faster to starve out vermatid than cycle new rocks to be ready for sticks.

 

[toomuch420]

my 2 cents, new sand new rock is a PITA. Your are going to be dealing with ugly phases and Dino and what not. I would not use old sand. But old live rocks are worth their weight in gold. I got a little vermatid and they don’t seem to be a big issue. I would add some bubble bee snail or starve out the vermatid in ur new tank. It probably faster to starve out vermatid than cycle new rocks to be ready for sticks.

What do u mean starve out vermid?

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[Reeferkcp]

What do u mean starve out vermid?

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let the rock sit in the tank and don’t feed it. Population will die off a lot.

 

[laverda]

I have had good results with live sand. Besides beneficial bacteria I have had small clams pop up after a while.

 

[DETANE]

I have buckets of sand if you need it for free

 

[drexel]

You don't need "live sand" but sand is awesome for giving you a lot of surface area for bacteria. Just use dry sand (special grade being my favorite) and seed it with a little sand from a trusted tank or buy some from AquaBiomics. Bottled bacteria isn't going to do much but provide "basic" nitrifying bacteria.