Live sand or not?

[Dave VG]

I'm thinking about using live sand for my build this time around. I'm setting up a 30L and have a ton of cycled live rock from my 90 waiting to go in. I'm planning to put some in the tank and some in the sump. So my question is will there be a cycle from the sand if I put it and the live rock in at the same time? Does live sand cycle? And lastly will I be wasting my money being that I have cycled live rock?

 

[dreaminmel]

Others may feel differently but I only ever used the live sand once. When I used it, it still went through diatom and cyano phases. Ever since then I've preferred to save money and use dry sand with a couple scoops of live sand from fellow hobbyists.

 

[Dave VG]

Thanks mel. I’m not expecting a diatom and cyano phase being that the rock is fully cured but then again maybe it will still go through it. I’m hoping not and that is why I’m asking about the live sand cycle. I would love to avoid those ugly phases and save a little money as well lol.

 

[toddmh]

I've only used live sand once and that was by mistake lol I used that Tahitian moon black sand ..I had no Idea it was "live" I stored it for 2 months before using it..When I set the tank up I also used very cured rock,over 100lbs of it..That tank never really went through a cycle..

 

[IronMan72]

I used 40 lbs dry sand and 20lbs live sand in my 75G at the recommendation of the LFS. The sand was in the tank for 1 week before I added my rock. The rock was sold to me as fully cycled by the LFS and was removed directly from their tank. I had a quick 10 day cycle. A few weeks later I had hair algae for about two weeks then cyano for about 1 month that required significant maintenance to keep under control. This is my first salty tank but the live sand didn't seem to help me avoid the typical cycle. I really don't see how any bacteria survive in that sealed bag for weeks without oxygen and circulation. I don't think I'd use it again.

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

"Cycling" happens when the nutrient load on the tank and the nutrient processing abilities of the tank don't match.

So, for each element you're putting in the tank, ask yourself two questions:

1) Is this element adding to the nutrient load in the tank?
2) Is this element adding to the nutrient processing capabilities of the tank?

Some things are obvious, but others aren't. For instance, the "cycled" live rock from your 90g. Surely it has bacteria living on it, so it's increasing the nutrient processing capabilities of the new tank. But, is it loaded with sediment and deposits? If you blast a powerhead at the rock from close range, does the water get cloudy or stay clear? It's possible for "cycled" rock from an established tank to be very dirty, such that moving it to a new tank DOES cause nutrient problems, thanks to the sediment and detritus accumulation getting stirred up into the water.

Also, might make sense to take a moment and evaluate your motives. Cycling is a natural part of setting up a new tank and a few extra weeks isn't much compared to years of enjoyment once things have settled down. The only times I've purposely tried to "rush" or avoid a cycle in a new tank was when I HAD to - i.e. when I upgraded from a smaller tank to a larger one, and needed to transfer livestock immediately.

 

[Piazzon12]

Dont waste your money... buy regular sand. Your live rock should have plenty of life, but if you're worried get a cup of sand from a local