sand bed...ok to use?

[vest0830]

I have searched around a little to try to figure out my own question, but found nothing relating to my quesiton....

I saved the very live sand bed from my old cube for my fuge for my new tank. It has been just sitting on my back porch for the past month, month and a half or so, with about an inch of water sitting on top of the sand so it didnt dry out. No water changes to the sand, no stirring, nothing, just sitting in a bucket.

I went outside, got rid of the NASTY water that was sitting on top of the sand to move it into my fuge, and when I started diggin through it, getting the crap off the top, removing some of the top layer of the sand, the sand started turning grayer the deeper I went with it.

Should I use it? Is that a good thing? Should I go get some sand from a friend, maybe seed some new stuff, ditch this stuff? Why is my sand gray?

 

[boxfishpooalot]

If your sand was white, and now gray, it means its covered or loaded with POC(particulate organics) aka fish poo.

Although it is normally suggested to throw out sand that is organic laden, be aware that organics are required in the process called denitrificaiton. So, if you want to save the sand I see no problems.

Consequently, you may have phosphate problems.

 

[gman0526]

To me it sounds that more than just poop it is all the bacterial film that was inhabiting the sand prior to being dumped in the bucket that is now dead. You will need to do some serious rinsing in order to use this sand again.

 

[vest0830]

ahh....well, with that I will just get new then.

If anyone else thinks it will be alright, please chime in.

Thanks.

 

[Snarkys]

throw it out , anything that was live is now dead.