Sand Question

[mx36]

About a year ago I took my aquarium down while I sold my house. I stored all the live sand in 5 gal salt buckets with the lids on them. I am now getting ready to move into are new home and am wanting to get the aquarium set up again. So I am wondering is it safe to reuse the live sand that I have been storing in the salt buckets? Or am I asking for problems?

Thanks

 

[bs21]

i would think it is ok. its no different than the argonite in bags with water.

 

[billdogg]

i would, at the minimum, rinse the heck out of it. sitting for a year in a 5g bucket = nothing alive in that sand at all. It may still be usable, but ......................

 

[919]

..........

 

[919]

Good to see other Wichitians on the board.

I would go with all new sand. Remeber live sand has an expiration date on the bag.

I guarantee, when you open those buckets it will not pleasent.

 

[Felix T Cat]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14711912#post14711912 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bs21
i would think it is ok. its no different than the argonite in bags with water.

I believe the bags are treated to preserve the bacteria in the sand. Just leaving it in a container is quite different. I would either rinse the hell out of it or get new and be safe.

 

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ill bet you a dollar that the sand is black toward the bottom,

get new....


Chris

 

[blueye]

I would discard it and purchase fresh

 

[MegsB]

i would try rinsing it out very well and see how it looks/smells after, i have re-used sandbeds several times when moving, but always rinsed very very thoroughly and re-used right away upon re-setup, so not sure on the sitting around for a year.

 

[Billy Rocket]

Get new. Why start with a possible problem.

 

[mx36]

Thanks for all the replies does anyone else have any thoughts?

 

[josh1415]

I would use new sand

 

[walkthedog]

No use to waste your money on new sand. This hobby has so many things that take our money. The sand will be ok. You do need to rinse it out really well. It will have fish poop and other nasties from when you had it set up before. Your tank will cycle anyway so if you miss a little junk in the sand it will be ok. When you add the water to the sand some stuff will float to the top of the tank. You can use a net to get this out or run a 10 micron filter sock and rinse it out when it gets full. Good luck with the new tank.

 

[Cadu]

did you open the buckets ?
i am sure after you open the buckets you will decide to buy new sand as most here have said.