Where to Get Smaller Amount of Quality Live Sand?

[Kengar]

I'm setting up a CPR AquaFuge HOT refugium. I'd like to put quality live sand in it, but I don't have enough substrate coverage on the bottom of the display tank to use that as my source. The various online places I've seen so far sell in 20# boxes, but that is far more than I will need. (The fuge is 2' x 4".) Can anyone point me to a place where I can get, say, five to ten pounds of good quality live sand (i.e., well populated with critters/pods/microcrustaceans/worms as well as bacteria) ? Thanks.

 

[Agu]

You only really need to seed dead sand with a few cups of live sand and it'll be populated quickly.

I rejuvenate my sand by getting a couple of cups of sand from a local frag farmers prop tanks. I realize that's not an option for everyone though. Check with an LFS or two for live sand from their tanks. Esp try to get some from a rock curing tank. With all the hitchhikers on the rock you'll get the best diversity imo.

 

[Felix T Cat]

I am in zip 19344 and upgrading from my 12 to a 29 later this week. I will move some of my sand but still have about 5# or so left over. If you want to come pick it up I would be willing to keep it. Was live sand when I sent up the tank 3 months ago and should have a ton of life in it.
Any chance you have some Zoa frags ?

 

[dwd5813]

best bet to get actual live sand is to get a cup or two from an established tank, either from a lfs or a local. some rubble from the bottom of a lr curing tank at the lfs would be good too, like Agu says. sounds like Felix may be the local you want to talk to as well. so in essence i'm just giving a +1 to the above.

 

[Kengar]

thanks for the offer, felix. i think, though, that i'll grouse around in the bottom of the lr tanks at my favorite LFS, as per recommenations.

 

[ReefEnabler]

also be sure to inspect any LFS tank you get sand from prior to taking their sand (if its a display tank).

this probably goes without saying, but only take sand from a tank that looks mature and healthy. if corals look terrible, or the rocks are covered in algae, or you spot planaria flatworms, aptasia etc.... probably best to avoid that tank!

 

[Kengar]

I think I'll stick with rubble from teh LR bins. I forgot how much cool stuff comes in on it. I've had several large systems that I've set up in the past several years where I started with plain substrate (either dry Southdown or moist, bacteria-laden substrate) and simply cured fresh rock in the display tank, and have seen wonderful life spread into the substrate without adding anything further. I would take from my own current bed to seed the fuge but, as noted above, coverage is too thin to do that.

 

[darkdruid]

Why not take a little sand from your display and simply replace it with some dry sand? That small of an amount won't hurt your display tank at all.

 

[Kengar]

Dang, now why didn't I think of that?

 

[Kengar]

Someone hear forgot to put on their thinking cap this a.m.

 

[Kengar]

Siiiiiiigh. Here, not hear. Like I said. . . .