1st off when using Live sand you need to understand the bacteria involved in the nitrogen cycle. 2 strains of Aerobic bacteria convert ammonia and nitrite to nitrate. These bacteria's need well oxygenated water to survive. The 3rd type of bacteria is anaerobic, it lives in oxygen deficient places, this stuff converts nitrate to nitrogen gas - the nitrogen then harmlessly leaves the tank via surface water agitation. None can survive without the other. Live sand is basically ammonia in a bag that jump starts the cycling process.
Sand beds are more known for housing denitrifying bacteria due to it's lack of exposure to well oxygenated water. A lot of public aquariums use large volumes of sand as part of there filtration systems. In our much smaller household aquarium's it can also have it's draw backs. The main one would be it's ability to trap unused portions of food like carbon skeletons which slowly decompose causing higher nitrate levels as well as higher levels phosphates compared to a bare bottom tank. There are ways to rid the tank of both and still use sand.
Sand is primarily a silicate product as is aragonite (crushed corals) - higher levels of silicates can fuel bacterial outbreaks like diatoms however so can tap water. Best bet is to really rinse the heck outta the sand to reduce the outbreak. I'm not sure you can ever really be diatom free. After a few years I'm still wiping brown diatoms off the glass every week and I use an R/O DI system w/ a silica buster to create pure water for the aquarium. Granted it is nothing out of control just still present.
Sand beds are more known for housing denitrifying bacteria due to it's lack of exposure to well oxygenated water. A lot of public aquariums use large volumes of sand as part of there filtration systems. In our much smaller household aquarium's it can also have it's draw backs. The main one would be it's ability to trap unused portions of food like carbon skeletons which slowly decompose causing higher nitrate levels as well as higher levels phosphates compared to a bare bottom tank. There are ways to rid the tank of both and still use sand.
Sand is primarily a silicate product as is aragonite (crushed corals) - higher levels of silicates can fuel bacterial outbreaks like diatoms however so can tap water. Best bet is to really rinse the heck outta the sand to reduce the outbreak. I'm not sure you can ever really be diatom free. After a few years I'm still wiping brown diatoms off the glass every week and I use an R/O DI system w/ a silica buster to create pure water for the aquarium. Granted it is nothing out of control just still present.
