Live Sand

[SJ-78]

When cycling a new set-up is live sand enough or would adding something like Seachem's Stability be helpful as well? Also would adding some crushed coral to the sand be ok, thanks for any help.

 

[Heathd]

The crushed coral thing depends on what your are going for. If you are trying to do a dsb I would advise you against crushed coral. If you are going for an inch or less sand layer and trying to keep it aerobic, then crushed coral wouldnt be an issue. Aragonite or calcium carbonate based sands will be enough to buffer calcium levels, and the crushed coral wouldnt be necessary.

Live sand is good for kick starting a cycle, so is seeding the tank with some live rock. Seachem stability might work, I like biospira, but its pricey at twenty bucks a bottle, so i might abandon the whole idea of bio additives and just use the live sand and go through a classic tank cycle.

 

[SJ-78]

Sorry, whats a dsb?

 

[Heathd]

Sorry, whats a dsb?

deep sand bed. A sand bed of three or more inches qualifies as a DSB. Its used as a means of minimizing oxygen delivery at the lowest regions of the sand bed, where anaerobic nitrifying bacteria will reside. Adding large particle substrates like crushed coral would cause problems.