Adding LS to the tank..

[32Bit_Fish]

Hi all,

I bought 20lbs of CaribSea Aragonite live sand and wonder what is the best way to process them before add them into the tank.

According to the instruction on the bag, it says "Do not risen the sand".
So I just pour everything into the tank without wash it or get rid of the water in the bag?

I also found an article saying I need to elevate the LR from the bare buttom of the tank using PVC tubing inserted under the LRs?

How do you guys do this? Just add some small pieces of LR under the big ones? or just sit right on the sand?

Please advice. Thanks

[PhilOlsen]

I use base rock on the sand and put my live rock on top of the base rock

[JFK_Jr]

Originally Posted by 32Bit_Fish

I also found an article saying I need to elevate the LR from the bare bottom of the tank using PVC tubing inserted under the LRs?

How do you guys do this? Just add some small pieces of LR under the big ones? or just sit right on the sand?

Please advice. Thanks

Some people use PVC... some use a material called Starboard... I just placed them right on the glass.

DO NOT build your rock work directly on top of the sand. When it eventually settles or your fish/invertebrates dig... You will possibly have a collapse of your rock work, and maybe a shattered tank!

[PhilOlsen]

I generally only have about 1/2" under the actual rock, do you think it would still cause a colapse possibility?

[32Bit_Fish]

so I need to get couple PVCs from homedepot?

what if I place the LRs on the bare buttom of the tank. There would be no sand under the rocks..

Would the sand eventually go under the rock by themselves?

[JFK_Jr]

Originally Posted by PhilOlsen

I generally only have about 1/2" under the actual rock, do you think it would still cause a collapse possibility?

It's definitely possible! All it takes is a little shift in the rock work and it could cause a collapse! A structure is only as solid as it's foundation.

Originally Posted by 32Bit_Fish

so I need to get couple PVCs from homedepot?

what if I place the LRs on the bare buttom of the tank. There would be no sand under the rocks..

Would the sand eventually go under the rock by themselves?

PVC is personal preference... I placed my rock directly on the glass. Once my live rock cycled... then I added the sand. I used a 3' length of 2" PVC pipe and poured the sand down it.

[PhilOlsen]

I guess I have a reason to re-aquascape.

[32Bit_Fish]

Originally Posted by JFK_Jr

Once my live rock cycled... then I added the sand. I used a 3' length of 2" PVC pipe and poured the sand down it.

I dont get it. Why would you add the sand after the live rock cycled? Can you just put the live rock into the tank and pour the live sand right afterwards? What's the point waiting the rocks get cycled?

[JFK_Jr]

Originally Posted by 32Bit_Fish

I dont get it. Why would you add the sand after the live rock cycled? Can you just put the live rock into the tank and pour the live sand right afterwards? What's the point waiting the rocks get cycled?

If you cure your live rock in your display tank like I did... then you have lots of "die off" during the process. You leave your tank bare bottom so you can siphon out all of the detritus and die off. If you place your sand in right away...then it's just going get full of this debris.

[Dentoid]

I just put the live rock ontop of the live sand bed. There has been some shifting but it is minimal. I have not had any avalanches-yet! I'll keep you posted.-Scott

[billyr98]

Its a scary possibility... Anything could happen with sand under live rock...

I have no sand, so no shifting

[PhilOlsen]

Originally Posted by JFK_Jr

It's definitely possible! All it takes is a little shift in the rock work and it could cause a collapse! A structure is only as solid as it's foundation.

Makes sense

[JFK_Jr]

Originally Posted by Dentoid

I just put the live rock ontop of the live sand bed. There has been some shifting but it is minimal. I have not had any avalanches-yet! I'll keep you posted.-Scott

If your sand bed isn't too deep, then your rock work might have settled on it's own. When you have a deep sand bed, then you're at a higher risk for problems. Especially if you have diggers in your tank like sand sifting gobies and the like.

I have a pistol shrimp in my tank that loves to dig around the base of my rock work.

[32Bit_Fish]

Hi guys,

Can anyone shed some light on this?

How would you prepare your LS when it is still in a sealed plastic bag?

Would you risen the sand? or you just dump everything including the water in the bag into your tank?

Thanks

[JFK_Jr]

Originally Posted by 32Bit_Fish

Hi guys,

Can anyone shed some light on this?

How would you prepare your LS when it is still in a sealed plastic bag?

Would you risen the sand? or you just dump everything including the water in the bag into your tank?

Thanks

You don't necessarily need to put the water in. You can just put the wet sand in. The sand is already moist... so you shouldn't have any issues with dust clouding your tank.

If you rinse the sand... especially with tap water... you could damage the nitrifying bacterial colonies within the sand.