What ever happened to actual live sand?

[Beer]

I'm not talking about the stuff that is supposed to be pre-loaded with beneficial bacteria, but the stuff you used to be able to get with benthic organisms.

 

I have stopped in shops that used to have vats of sand with all kinds of creatures in it, but they (the owners) seem to have no idea about what I am talking about. I know they carried this six or so years ago when I was previously going to set up a 72 gallon bowfront.

 

I just get the same recommendations about plenty of life coming in on live rock, or adding more live rock rubble. The problem is that I have a very small tank with little room for more rock and the rock I do have came with very little life on it. Six months, and a recent three day power outage later, I have very little life in the tank (red flashlights at night have turned up prettymuch nothing. I do not think the outage had much effect).

 

 

Where did all the live sand go?

Why does everyone seem to have complete amnesia regarding this and only seem to know about the current bagged stuff?

Does anybody know where I can find stuff to stock a pico with things like micro stars, micro fans, pods, worms, etc? I may have to give GARF a call to see if they can put something together for me.

[jbb]

These guys might be able to help out. I've never ordered from them, so not sure on the end product.

 

 

http://www.ipsf.com/index.html

[Benny314]

Could always buy a nice lively looking bit of live rock, leave it in the tank over night or for a few days and then give it a shake to try and encourage some of the critters off it and sell it on a few days later. That or set up a refugum to bring your wildlife on in with out the risk of it being eaten quicker than it can reproduce by tank inhabitants.

[brandon429]

sand itself is starting to become a thing of the past

 

or the substrate is cleaned/managed so much the life in it wouldnt survive the cleaning

 

we know now that most dsb's are a problem, not a strategy so thats what killed the older line of thinking. i myself have a very old dsb but its cleaned constantly and the worms dont have high numbers just a few remain (leaving tracks in the sand) throughout the years of harsh cleaning i do

 

the number one thing you can do for a pico to increase the benthic ratios is actually to feed them and change water more, long before buying more pods. there are always some in the rock ready to take off upon sustained change in feeding and waste export.

 

working your tank up to a big pod load will retain it, stocking to get the number is usually just a slow eventual thinning of the herd back down to the levels your feed and water changes allow

 

ipsf is good I bought some of the gammarus once got tons