Live sand/rock question

[gpodio]

This is probably a very stupid question, how long does "dead" sand or rock take to become populated if placed in a healthy environment? I mean, if one was to use 50% dead sand and 50% live sand, how long would it take for the regular sand to be considered live? And with rocks?

 

Thanks

Giancarlo

[Aiptasia]

Well, almost immediately although you'd be diluting the LS with fresh sand. It will take a few weeks for the new sand to become populated with pods and worms but this is a considerably short amount of time.

 

If you start with 100% dead sand and use LR to seed it, it's going to take a little longer. Usually it will take anywhere from a month to two months with good quality LR seeding it, about as much time as it takes to cycle out a tank.

 

The older the sand bed, the more mature and stable the populations of life in it will become. Retailers make their own LS by placing a thick layer of it in their curing vats that they use to cure liverock in. As the LR cycles and matures, the critters inside of it branch out and populate the sand. So, when you order LS from a retailer, you're ordering cultured LS. It's very rare to find real LS that's been collected from a wild reef.

[gpodio]

So if I'm not in a hurry, there's really no setback to saving a little $ by using 50% LS and the rest regular sand?

 

Does the same apply to LR?

 

Thanks for the help

Giancarlo

[Caesar]

I believe Dead LR takes alot long to become live than LS. about 6 months to a year. Most people use dead LR as base rock and cover it with good LR.