How to store live sand??

[Gambit]

Hey......

i've gotta store live sand for about 2mths...........

any method to store??

i now put the sand in a pail with a bit of salt water....but after a few days it gives off a certain smell.......

is it spoilt??

[tineng]

don't think it will be easy....if your sand is from a tank with DSB, the smell might be the poisionous gas that was stirred up...dun think you want that.....

[iewnehz]

guess you got to re wash your sand!

[Gambit]

So really no choice??

gotta rewash my sand??????????

Wash with salt water??

or with fresh water??

[XPeriment 626]

wash with salt water... if you wash with fresh water you might as well use dead sand as all the live bacteria will up lorry...

[lightningstrike]

it does not really matter if he washes with fresh or salt water now, since he mentioned that the sand is oredi giving off an odour. this points to the fact that the bacteria colonies on the sand hv oredi gone bad and dead.

[tineng]

yeah....even if he manage to keep the sand alive in a pail...but the time he pour it in, it will stirr up the dead stuff again.....so no pointing keeping it alive....

[Gambit]

so now all my live sand is dead..................!!!!!!

so now how??

what water to use??

fresh water? salt water?? or rainwater???

[XPeriment 626]

it does not really matter if he washes with fresh or salt water now, since he mentioned that the sand is oredi giving off an odour. this points to the fact that the bacteria colonies on the sand hv oredi gone bad and dead.

not sure if the smell means all his bacteria are dead... thought that it is becos of the pockets of gases that have been trapped that are now being released...

[lightningstrike]

not sure if the smell means all his bacteria are dead... thought that it is becos of the pockets of gases that have been trapped that are now being released...

that's quite possible, stitch........

but i believe the bacteria r oso gone.

Gambit: any form of flow or current induced in ur pail of LS?

[Gambit]

Errrrrr...........

ok its been in like the pail for only 3days....

no flow...just 1 pail of sand with a bit of water........

after day 1 then i noticed a bit of smell....... but not too strong....

then after day 2.......a bit stronger.....so got more worried....

so now is i put half pail of sand in each with another half pail of water

and run a powerhead in each???

if like in sump.....then the water will be exported away mah.....

in pail it just goes round and round.....will it matter???

[Terryz_]

I managed to keep about 10 kg of sand in the corallife salt container for about a few months... With the lid closed of course... I just used them last week... No smell... Nothing except got saltwater that was added to the sand when i stored the sand... Didnt become black also...

[Gambit]

ok.........

hmmmmm.....

previously the sand was used as a DSB.....

so maybe the smell could be because of ammonia....

in fact i think it is ammonia!!!!

so no need to run powerhead or anything??

just store in a covered pail with salt water can liao?

when add the sand into tank in a few months will have problem or not?

or should wash before adding??

[lightningstrike]

think ur live sand hv oredi gone "dead" since u did not put in a powerhead for circulation. IMHO, i see no point adding in a powerhead now. u might as well store the sand away and recycle when u start again to cultivate the beneficial bacteria. alternatively, u can give or throw the sand away and buy new packs when u need it. a 10kg pack cost $6 from petmart.

[Gambit]

So means confirm dead!!!!!!

Alas........i killed my SAND!!!!!!

so now should i wash it??

was with freshwater can??

so no need to waste my salt.......

[XPeriment 626]

yeah i guess if your sand is dead you might as well wash with tap water and dry it out for storage...

[mUAr_cHEe]

So means confirm dead!!!!!!

Alas........i killed my SAND!!!!!!

so now should i wash it??

was with freshwater can??

so no need to waste my salt.......

wash with rain water lagi save money......

[XPeriment 626]

i'm thinking that the small amount of chlorine and fluorine in the water can help kill the remaining bad bacteria

[xiggie]

wash with clorine ,dry in the sun then store ...

[KennethK]

Wash with tap water then dry the sand lor. u gotta cycle it.

[iewnehz]

oh yeah..prepare to smell something bad while washing!!