Rinse/NOT Rinse Oolitic Sand In New Tank?

[Todd March]

I finally found locally a bag of CaribSea sugar size argagonite (is anything more annoying that paying premium shipping $$$ for sand and rock!), and am amazed at how fine it is... I can see now why Ron Shimek calls it mud.

This sand (30 lbs.) will be the foundation layer in a brand new 20 gallon, and my question is whether to rinse the sand or not...? The bag says to, but I have read other posts here at reef.org that many with similiar products , ie. Southdown sand (may actually be the same product), advocate to not rinse it if it will be going into a brand NEW tank setup as the loose powders only add to the richness ultimately with a live and well stocked bed (ie. worms)...?

My inclination is to wash it--but this fine of a sand looks like quite a careful chore– as in using a 5 gallon bucket and rinsing only a few pounds at a time...!

Thoughts, reflections, experience...?

Thanks,


Todd

 

[danmhippo]

I dump 600pound of south down into my "tank" and initially, it is a real mess. I can't see my own hand an inch below surface. I just let the circulation run its course. No skimmer and no mechanical filter (both will remove fine particles that oolithic sand are best known for). Add a raw shrimp to your tank and remove it when you see the tissues are disintegrating. Let bacteria slowly but steadily coat all surfaces of the sand grains.

It took about 2 weeks for all particles of southdown to be coated with bacteria and settle out. Now if I run my hand in the tank, sand do get stirred up but will settle within a minute.

 

[DrDave88]

please explain the idea of the shrimp again. I have never heard it before, yet it sounds interesting?

 

[danmhippo]

Use rotting shrimp as nutrient source for the nitrifying bacteria instead of live fish producing ammonia into the tank. Another humane approach to cycle a new tank rather than using live stocks (damsel, clowns...etc)

 

[DrDave88]

hippo - what is the ratio for shrimp to gal? i am getting wither a 55 or a 75. do tell, i am quite excited to hear this new tidbit of info!
dr

 

[danmhippo]

Start with 2 raw shrimps. It should take about 2-3 days for the tissue to disintegrate and fouling odor develop. Remove the old ones and replace with new raw shrimps. Repeat the procedure.

At the same time, your test kits should be able to detect ammonia spike, followed by nitrite spike. After nitrite reading drop to zero, your tank should complete it's initial cycle stage. It's at this point water change is recommended and your tank should be ready to go.