Why it's important to Soak your Aragonite Sand - UPDATE

[robert]

Simon - what test did you use to measure phosphates?

Thanks.
-Robert

[Funky_Fish14]

Live sand is not live... its a terrible rip-off. A 'sealed container' with no nutrients for the bacteria to live off, without an expiry date? Come-on now.... a 1" piece of live rock has more bacteria on it than an entire bag of 'live sand'.

A bag of 'live' sand would probably test lower though as the sand must have been rinse already?

[simplycoral]

Originally Posted by robert

Simon - what test did you use to measure phosphates?

Thanks.
-Robert

Hi,

It was a Red Sea Phosphate Test.

Regards, Simon..

[simplycoral]

Originally Posted by Funky_Fish14

Live sand is not live... its a terrible rip-off. A 'sealed container' with no nutrients for the bacteria to live off, without an expiry date? Come-on now.... a 1" piece of live rock has more bacteria on it than an entire bag of 'live sand'.

A bag of 'live' sand would probably test lower though as the sand must have been rinse already?

I imagine that the micro organisms would be able to survive for quite a while in the sealed bags but agree there should be an expiry date.

I would be interested to see if any traces of Phosphate are present and Nitrates for that matter..

S.

[Myka]

Wow, I didn't know it was that bad! Thanks for posting the test results! It's this very reason that I "wash" my sand very, very well before using it. I never thought of checking the phosphate with a test kit. Good call.

[PoonTang]

I rinsed out my last bag that i bought and found a piece of driftwood and a hunk of used bubble gum. yuck

[Funky_Fish14]

Wtf??? A chunk of used bubble gum? Now thats riduculous! I've found driftwood before, lol, I think its weird... but used gum? Stupid people...

[simplycoral]

I shall have a look through mine to see if i can find any gold coins

S.

[simplycoral]

Update...

After 24hrs of Soaking the Phosphates are 0.2 ppm

[Delphinus]

How often are you replacing the RO/DI it's soaking in?