Any Live Sand / Sandbed Critters Available?

risubvet · 01-31-2002, 06:06 PM

I know this may make me sound cheap but the wife is watching the budget on this tank pretty closely (and she's the one who said she wanted to get it set up). I was wondering if anyone had any live sand or sand bed critters they would be willing to share/sell.

I have a 15g Eclipse with a 36w PC retro kit that I setup in the first week of December with the following specs:
15-20 lbs base rock (it used to be live but after 2 yrs in the cold and dark it's pretty bare except for some corraline that is surprisingly bouncing back)
20 lbs Southdown playsand
2 False Perculas
1 Cherub Angelfish
3 Scarlet Reef Hermits
3 Margarita Snails
3 Cerith Snails
3 Nassirus(sp?) Snails
2 Bumble Bee snails

Last week I received an order from Premium Aquatics of 4 lbs of their rock pool crude and 2 lbs of rubble along with the snails (only $55 and you wouldn't believe the look on my wife's face) hoping to seed the tank. With the exception of some type of worm that's living in a piece of rubble and one worm in the sand(which I haven't seen since the second day) I still have no signs of life. I know it's only been a week and a half, but I am getting impatient. If anyone has anything available you can contact me here or by e-mail at johnwebb101@yahoo.com . I am in Narragansett, RI

Sorry this is so long winded and thanks,

John

P.S. I also would be very interested to meet any other reefers in the area.

MontanaRocknReefer · 01-31-2002, 07:06 PM

Hey John! I got the 9 for $99 which was a great package for seeding my DSB from http://www.ipsf.com and for $60 you can get a good detrivore kit from http://www.inlandaquatics.com HTH Johnny

mud · 01-31-2002, 07:36 PM

This is a guy that sells detrivores and stuff from his aquaria. I am not endorsing, I have not ordered anything from him, but his price list seems pretty reasonable to me.

gwhiller@angelfire.com

HTH
mud

Heavan · 01-31-2002, 10:06 PM

John,
Let me see what I can do for you I have a bunch of sand in my shop I am currently seeding. e-mail me your Zip code so I can see the cheapest way of shipping. I am sure we can get you a great deal.
Renae

mojoreef · 01-31-2002, 10:13 PM

Listen to Ranae. when it comes to bugs and bacteria she's and expert.

Mike

Heavan · 01-31-2002, 10:21 PM

LMAO Mike your so good to me....Ya Listen to me I like bugs....
Renae

Doug1 · 01-31-2002, 10:43 PM

Sorry to change the topic but how is the move progressing Renae?
Risubvet, I think our wives may be related

Hopefully you can hook up with some local reefers, is there a reef club near you. You might contact www.paragonsales.com They can tell you about club activity in your neck of the woods

risubvet · 02-01-2002, 12:34 AM

Heaven:
I've sent you an e-mail.

Johnny:
I really wanted to get the 9 for $99 but couldn't because of the cost. It really does seem to be the best deal out there.

Doug1:
Thanks for the advice on Paragon. I will definately make the 1 1/2 drive over there before I try a MO place again. As far as reef clubs, I found 2 on-line but one is in Boston and the other is in Western Connecticut, both outside of my normal driving radius (most Rhode Islanders complain about driving 20-30 minutes). Some of their meetings I can probably reach though and I am going to get in touch with both.

Thanks everyone,

John

Heavan · 02-01-2002, 01:03 AM

Doug,
My response was so long I started a new Thread (move update) Wow what a week! Well worth it though I can't wait for you to see it!
Renae

cyberchef · 02-01-2002, 01:15 AM

I bought live sand from Sea Critters in Fla for $1.50 a pound when I bought live rock from them and both the LR and LS were full of little critters (no pun intended), that is thier normal price for live sand... They have a "sand bed starter kit" but she really doesn't even recomend it ($4 for some sand and some slime from the bottom of thier live rock tank), said she only sells it because a lot of her customers kept asking for it... She said your better off getting a couple of pounds of live sand instead... Just another possibility...

http://www.petsforum.com/seacritters/Default.html

MikeP · 02-01-2002, 10:50 AM

I don't know if this works for everyone but what I did was the following. I bought carribean sand from one of the online places(forgot which)28.00 included shipping I believe. I read an article on-line stating you can creat live sand the following way. Short and sweet.
Get the sand
Wash it a bit (I used cold water)
Put it in a large container(KMart Tote for 7.00)
put salt water in the tote, took it from my tank after water change.

put a heater in the tank and a powerhead and light
(I did not use a heater it was warm enough)

Let it run for a month and sift the sand once a day.(I used a pole, and sifted just a little)
The article also mentions to put some shrimp or food in the container to feed the sand.
Then check the Nitrates to see when the cycle ends
and your ready to go.
This worked out great for me, no deaths

I only had around 30 lbs or so but I have alot of life in the tank, real cool worms.

I am doing this now with about 100 lbs of Southdown Sand I just found at Home Depot.
I will seed with sand from existing tank.
I will update with the article if I can find it and the on-line store also