Live sand, a term used in aquarism, is natural reef coral sand populated with millions of beneficial bacteria and organisms which aid in the dissolving of

organic Organic may refer to: * Organic, of or relating to an organism, a living entity * Organic, of or relating to an anatomical organ Chemistry * Organic matter, matter that has come from a once-living organism, is capable of decay or is the product ...

wastes like ammonia, nitrites and

nitrates Nitrate is a polyatomic ion with the chemical formula . Salts containing this ion are called nitrates. Nitrates are common components of fertilizers and explosives. Almost all inorganic nitrates are soluble in water. An example of an insoluble ...

produced by larger organisms in saltwater aquariums. Live sand can be purchased from aquarium stores, but most hobbyists make their own by seeding

dead sand Dead sand, a term used in aquarism that refers to sand that has not been populated by beneficial bacteria and other organisms unlike live sand Live sand, a term used in aquarism, is natural reef coral sand populated with millions of beneficial bact ...

with live sand from other aquarium systems.

See also

Further reading