All you EVER wanted to know about Southdown
- Thread starter Grumpy Vet
- Start date
- Status
I was just at my local HD looking for Southdown. They no longer stock it but have a fine white playsand by a company called Pavestone it is called High Desert Sand is there anyone familiar
with this and could it be substituted for Southdown. The co. website gives no info at all on the product nor does the bag labeling. I did ge a co. brochure with phone #'s Iwill call tomorrow
to see if Ican get the product composition specks will keep all posted It doesnt appear to be silica but who knows. If I'm not mistaken deserts were once seafloors!
with this and could it be substituted for Southdown. The co. website gives no info at all on the product nor does the bag labeling. I did ge a co. brochure with phone #'s Iwill call tomorrow
to see if Ican get the product composition specks will keep all posted It doesnt appear to be silica but who knows. If I'm not mistaken deserts were once seafloors!
laptop_job
New member
I Did a vinegar test on pavestone. No fizzing at all, it is complete all silica. The masonary sand that I grabbed for a second test, fizzed a little but then ceased in less than a minute.
Hi Laptop
[welcome]
Due to the shortage of cheap alternatives to Southdown, I'm inclined to say that using a fine silica sand is probably OK. I know Doc Ron doesn't feel that using silica vs. aragonite sands makes that much difference as long as the sand is fine enough. I've always felt that aragonite provides some calcium and buffering for one's tank but, without a low cost substitute, I would go with the silica.
[welcome]
Due to the shortage of cheap alternatives to Southdown, I'm inclined to say that using a fine silica sand is probably OK. I know Doc Ron doesn't feel that using silica vs. aragonite sands makes that much difference as long as the sand is fine enough. I've always felt that aragonite provides some calcium and buffering for one's tank but, without a low cost substitute, I would go with the silica.
Fizz71
FragSwapper
superlazy said:
I don't think it's too much of a mess..no more than any other fine sand anyway. At first yes...but my SD DSB has but up for a year now and any sand storm created by a fish or whatever subsides in a few seconds.
I often wondered what the big deal is with SD down..it's nothing special really, it just happens to be sand that enough people have used to say it's "safe". It's just carribean sand...but since it's so darn heavy to ship it's only available near the factory that bags it in Lancaster county PA. I wonder how many folks have tried other "brands" of sand with positive or negative results. I'll be using OldKastle in my new setup in the sump as a DSB and in the tank as a thin layer. (OldKastle is SD, in case you haven't been following).
Somebody should do a study.
--Fizz
My twist on this is that because Southdown (Old Castle) is aragonite it is calcium carbonate, two things one wants is their tank. Anaerobic activity in the bed creates organic acid (like vinegar) and the aragonite reacts with those acids releasing calcium (as the acetate) and, at the same time buffering the system.
How important is that? I really don't know but if you use a silica sand you can always use an additives to replace both calcium and alkalinity. Considering the low availability of Southdown, it is an affordable option.
How important is that? I really don't know but if you use a silica sand you can always use an additives to replace both calcium and alkalinity. Considering the low availability of Southdown, it is an affordable option.
One of our guys found some in NY.
We thought it was cool when he was hauling back 50 bags in his truck.. Then he bought a trailer and brought back 190 bags.
All but 14 were sold by the time he got back to Colorado.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=645814
We thought it was cool when he was hauling back 50 bags in his truck.. Then he bought a trailer and brought back 190 bags.
All but 14 were sold by the time he got back to Colorado.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=645814
update on Pavestone
update on Pavestone
The brand HD is selling, at least here in VA, is Pavestone and it is in fact silica! I don't know where the "High Deset Labeling comes from because the sand is mined and bagged nearest the selling areas to keep shipping costs down. The sand here comes from a Hagerstown, MD plant according to the Co. I'm not aware of a Desert in MD
update on Pavestone
The brand HD is selling, at least here in VA, is Pavestone and it is in fact silica! I don't know where the "High Deset Labeling comes from because the sand is mined and bagged nearest the selling areas to keep shipping costs down. The sand here comes from a Hagerstown, MD plant according to the Co. I'm not aware of a Desert in MD
- Status
Similar threads
