foraminiferan sand (or substrate)

[djportu]

Ok,

In the volume three of the book "the reef aquarium" of Julian Sprung and Delbeek, they talk about this kind of substrate that is form of foraminiferan and have a spherical shape of about 2mm... and he they said that works extremely well as a bottom substrate. So this is my question, works well like a DSB substrate? RedSea from Israel sell this kind of sand, and in the package said that "is a very porous sand" ... what can you said about it? thanks!

 

[djportu]

anyone...

 

[radiata]

djportu,

This stuff hasn't been commercially available in the US for a good two to three years. And, back then it was only available for a short time. My LFS, Absolutely Fish in Clifton, NJ, has the stuff in several of their 90G fish tanks, and I WANT IT!. But, they can't get any more. I asked Dr. Ron about it at a conference last year in Wash DC. He told me the name of the island in the Pacific where the substrate comes from. I can't remember the site right now - the bottle of cab I just consumed doesn't help...

Regards,
Bob D.

 

[djportu]

Thanks for your reply Bob D.!

Finally i know of people having this substrate in their tanks... so if your LFS have it in their fish tanks (and reef tanks?) that means that work well? the tanks looks good? the animals, their water parameters? and hong long to they have that substrate? please ask to the men in charge of the aquariums in your lfs his general opinion of the substrate... ok :thumbsup: ?

But you have contact RedSea offices in US and ask them who are their distributors? or where you can find their substrate at retail? in their website you can see the contact of redsea offices in Us ( www.redseafish.com )

Thanks again Bob.

Regards

 

[radiata]

djportu,

The LFS HATES the stuff - people keep asking to buy it and they can't get any to sell!!!

Their tank parameters are irrelevant - they only have it in 4 or 5 of their 24-or-so 90 G tanks, and all of the tanks all plumbed together in a fish-only central system. They've had it for a few years now.

What I like about it is...
--- It is really pretty.
--- It is great for wrasses and the like that dive into it - there are no sharp edges on this substrate.
--- It has an odd quality when fish stir it up - no clouds like "Southdown" sand - and it sort of "flows" back into any holes the fish made. (You need to see it.)

You might take a shot at tracking down Dr Ron at his latest forum and ask him his opinion. As for myself, I'd swap out the Southdown in my 180 in a heart beat for an equal volume of this stuff.

BUT, I'm not holding my breath... I don't think this stuff will be available anytime soon. If RedSea could import it, they would - it is a money-maker. But they aren't, so there is probably some quasi-legal, and/or environmental and/or economic reason they aren't.

Good luck...
Bob D.