I wil be setting up a new system shortly, Was wondering what anyones thoughts on substrate might be. HD has playsand For very cheap, Like $4:00 for 50 lbs cheap. I am thinking its silicate based. Anyone who has had long term success using silicate based sand? I would be glad to hear your opinions good or bad.
HD playsand
- Thread starter mg426
- Start date
ACBlinky
Premium Member
I'm using Stone Mason brand 'Decor Sand' from HD, it's designed for use with pavers or sandblasting. It's a very fine, pure white, silica sand -- it looks just like granulated sugar. It was extremely clean out of the bag, looks great and seems to be working well. I'm seeing loads of denitrification. You can see a pic of the tank shortly after I added the sand (tank was BB before) in my gallery.
I can't say I've had long-term success, because I've only had the sand a month or so, but if you run a search for HD sand you'll find lots of threads about successful tanks with inexpensive sands.
I can't say I've had long-term success, because I've only had the sand a month or so, but if you run a search for HD sand you'll find lots of threads about successful tanks with inexpensive sands.
84jeepjohn
New member
Damn that's some white sand!!!!!
ACBlinky
Premium Member
LOL thanks. It really looks exactly like granulated sugar in person.
@mg426 - I didn't rinse the sand at all. It was that clean. I did run a diatom filter for a few hours after the setup, but that was mostly to clear out the detritus that came off the rockwork as I arranged and re-arranged the aquascape.
@mg426 - I didn't rinse the sand at all. It was that clean. I did run a diatom filter for a few hours after the setup, but that was mostly to clear out the detritus that came off the rockwork as I arranged and re-arranged the aquascape.
It's not about looks or price, it's about the job the sand is supposed to do. (IMHO). A silica based sand may be pretty, but the nature of it's composition may not be in line with how you want to run your tank. (BB, ssb, dsb)
Silica based sand is hard and square, there's no where for benificial microbes to establish and thrive.
The threads about cheap sand have to do with the "holy grail" od "south down" which is an aragonite sand (crushed coral), sold as play sand from the carribean. It has different properties from silica based sand.
In some southern states, you can get sand that is pure aragonite sand fo 10 cents a pound that would be a buck a pound at the local fish store. if you can, scoop a skid and sell what you don't need. Check here, if you can use the search engine, for "southdown sand"
If you want to know if the sand is silica or aragonite, put it in white vineager. The percent that disolves is the percent that was aragonite. I.E. If after it won't fizz any more with a fresh vineager wash, half is left, it was 50 / 50/ silica and aragonite.
A deepsand bed made with aragonite based sand will act differently than one will a silica based sand.
A salt tank is easily worth between 50 and 100 dollars a gallon by the time you get where you want to be. Buy the sand that's what you want for the way you want to run the tank, not what's on sale.
Good luck.
Chuck.
Silica based sand is hard and square, there's no where for benificial microbes to establish and thrive.
The threads about cheap sand have to do with the "holy grail" od "south down" which is an aragonite sand (crushed coral), sold as play sand from the carribean. It has different properties from silica based sand.
In some southern states, you can get sand that is pure aragonite sand fo 10 cents a pound that would be a buck a pound at the local fish store. if you can, scoop a skid and sell what you don't need. Check here, if you can use the search engine, for "southdown sand"
If you want to know if the sand is silica or aragonite, put it in white vineager. The percent that disolves is the percent that was aragonite. I.E. If after it won't fizz any more with a fresh vineager wash, half is left, it was 50 / 50/ silica and aragonite.
A deepsand bed made with aragonite based sand will act differently than one will a silica based sand.
A salt tank is easily worth between 50 and 100 dollars a gallon by the time you get where you want to be. Buy the sand that's what you want for the way you want to run the tank, not what's on sale.
Good luck.
Chuck.
RichConley
New member
I'd like to see research saying that bacteria can't live in Silica based sand.
My DSB with Kolorscape silica sand is doing great.
outy
New member
its known that silica based sand is fine for our reefs.
the only problem it poses is that the jagged edges may irritate some inverts and or sand sifting fish.
chucksta1 your a little off base with your statement, theres about 6 pages or more of reading you need to do on the subject in reefkeeping magazine as well as the chemistry forum.
[A deepsand bed made with aragonite based sand will act differently than one will a silica based sand.]
actually it would be very hard if not impossible to even test for such a difference if any at all. aragonite based sand does very little buffering.
im using both with no ill effects
the only problem it poses is that the jagged edges may irritate some inverts and or sand sifting fish.
chucksta1 your a little off base with your statement, theres about 6 pages or more of reading you need to do on the subject in reefkeeping magazine as well as the chemistry forum.
[A deepsand bed made with aragonite based sand will act differently than one will a silica based sand.]
actually it would be very hard if not impossible to even test for such a difference if any at all. aragonite based sand does very little buffering.
im using both with no ill effects
Trigeek
Member
silica should not present a problem and you should get adequate denitrification if using it for a DSB. However, do a search for the MSDS on the stuff you want to buy. I thought of adding something similar to my new 90g but after searching and finding the MSDS, I decided against it because it said "the product may contain the presence of heavy metals." That was enough for me. I went with Carib Sea oolitic.
RichConley
New member
Do you have the MSDS for the Carib Sea?
Because I'd bet that it says the same thing.
ACBlinky
Premium Member
I have to disagree. I researched a lot before buying my sand and found nothing that supports this. Silica can be great for a DSB, and will support just as much life as aragonite. It hasn't been long at all and I'm seeing LOADS of denitrification with my sand (every time a crab walks over the sand bubbles pop out and NO3 has gone way down).
I bought the sand I have because it was exactly what I was looking for -- the right size and colour -- and I haven't been disappointed. The price was great, but it wasn't the motivating factor.
Marinemom
New member
This may sound like a silly question but now I am thinking of putting sand in my reef and removing the crushed coral. The question is do you think that after a while that that beautiful white sand is going to look not so white? How do you keep it looking just as clean?
Marinemom
Marinemom
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