I'm on the Gulf coast, and

[iaJim]

there is lots of stuff here that is interesting. I'm wondering if some of the rubble might be useful. There is a bunch of broken sand dollar rubble. I know it is dirty and potentially dangerous, but it looks like it would be great substrate. It's very pourous, and would really have a lot of surface area. I would think it could be sterilized. Lots of shells, and beautiful white sand. Just seems a shame not to take some of it home.

 

[xroads]

I hear you, I was just in the bahamas 2 weeks ago & couldnt believe all the live sand that we pay buku bucks for.

I usually bring back some shells & small rubble everytime I go for my fuge. I would make sure you QT them when you get home so you dont have any unwelcome hitchhikers.

Craig

 

[PotRoast]

Bad idea. 15-30 miles offshore is a ring of oil platforms polluting the hell out of the gulf.

I wanted to bring back sand but the members of the RC local reef club in Tampa said no way.

 

[iaJim]

Seems such a shame! There aren't signs of pollution here, but I suppose it's what you can't see that will get you.

 

[billbigsbe1]

Hey Jim, costal sand is mostly all poluted! Lots of waste from thousands of miles away travels easily on the surface until it meets tidal currents and waves falling mostly on costal regions. Reef sand is collected at depths of 20-40 feet. You can always bake your collected substrate, I just dont know if it will remove all of the industreal waste? It cant be as bad as the guy on RC that just used comercial sandblasting media for his substrates.LOL! Have a great couple of months in GS AB! Hit up all of the LFS in a couple hundred mile radius!!!

PS cook that GS substrate in the oven @ your timeshare the day before you leave! Housekeeping will love ya!!!

Dave