New tank planning need your thoughts

[islandcreation]

I plan on getting a new bowfront with matching black hood and stand. I have done more than enough research regarding the use of Tahitian Moon sand. The main drawbacks that I saw was that it doesn't buffer and that its very fine. Has anyone experinced using this type of sand? If so what are your thoughts PRO's/CON's? Thanks for your feedback in making the right decisions. Any links would be helpful too....

 

[KDodds]

Seems like an awful expensive proposition if this tank is going to be an appreciably sized bowfront. Doesn't buffer is no biggie really as aragonitic media isn't sufficient to maintain Alk/Ca anyway. That it's fine is actually a plus in my book. Very coarse media traps detritus, finer media will keep detritus at teh surface of the sand bed, where it can be stirred back into suspension.

 

[barbra]

I can't speak about the Tahitian sand per se except to say that the aragonite sand that is commonly used has a very limited ability to buffer anything. I can't see that black sand is going to be a problem at all in that respect. It may have other issues, but I wouldn't be concerned about buffering.

 

[islandcreation]

Anyone else out there have any suggestions on another type of sand thats black for a reef tank? PLEASE HELP the weekends coming...

 

[Trigeek]

I agree with KDodds, the fine sand is a plus and you can have good flow with fine sand it just takes some fiddling to get it right. Don't worry about the buffer aspect. Keeping calcium and alk levels is easy and inexpensive (see reefchem forum). I've seen the black sand at LFSs that isn't much more than the regular aragonite. I think it was from caribsea.