Play sand from Home depot, ok to use??

[basssnake]

Is play sand from home depot ok to use in a sump or is it just crap that won't be of much use?? I want it to function mainly as bacteria support. Give me some opinions and experiences and what kind to get and any brand names, that is if anyone thinks it would be good to use. thanks

Here is a link to what i saw on home depot:

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100318476

 

[chris31]

yea it would be fine to use you should probaly just rinse it off first before you put it into you tank/sump

 

[crvz]

it's silica based if I recall correctly, so there's those "features" to consider.

 

[primer7]

I had tried it in a freshwater planted tank and had major brown algae problems because of the silica.

 

[Logzor]

I have seen successful tanks using southdown sand. Although it ends up looking super compact and its quite unappealing in my opinion.

The play sand that I have seen has particle sizes of salt grains or smaller and looks a lot like mud after awhile. This may have been this particular sand and a poor example. You may want to have people post pictures of sand beds using this method and seeing if you like it or not.

There is nothing worse than getting it in there, having algae problems and it look nasty then having the trouble of removing it all.

Not sure if you are looking for other advice, if not, ignore below:

I ended up doing a sand bed that is less than and inch using dry carbisand type product. This was inexpensive and is still a very effective sandbed in my opinon, since it is so shallow I have no real risk of a major stir up causing a nitrate or ammonia spike as a DSB would have.

Marinedepot has some 40lb bags of sand for a very nice price. Have them ship this to your door and you will be much more pleased with a nice, clean, white sandbed where you can actually see the particles. It looks so much more realistic.

 

[jwatson31]

I used that exact sand in my remote deep sand bed that I set up about 3-4 months ago. I have about 100lbs in a kitchen trash can before my sump. I rinsed it and let it dry in the sun before I put in. I haven't had any algae outbreaks from the silica or any other negative effects. On the other hand, I also haven't really had the decrease in nitrates that I was hoping for either.

 

[Rick2203]

im using about 200lbs of it in my 125g with no ill effect only downside its not white

 

[basssnake]

I am only wanting to use this in my sump. I have a 2 inch sandbed in the main tank with aragamax sand. I want to go with a dsb in the sump for the nitrate reducing bacteria that is claimed to live in the oxygen free environment of a dsb. I read a feedback on the sand in the link above and the guy says it is silica free and that it is crushed granite. Are we talking about the same sand here??

 

[basssnake]

bump

 

[basssnake]

Anyone have any more opinions??

 

[siropa]

I haven't used that one from HD, but I have used the stuff they sell in the garden center. It is fairly white colored and cheap per bag. takes awhile to rinse though. lots of dust. I use it in a fuge and in a frag tank where I don't care how it looks. I'd never use this in a display tank because it just looks wrong. but it works for critters and light reflection and that is what I wanted from it.

 

[basssnake]

Wow, so many opinions. I honestly don't care what it looks like since it is going into my sump(100 gallon rubbermaid plastic stock tank). I only want it to function for a DSB. I believe in the theory of a DSB. So, i just want it to function for bacteria functions and for live critters. But, i don't want it to hurt the water or cause bad algae to grow because of the cheap sand. I like the idea of saving money (15.00 vs 75.00), but at the same time i don't want a headache, that would make the price not a factor. Lets here more relaxing comments or deterring comments. i am having trouble making this decision. thanks.....

 

[basssnake]

bump..............more info please..........more opinions please........

 

[basssnake]

bump again.......

 

[silverwolf72]

I use the white sand that's in the cement section in my display tank and don't have any issues with algae.

 

[basssnake]

What type of sand is it in the cement section? What brand?

 

[silverwolf72]

I just looked for the smallest grain sand I could find, I think it was quickcrete

 

[basssnake]

was it at home depot? Do you know what kind of sand it was in regards to if it was silica sand?

 

[block head]

pavestone high desert playsand, 99%calcium carbonate

 

[SurfnFish]

I have 100#'s of the quickcrete fine sand made for sandboxes. It was in the cement section. It's not white, but it really looks like natural sand that you see along the california beaches. I can't tell the difference between it and our local beach sand. I have no issues with it. It's calcium carbonate. The guy at home depot said the my 2 year old could eat it and wouldn't get sick. I figured if my kid could eat it, my fish would be fine with it.