Play Sand?

thefishbowl2006

thefishbowl2006

New member
Any thoughts on using play sand as a deep sand bed substrate? Have read online and am getting mixed thoughts, some say it works fine others say it is no good. Anyone had any good luck with play sand, or bad luck?
 
It all depends on the play sand that you use. Calcium based sand is fine, but others like quikrete's brand is Silica based and, from what I have read, is not good to use. I may be mistaken, but I seem to remember that if you test a bit of the sand with vinegar, and it bubbles it is calcium carbonate and is ok.
 
Yes play sand is fine to use. Like Kevin said make sure that it is calcium based and not Silica based. Buys as much as you need and then mix in one bag of live sand just to get the creatures introduced into the play sand. This setup has worked fine with many reefers.
 
I have seen it here in the Bangor Home Depot, but I have not looked since last year. I do know that you have to look in the garden section, not inside the store where the concrete is.
 
I have used it before and personally do not like it.. it is way too fine and gets blown around too much.. being very fine it also tends to pack too much for my liking... Also it is way ftoo fine for burrowing fish like peraly jaws and tunneling inverts such as pistol shrimp, their tunnels will cave in ...If you decide to use it, you should consider topping it off with a layer of larger sized substrate to help keep it down... JMO
Denise
 
there is a brand called white castle or old castle (one of those) they sell it at your local home depot. It is calcium carbonate and works fine. If they are out of stock you can ask them to order it and they will.
 
I noticed this Kolorscope stuff at HD and it was made by Old Castle. IT said right on it that it was not for aquarium use and might contain silica. Is this the stuff everyone is talking about. I didn't dare put it in my reef after I saw that.

I'm looking for something fairly cheap to create a DSB in my sump...
 
I think the pink Kolorscape would look nice:)
I don't think it is the same stuff as the Southdown Playsand. That hasn't been around for a few years. The next best (but more expensive) is CaribSea Oolite sand.
 
I have used both in my tanks.. the regular play sand and the white calcium based... I personally prefer the regular because of the particle size. the white calcium based seems to be larger particle size and I don't seem to have as much divversity in the sand bed.
 
Was what you used the Kolorscope stuff they sell at HD? It looked like kosher salt...

Anyone have any recommendations for a DSB? Fine, corse, a good mix?
 
yes.. the white was the kolorscape stuff from HD. They didn't have any of the regular stuff at the time I bought it. I actually have an extra bag in my basement waiting for another tank..
 
its made/distributed by oldcastle who made the famous sand here on RC. it's the same stuff near as I can tell without the brand name.
 
It's is hard to find any info on this new Old Castle stuff(That sounds strange). I did find one comparison that says it's nerely identical to CaribSea Oolitic sand.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2005/short.html

Any other opinions on this? Just to prove that dad300's success with this stuff isn't a fluke? I don't have time for a trial run with a test tank, I am in need of a DSB ASAP! I am starting to believe that this is the southdown stuff with a new label, but that warning about silica scared me away somewhat.
 
the way to find out if it is the stuff your looking for is to bring a small vial of vinegar into the store. find a bag that has a hole in it.. you will! :) pour a little vinegar in the hole or on some of the sand from the bag. if it fizzes. its calcium based..if it doesn't it's silica or quartz based.
 
Many people have used South Down, Old castle with success.
My experience with fine substrates is they are difficult to keep
the sand in place with strong currents, it moves all over the tank
and it forms a dense layer at the top of the substrate.
This leads to these issues.
1. You lower the flow in your tank to decrease the sand movement. This allows food and other debris to collect causing algae and other problems.

2. The fine particles of sand cover your live rock and create a
substrate for hair algae and bubble algae to grow on. This
traps more nutrients and allows more algae to grow.

3. The dense layer of fine sand on top of a sand bed is the best
substrate I know for growing cyno bacteria. (Red Slime). If I
were to try to grow cyno, I would put fine calium sand in a
low current tank.
 
Deep Sand Beds

Again many people have success with deep sand beds. I believe
that they may have worked well in some of my previous tanks.
Some of the reason given may not be totally correct. The studies
I have seen show that the depth (after 1") has no effect on the bacterial function. I am not sure on the effect of larger life forms in
a DSB. IMHO if you are to use a sandbed it should be deep enough
to support snails, worms, fish and other creatures. I like around
2" of sand bed. I do not know how much a difference more sand
makes. The sand grain size is important. If it is to small you
have the problems listed in the previous post. If too large some sand sifters will not like it and more food may get trap in it.
 
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