Quickcrete sand safe

[NH_Reef]

Hi Randy,
I was reading an article you did a while back on silica in our reefs etc. http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/jan2003/feature.htm You had done some experiments using Quickcrete brand sand from Home Depot. I am setting up a new tank and have looked for the more commonly used southdown brand, but can not find it. I'll be needing approx 400lbs for my DSB. Would you suggest that using the Quickcrete be ok?
Thanks.

 

[masterswimmer]

Home Depot no longer sells Southdown. A company by the name of Old Castle bought them. It's the same as the SD though. It is marketed in HD in the garden dept. as Carribean Play Sand. The bag is blue/red and also says not intended for traction or aquarium use. Disregard this warning and good luck finding it. We have plenty here in NY. I believe it's available in NH as well.

 

[NH_Reef]

That's what I've been hearing, but I've checked 5 HDs in NH and MA and only the quickcrete brand is carried. Since Randy did some testing using it, maybe that'll be safe.
Thanks for the info.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I just put some on the bottom of a gerbil cage, but I do not know about it's safety for use in aquaria. Yes, I did test it for silica release, but that was all. Sorry. If I had to make a wild guess, I suggest it was probably OK to use.

 

[zachstone13]

i just got the quickrete too, but im scared to add it to my existing reef without bein positive. I am making my sandbed 4 and a hlaf inches deep.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Sorry that I don't have anything more useful to say about it.

 

[deladarkstep]

SOmeone told me it was the same thing. I didn't realize it was different. So I guess I am the "''guinnea Pig". So Randy You are saying it tested free of silicates? I hope the grain size is ok. Either way the tank is cycling and at 2.64 a bag I guess I can start over if its a disaster.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You are saying it tested free of silicates?

I'm not sure what you are referring to.
Both sands that I tested (Southdown aragonite and a silica playsand) had soluble silica, however the silica sand had far more.

The experiments are detailed in the article linked above, and this is the conclusion from that part of the article:

"From these experiments, I conclude that:

1. The ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œsilicaââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ play sand that I purchased from Home Depot can substantially raise the dissolved silica concentration in seawater.

2. The dissolvable portion of the silica sand cannot be completely removed by several rinses with either fresh or salt water, although it may be decreased somewhat by that process.

3. Southdown calcium carbonate sand (likely aragonite) can release soluble silica, but about ten fold less than the ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œsilicaââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ sand."

 

[waterdogg]

I just found SouthDown in HD here in NJ. They didn't have on the floor they had just gotten it in. They were only selling the quikrite. I had to go into there close off area and take off new palett. They didn't like this. But you gotta do what you gotta do.

Phil

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

They didn't like this. But you gotta do what you gotta do.


:lol:

Happy reefing!

 

[Snarkys]

how did the quickrete work out ?