qwikcrete playsand from HD for a DSB?

[Aadler]

Or another cheap alternative? Or should/is that stuff ok to use? don't feel like filling a 20g with 1/lb sand :C)

 

[jbmynes]

Nah man, if your only doing a 20g just get a 3 punder of carribsea live sand. Your better off that way.

And the play sand has other stuff in it that you really dont want in your tank....

 

[newsalt1]

I have used the quickcrete and it will be fine. However that being said, it is a rather dull brown color in your tank. For a couple more bucks you can usually go to a garden center and get a white play sand that has a better, more appealing color.

 

[Tswifty]

Play sand is fine... the silica/coarse grain/etc... which supposably makes it unsuitable for reefkeeping, is all myth.

Like stated above though, you may not get the bright white color if that's what you're after.

 

[Esquare]

I have read numerous threads on the use of silica sand and the general consensus has been;

a) It will work fine with no detrimental effects to your tank.
b) It will cause you entire system to crash and is responsible for global warming.

Most of the discussion has been centered on whether the silica will harm the system.

All that being said, I have been involved with aggregates for many years and can say one thing for sure, there will be a certain amount of “deleterious material” present in all (especially the silica based sand that is dug out of a river bank) sand. What exactly the deleterious material is will depend on many things but you will be hard pressed to say exactly what it is in all cases. Hence, the varying views on the subject.

Bottom line, IMO it’s not worth taking the chance.

 

[markviiisvt4]

I've got about 150 lbs of it in my fuge right now and have had as much as 300 lbs in my display and system. Never noticed a problem except it packs a little tighter so some sand dwelling inverts may prefer somthing else. My gobys where always fine in it.


On a side note. I've used a few diffrent brands and the quickcrete is hands down the cleanest.

 

[Tonycip]

but will it have the buffering capabilities of aragonite?

 

[markviiisvt4]

That it will not have.

 

[svb57]

I have a 300g and 125g in a system of 750 total gallons with the Quickrete sand. They have been set-up for 2.5 years with no issues of any kind.

Look for yourself......

Jim Mc

 

[newsalt1]

Aragonite will if left undisturbed form a very hard surface crust, where I have not had the same problem with play sand. Sand sifting or burrowing critters are pretty much required to keep the aragonite sand from crusting over. At least this has been my personal experience.

 

[Rueg]

Aragonite sand will not buffer the water either. In order for any sand to buffer the water the PH would have to get so low that anything in the tank would already be dead.

 

[Tonycip]

good point and that crusting cant be good,would probably inhibit the gas exchange or release.

 

[Aadler]

Yea, I was curious about the brand, if anyone had used it, I have no real concerns about it being safe. Silca is fine, I ended up going with the other HD stuff, the qwikcrete looked a little whiter, but this is going to go into a 9" dsb in a 20g long in my basement, not to worried about the color ;c) I paid $9... beats the 90ish i would have spent on dry sand from lfs.

The stuff I went with is calcium based forget the brand, but the stuff outside in the garden center. It only contains small amounts of silica, again, not that that is bad.

 

[Tswifty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13733770#post13733770 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Esquare
I have read numerous threads on the use of silica sand and the general consensus has been;

a) It will work fine with no detrimental effects to your tank.
b) It will cause you entire system to crash and is responsible for global warming.

:lol: aint that the truth.

 

[fliynhi]

Aadler,
If you don't mind, keep us posted on how it works out for you. I just got a 90RR, early christmas yipee, and I was thinking of going the same route as you. My only concern was my contribution to global warming. lol
Thanks,
Shane