rinsing Southdown?

[kev-dog1]

I'm setting up a nano at my office, while the main tank at home is down anticipating selling our house and moving.
I've got some Southdown I've pack-rat'd away, so I'll be using some of it in this new nano.
I ordered an Aquapod 12g, which will arrive next week.

Do I need to rinse the Southdown?
If so, how?

 

[gflat65]

IMO, no. Part of the draw to Southdown is the tiny particles (mud). I think that if you try to rinse it, you'll end up with very little sand left over. I rinse all other forms of sand, but not Southdown. It'll take it a while to clear up and it will raise a sand storm for a little while when there is movement near the sand bed. You might try adding some courser stuff on top to help control the storms.

 

[danieljames]

Agreed with Gary on rinsing. You'll defeat the purpose of the southdown. I've found no circulation for a day or two facilitates the settling big time. This is a new setup without corals yet? If that's the case, put your southdown where you want it, and then use a plate to diffuse the water as you place it in your aquarium. Keep the plate as close to the southdown as possible at the beginning, and let your water dribble over the plate to diffuse it as it enters the aquarium.

As you fill, keep your plate as far away from the southdown as possible, and just let it "dribble" over the side. I've also read a thread where people would actually freeze blocks of the southdown mixed with a small amount of ro water, and placed it on the bottom, then filled. You'll get no sandstorm this way, but might need a rock or two to hold the frozen blocks in place. You will probably get a bit of a sandstorm when you fire up your circulation, but nothing like you would if you placed it in dry, and filled with water from the beginning.

You could also fill a bag with your southdown after the tank has water in it, and let it "dribble" out of a cut off corner of the bag into the bottom of your aquarium. This takes time to do it correctly, but will cut down on a sandstorm. The less time you have your southdown in the water column the better. The freezing technique works amazingly well. Use a plate for this technique also, and hurry so the ice melts as slow as possible.

 

[Tennsquire]

I actually have some Southdown stashed away as well....

Don't rinse it; the ultra fine particles have an enormous surface area (part of the purpose in using sand in the first place). If you can soak the sand in some tank water (from a water change), you can get the bacteria jump started and it should decrease some of your initial sandstorm.

 

[kev-dog1]

Thanks for the advice guys.

I doubt I'll do the freezing technique, but that is interesting

New Aquapod arrives Monday, so one night next week I'll add the sand and water....I'm excited, it's been a long time since I started a new tank.

 

[gsusfreak]

where in the world did you guys find southdown?....i know you guys said stashed away...but do you know if any places still carry them?

 

[NeveSSL]

Nope... no one sells it still (except for those who stashed it). I think a lot of people grabbed up as much as possible when it was announced they were stopping production.

Brandon

 

[aquaman67]

Agreed, no rinse...

I use the garbage bag method.

Put the sand down. Use a new garbage bag to cover the sand.

Slowly add water until about half full.

Slowly remove garbage bag, continue to fill.

No sand storm.

 

[kev-dog1]

FWIW - I got the SD from Evil Mel, probably 3 years ago. I was planning to buy new carpet and gonna swap tanks in the process.
We ended up getting 2 new puppies 6 months apart and so I never did a switch.
I'm setting up a 12g at work to be a temporary home for my perculas.
I"m not a big tank person, I've had this 55g for 10+ years I guess...but this 12g is gonna seem tiny...a new era - as they say.
Wish me luck!
kev

 

[Tennsquire]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10391922#post10391922 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gsusfreak
where in the world did you guys find southdown?....i know you guys said stashed away...but do you know if any places still carry them?

I got several bags of Southdown (aka, "Yardright") from Daniel like 3-4 years ago and put it in the garage for a future sandbed/upgrade. I haven't seen any around for quite some time.

 

[danieljames]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10394824#post10394824 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by aquaman67
Agreed, no rinse...

I use the garbage bag method.

Put the sand down. Use a new garbage bag to cover the sand.

Slowly add water until about half full.

Slowly remove garbage bag, continue to fill.

No sand storm.

Good one Jack. That's one I haven't read. Are you home yet man?? Forgive me if i missed anything, but i haven't heard. Hope you are well my friend.

 

[gsusfreak]

if someone got some lying around that there dont plan on using...i would love to get some....pm me if you do

 

[gflat65]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10398117#post10398117 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gsusfreak
if someone got some lying around that there dont plan on using...i would love to get some....pm me if you do

Good luck on that one. I looked long and hard and had a few others helping in the look. I was told they still sell it up in Pennsylvania, but then a reefer from those parts said it can;t be found anywhere (when it once was plentiful). I found about 10 bags several years back (maybe the same place Daniel got his from-Geoff), but I bought everything he had that he was willing to sell at the time. It's like gold and becoming urban legend.

 

[NeveSSL]

I think its definitely urban legend at this point. Its crazy!

I just went with silica. I've not really heard any firm reports of problems with it... always "he said, she said" stuff.

Brandon

 

[gflat65]

Another option is to go with CaribSea products through Drs. Foster and Smith. I ordered about 300 pounds when I moved and it was all shipped for $16.99...

 

[DMBillies]

I don't know if I be the reefer Gary is referring to that is from PA, but last fall/winter I visited about 6 home depots throughout southern NJ and southeastern PA and called an additional 10 or so other locations (including other companies)... there is none up there.

I know a lot of people up there, from talking a couple of reefers in the local area, have started using Kolorscape sand, which is readily available in the NE. Apparently it is distributed by Old Castle, but does contain silica, since the best I can figure out their carribean supplier of their aragonite sand no longer exists. I used some Kolorscape in a tank of mine and I know a couple of other locals have as well (since I brought back quite a few bags of it).

I don't really have any poor reports on the stuff, but as Brandon said, there is a lot of "folklore" about this kind of thing...after all, it's a lot easier to blame the sand if something goes wrong in your tank than it is to admit that there was some other problem. I'm not saying you aren't taking something of a risk, or that it's impossible that the sand might cause problems under certain conditions or for certain critters, but I think the dangers are overstated.

 

[aquaman67]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10397238#post10397238 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by danieljames
Good one Jack. That's one I haven't read. Are you home yet man?? Forgive me if i missed anything, but i haven't heard. Hope you are well my friend.

I'm still here Daniel for a few more days anyway. I should be back in Tennessee by the end of August. Thank you for the thoughts and I'll see you again soon...