Sand bed sand...how to avoid putting phosphates in???

[sahin]

I am in the planning stages of my next tank.

I will definately have sand in the tank as thats the look I prefer. However, I am certain the sand comes loaded with phosphates. So can we discuss solutions as how to deal with the problem of te sand being loaded with phosphates?

I have a few possible solutions:


1. Use regular bagged sand and wash the sand for weeks and weeks before it goes into the display tank. I have washed sand many times before and so know just how much crap comes out of it. Dead plant material and lots of detritus.

But here is the problem: Do I wash it with tap water? Wont that just introduce and possibly load the sand with more phosphates if the tap water has a higher concentration of phospahtes?

I suppose I can wash it with RO water, but I what need a truck load of it and it will take a loooong time to make RO water and wash it over and over again.



2. Use Livesand. The stuff that comes loaded with living bacteria. But I dont know if this stuff is just as loaded with phosphates...and then washing it with RO water or tap water will kill the bacteria causing phosphates etc to be bound to the sand particles by the dead bacteria.



3. Use regular regular bagged sand, but wash it with lots of tap water. Place in a large vat and hook up a canister filter loaded with Rowaphos.



What do you guys/gals think? I dont want to have nutrient problems in my next tank and so am thinking about all the possible ways phosphates enter the tank and trying to eliminate them from the start.

Please restrict discussion only to deal with the sand entering the tank. Many thanks, look forward to learning what you do.

 

[lordofthereef]

By "regular sand" are you referring to dry aragonite sand? To my knowledge that stuff should be very low in phosphates or be non existant. I think the issue is feeding the tank over time and getting phosphates locked up in the sand.

 

[nuccadoc]

By "regular sand" are you referring to dry aragonite sand? To my knowledge that stuff should be very low in phosphates or be non existant. I think the issue is feeding the tank over time and getting phosphates locked up in the sand.

I agree. Do you not have access to aragonite sand there in the UK? I've used it for years and have never had a problem with phosphates coming from the sand itself.

Scott

 

[plantastic]

Phosphates are neccessary for life...and are a natural and unavoidable byproduct of metabolism.

You are perseverating on the wrong point. Not so much of how do I avoid putting them in as much as what avenues, or sinks, do I have to deal with them.

Over-rinsing your sand will not be any guarantee that you wont have potential excess phosphate issues...

...undersizng your skimmer will, not using enough light over a refugium will, over feeding will, overstocking your tank will, etc.

hope his helps,

Scott

 

[goodreef]

Regardless of how you get rid of PO4 in your sand or rocks, they will still lock in your PO4 in your tank after few months. BUT, they are usually not released back into the water. For PO4 to be released, I believe you'd need a lower pH ... at that low pH, I think all your live stocks would have died alreay.

So ... conclusion is ... nothing for you to worry about, cause those PO4 locked in will not be released.

 

[aleonn]

To me, rinsing dry sand with tap is to get rid of the dust-like particles. I wouldn't be too worried about the phosphate issue at this point. Just vacuum your sand and get good sand-sifters to minimize problems in the future.

 

[cbianco]

To the OP...

With all due respect, it sounds to me like your just wasting your time. The only worries I have about sand comes from using playsand.

JMHO.

Christopher

 

[Sohal Tang Tim]

Agreed

Agreed

I agree with Christopher....forget the sand problem...thats pardon
my expression *HOGWASH*.

Figure out howwww you are going to export nutrients from you tank....
thatttttttttttt is the real topic/question I think you need an answer for.

Does that make sense?


Tim

 

[Reef_Noob]

Hmmmm seems there are two schools of thought here....

This is a good topic for further discussion and maybe someone should do a study to find out if:
- live sand adds phosphates to the tank?
- whether bagged sand has a definite advantage over live sand?
- will rinsing bagged sand several times necessarily voids it of any phosphates or not?

Many have overlooked the possibility of phosphates being added to the tank via the sand being used....but guess we are not 100% sure if it is true,,,,

 

[tmz]

Coral sand or crushed coral(Aaragonite) is mostly precipitated calcium carbonate made by calcifying organisms. As they calcify some PO4 .phosphate is incorporated in the crystaline structures as is magnesium stontium and other things. This won't leach out at normal reef tank ph levels.
Sand or rock exposed to high levels of inorganic phosphate in the water around them may have loosely bound phosphate on the surface which will equilibrate with water low in PO4 . It can take quite a while for this to occur to a point where this material stops leaching. If it's high in PO4 this material needs curing in water low in PO4.

 

[Hendogg0]

I don't think you need to worry about the po4 in the sand the real issue with having high po4 is are you over feeding do you a fuge is your skimmer a +1 those are what are going to determine high or low po4. There is really nothing you can do to eliminate them it's just a matter of how you can control them.

 

[King Nikon]

Nassarius snails and a fighting conch. They will keep your sand bed super clean.