useskaforevil
New member
deep sand bed, some people use them, some don't. i've gone both ways. water flow will make craters in all sand beds but maybe silica is smaller and more likely to get pushed around?
sand??
- Thread starter ReefKid15
- Start date
I just really think that it is best to mimmick the actual environment of the ocean if you are going to do it. If you aren't doing corals, then maybe it doesn't matter, but if you are, i would use what is in the ocean. I guess you can do as you wish, everyone has there own opinions.
useskaforevil
New member
why do you think it maybe doesent matter for fish but corals it does matter? did you not read anything in the above posts?
I don't believe that the previous posts said anything about what i stated. Aragaonite releases minerals(that corals need more than fish), helps maintain ph, and is exactly what is in the ocean. If god intended for play sand to be in the oceans and it was ok, do you think maybe there would not be a difference in the two sands?
useskaforevil
New member
lol. what minerals are released from aragonite? its CaCO3 so i geuss you're talking about calcium? thats only in high demand by sps and nobody thinks that you could provide enough calcium simply by having a sand bed. it does help maintain pH but pH change is due to CO2 consumption more than anything else. right? also the ocean has tons of silica sand in it so what are you talking about?
i don't have too much SPS in my tank but the LPS and the SPS that is there is doing fine.
i dont have a more recent picture but this one should be fine.
<img src="http://www.thereeftank.com/gallery/files/1/5/2/7/6/IMG_0258.JPG" alt="updated tank shots" />
i don't have too much SPS in my tank but the LPS and the SPS that is there is doing fine.
i dont have a more recent picture but this one should be fine.
<img src="http://www.thereeftank.com/gallery/files/1/5/2/7/6/IMG_0258.JPG" alt="updated tank shots" />
twogreyhounds
New member
Living in Salem, I've also thought about using sand from the Oregon Coast. My biggest problem with do that, besides the probability of pollution, is the color. Oregon beach sand is so very brown when wet - almost like a really burnt copper. That kind of defeats the fantasy of having a little slice of the South Pacific in your living room. I don't know, maybe it's just me. I suppose it can work just fine...
:smokin:
-Ryan
Ok, well if you really think about it, where there is corals, there is aragonite sand. Silica sand, maybe, but not where there are corals. And you don't know crap about calicum oboviously. All corals require it, and yes maybe sps in high amounts, but in moderate amounts for all corals, including zoanthids. If a person likes corralline algae, there again, you need good amounts of calicum. And yes, your substrate won't give you enough, but it will help to keep the level up, and if you forget to add calicum, at least there will be some release. I don't care how much you argue, aragaonite based rather it be sand or crushed coral, is better substrate than play sand.
useskaforevil
New member
look, what salt mix can you even buy that doesent have some calcium? the fact that you think a 3 inch sand bed is really providing anything but negligable amounts is kinda just, wrong.
and yes there is silica sand where there are corals, have you never seen wild coral before? besides, why couldn't there be? why abotu silica sand prevents corals from growing?
waste your money if you want, but at least know that your wasting it. oh and live sand in a bag thats been on the counter of a LFS for who knows how long isnt going to have anywhere near the amount of live stuff a cup or 2 of a fellows reefers sand would have.
and yes there is silica sand where there are corals, have you never seen wild coral before? besides, why couldn't there be? why abotu silica sand prevents corals from growing?
waste your money if you want, but at least know that your wasting it. oh and live sand in a bag thats been on the counter of a LFS for who knows how long isnt going to have anywhere near the amount of live stuff a cup or 2 of a fellows reefers sand would have.
johnnyblaze313
New member
I just used kolorscape play sand in my tank and i loved the way it looked but after about a week i got a huge diatom bloom. No biggie i thought cause its a new tank ,well 2 months later the diatoms were just out of control and it was always in the back of my mind that the play sand was causing them finally i was fed up and pulled the sand. About a month later no more diatoms! I cant say it was the sand causing them but i cant say it wasnt either. The play sand scratched the bottom of the aquarium BAD and left a few good ones on the front panel to. I would say do not use it. If somthing goes wrong with your tank youll never no forsure if its the sand or not.
useskaforevil
New member
i would believe it'd scratch the bottom, but since i don't look through the bottom i have no idea. i can tell you it wasn't solely the sand because i'm fine. and everything i've read says the sand is as insoluble as the silicone and the glass our tanks are made of.
johnnyblaze313
New member
Ya i read the same thing about it being insoluble but the sand isnt screened or cleaned the way aquarium sand is so it could have been somthing that got mixed in the sand whille it was getting mixed or shipped. I contacted the company that makes it and the girl said the reason it says it MAY contain silica is cause it may or may not or it may or may not contain a number of impurities.Each batch varries. Maybe i got a bad bag i dont no. Bottom line theres no way to no until you use it on a specific tank and thats a risk that just aint worth saving 20 buck imo.
useskaforevil
New member
i would say it probably does contain silica, about 50lbs in a 50lb bag.
all the play sand ive ever seen is screened well because people don't want their kids playing in rocks and metal shavings. regular sand at HD will have junk in it but play sand shouldn't. also if we're talking 50lbs of sand its about $60+ for aragonite, and $3 for silica
all the play sand ive ever seen is screened well because people don't want their kids playing in rocks and metal shavings. regular sand at HD will have junk in it but play sand shouldn't. also if we're talking 50lbs of sand its about $60+ for aragonite, and $3 for silica
Twz
New member
Don't know you're facts?
I mean i have over $2000 into my 65 in progress and you know anything you can save helps
As for my sand it is just sand taken off the beach in florida seeded with a cup of sand from a established tank,
You're right about water wanting to become neutral but the buffering capability of aragonite
is far exaggerated, in fact my first saltwater reef tank i had used regular freshwater Pebble sand?
and had no problems at all
See water has natural buffers in it so you should NEVER have to add buffer as long as you're doing regular water changes
and just to add on to that that $60 can add up quite quickly, such as in my 120G
I needed 8 bags of sand to get the depth i wanted My LFS sells the bags for $70 each
the sand for the tank cost me just about $600
Now if i was able to find a alternative to buying "Live" sand i would have but that was my only option and it dose cost.
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