Things to avoid in choosing a sand

[Blown76mav]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14214857#post14214857 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by longdangler
the reason you don't use silica sand is your tanks will have a diatom outbreak and kill everthing off of your rock, it won't cycle off it will just keep coming back.

I have 4 inchs of quickcrete play sand in mine, no diatom outbreak, no dead rock, haven't lost my first fish yet. All my parameters are spot on. No sandstorms.

Temp 78*
SG 1.026
PH 8
Amm. 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
CA 425
Alk 9.9

I don't understand how people can make such statements when obviously it works without much trouble.

 

[Lemeshianos]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14223321#post14223321 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Biologist
What's on your beaches in Cyprus?

Contaminated sand. I would have to use a boat and dive really deep out in the open to get safe sand.
The color is also too dark.
The only place the sand is good is at Lady's mile beach which is part of the British military base.
If I get pulled over by their police and someone checks my trunk I will probably be prosecuted since taking sand or anything actually from a biotope is illegal

 

[MikePowell]

buy dry sand and seed it with someone elses sand from a running tank.

You can use the sand on beaches and bake it in the oven for an hour at 350 degrees. It will kill any thing bad and then you can cure it.

 

[NirvanaFan]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14236246#post14236246 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MikePowell
buy dry sand and seed it with someone elses sand from a running tank.

You can use the sand on beaches and bake it in the oven for an hour at 350 degrees. It will kill any thing bad and then you can cure it.

Cooking the sand won't remove any of the toxins (copper, other metals, etc). I would not suggest using sand from a beach.