Home Depot's Decorative Landscape sand question

[Eddie G]

I live in Chicago. I have been to 5 Home Depot's in the area. All of them sell Decorative Landscape Sand. It says it is premium playground sand. It says it is washed or cleaned wet. Then dried. And then bagged. It is sold in 1/2 cubic yard bags for $2 plus change. I think the bags are about 50 lbs. Would I be able to use this sand? I asked some of the workers about Southdown sand. But they said this sand came in at the beginning of the season. And it is all they sell except for Quickceek ? sand which is usually used to mix cement.

I was hoping to purchase an about 40 or 50 gal rubbermaid from Wal Mart. And set this up in the basement as a refugium or refugium/sump combo for my 165 gal tank which is in my house. Will this sand work? Thanks.

Eddie G

 

[Anonymous]

if it isn't aragonite, i wouldn't bother.

 

[Sidewinder]

What you're looking at is probably Silica sand. There's been quite a debate on the boards as to weather silica sand contributes to algae blooms.
If it doesn't say Southdown or "from the Carribean" it's probably not argonite and I agree with Podman, don't bother because the silica will not have the buffering capicity that calcium based sand has. HTH, Ed

 

[Anonymous]

I'm in Indianapolis, and all the HD (and Lowe's for that matter) sell silica based sand...no SD. It's soooo tempting to try and start a tank running this nice, cheap sand, but I remember a thread on here awhile back that had microscopic analyses of different substrates, and under a 'scope, silica based sand looks like crushed glass (go figure, since silica, silicon, and glass are all basically different forms of the same thing) while aragonite and the like are nice little balls. I just pitied too greatly any microorganisms that would have to crawl through that stuff (and consequently get ripped to shreds).


-John

 

[Nocturnal]

How would this be for a FO tank?
What about bottom dwelling sharks, such as Bamboo sharks? They have a very tough skin. Do you think this would affect them in any way?

 

[SPC]

As far as the silica sand goes, I have always posted concerns about the abrasion impact on the sand bed life. I posted to Dr Rons forum on RC a while back asking him about this. His response was that this sand would not cause damage.
http://www.reefcentral.com/vbulletin/sh ... did=114906

As far as the shark question goes, I think I will allow someone else to answer that question :wink: .
Steve

 

[MattM]

...I remember a thread on here awhile back that had microscopic analyses of different substrates, and under a 'scope, silica based sand looks like crushed glass...

Here it is: http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=9606

 

[Eddie G]

Thanks everyone.
I was hoping someone might have known a Home Depot around Chicago where I could get some Southdown.
Eddie G