Southdown Play Sand

[Cyberkiller]

Found some, 5bucks a bag (50lbs). There were 6 skids of it, so if anyone needs/wants it lemme know. Is this stuff safe for a freshwater tank? Also should the sand be rinsed? It was sitting outside in the lawn and garden department and its damp from the rain, i'll probably give it a good rinse just too make sure.

 

[rabagley]

Where on the North American continent are you located?

If you're in Southern California, I'd love to know all the gritty details

Regards,
Ross

 

[Cyberkiller]

York, PA Home Depot within walking distance had it.

How much should I rinse this stuff? Just put a small cup full in my freshwater tank and it clouded it up good. Can't see in it at all and theirs a white foam forming on the top. Unplugged my hang-on filter for now....

 

[Juck]

I'm not sure what fish/plants you have in your FW tank but if you have a typical slightly acidic setup then Southdown could raise the PH considerably.

 

[Cyberkiller]

I put some in my 30 gallon fw, theres no fish/plants in the tank yet. Water is clouded beyond belief, for the last 12 hours hasn't cleared up at all.

 

[JohnD]

It usually takes about 24 hours to clear up. I changed one of my tanks a couple of years ago from CC to SD. I was very careful when adding the water back to the tank. You can run you skimmer to help with the clearing. (The skimmer will go crazy, however.)

 

[GSchiemer]

Found some, 5bucks a bag (50lbs). There were 6 skids of it, so if anyone needs/wants it lemme know. Is this stuff safe for a freshwater tank? Also should the sand be rinsed? It was sitting outside in the lawn and garden department and its damp from the rain, i'll probably give it a good rinse just too make sure.

Unless you plan to keep rift lake cichlids or brackish-water fish, then "Southdown" is an inappropriate choice of substrate. Frankly, I don't even recommend it for the typical marine-reef aquarium, but that's another story. As you've seen, it's best to rinse it first. Probably should have asked these questions first.

Greg

 

[Cyberkiller]

Well there's no fish in the aquarium, I am still setting it up. Everyone I have talked too recommended this sand for a SW aquarium. Here were my setup plans.

29 Gallon Tank
#25lbs of Southdown Sand
#? Live Rock
CPR bakpak II skimmer
Won Pro-Heat Titanium 200watt Heater w/ easy temp control

This would be a FOWLR to start.

Now I had the tank, put in the southdown sand and filled with water. And that's where im out now, haven't added salt yet. If the water doesn't clear, then I may just drain it take the sand out and start again with a different substrate. Everyone I had talked too tho, said the southdown would work fine and that the liverock would easily seed it too become live sand.

 

[Anonymous]

Put some LR in there...the bacteria from the LR should knock down the sand in a day or so.

 

[Cyberkiller]

I don't have any salt in the water yet and I wasn't sure if the nasty water would destroy the live rock or not. So if i mix some salt in there get the salinty right then add some live rock all should be well till she cycles?

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, I think so.

 

[T.Maxima]

DSB's are ticking time bombs. At some point they will become completly saturated with nasties, release them and wipe out your tanks. JMO that I believe to be fact. If worried about nitrates, just run a coil denitrator.

 

[T.Maxima]

I'm assuming the sand is for a dsb. If not going for a dsb dissregard last post.

 

[Cyberkiller]

I was planning on a sandbed, but not a very deep one. I just think sand looks right in a SW tank and I also want to get some shrimp and a goby.

 

[T.Maxima]

There are other alternitaves but southdown will work just fine. I like the look of a sandbed also.

 

[chockablock]

southdown is great as long as you have no current in your tank.

(im being sarcastic)

 

[npaden]

LOL, it is so funny how fast mythinformation spreads on the internet.

I have the DSB ticking time bomb in my 415 going on 3 years now. 100% Southdown, about 900lbs of it. I have nearly 20,000 gph of flow in the tank with Tunze Streams, Eductors, Sea Swirls, Closed Loop, etc. and don't have any issues.

FWIW, Nathan

 

[Anonymous]

I had a 4" DSB in my 75 gallon for 4 years, mostly Southdown, with no problems at all. In fact, I've had more problems with Caribsea Oolite.

Also, I believe Len has had a DSB for 9 years with no problems.

Mythinformation, indeed...

Peace,

Chip

 

[Cyberkiller]

freshwater + 25lbs of slightly rinsed southdown =

It's been like this for 3 days now, even have a hangon filter/coal running. How do I fix this? I haven't added salt yet in fear I will have too tear her down already. I haven't put liverock in yet since theres no salt and I can't even see in the tank, im not even sure if I have enough sand in it yet. I've been cleaning out the hangon filter every fews hours and i've done about 15% water changes a day trying too get the clouded water ot.

 

[chockablock]

:O you put substrate before salt??