I was planning on buying some sand from Homedepot or lowes and was wonder what type I should get I have a75 gallon and buying live sand would be pretty expensive. I plan on eventually buying live sand but only like 1 or 2 bags which weigh I think 25 pounds. I was going to mix the sand and some argonite. would this be ok.
Sand?
- Thread starter spoonie
- Start date
All sand that is suitable for reef aquariums is either volcanic sand of a specific sort or arragonite. Get the white 'Tropical Play Sand' if you can. It's $4.50 or so for a 40lb bag at your home supply store. Test it with straight vinegar to insure it is arragonite based (It should foam up like vinegar and baking soda does) Other sands are silicate based and you will never grow anything but algae in the tank if you use that.
Most use the tropical play sand that says on the bag "not for traction or aquarium use".
I just use the regular play sand at $3 for 50 pounds. I also have about 1/3 of my display volumn full of macro algaes and circulate 5x water flow through 5-10 pounds of a calcium carbonate source (crushed oyster shells). IMO with that setup the sand used is not important.
I just use the regular play sand at $3 for 50 pounds. I also have about 1/3 of my display volumn full of macro algaes and circulate 5x water flow through 5-10 pounds of a calcium carbonate source (crushed oyster shells). IMO with that setup the sand used is not important.
Not familiar with that particular sand. but my experience tells me that with added and thriving plant life it will work fine. the plant life will be consuming the waste produces of the bioload and anything added by the sand. So bacteria in the sand and/or any impurities are secondary to having the plant life thriving.
Well make sure it looks like sand! My mom got some "play sand" from a garden center for a sandbox for my kids a few years ago- it basically was some powdered paper byproduct. Who would let their kids play in that? It rained, and solidified to a paper mache like stuff.
mariob:
Me too only I have heard the play sand is actually more a quartz sand.
but either way I have used plain old building sand both in my current reef and in fw planted since the late 70's. With plant life in either tank the algae is held at bay and Fw plants and salt macros grow just fine.
Me too only I have heard the play sand is actually more a quartz sand.
but either way I have used plain old building sand both in my current reef and in fw planted since the late 70's. With plant life in either tank the algae is held at bay and Fw plants and salt macros grow just fine.
Well instead of dealing with the what to get what not to get I just forked out the money and bought saltwater sand from the lfs. Wasn't as bad as I thought I spent a little over $50 dollars for 60 pounds of white sand and 10 pounds of crushed coral. I plan on buying atleast 50 pounds of live sand when the lfs has there sale coming up everything 20% off. What white sand I doen't use they said I can bring back.
spoonie, the playsand offered at home depot here in Washington state is silica based. You can't use it in your tank. The only sands that I have found here that you can use are the ones that are specifically for aquariums. If there were a cheaper option, my lfs would find a way to get it in, and so far he hasn't found a way to carry the right sort of play sand.
Caribsea aragonite and Pure Caribbean Aragonite is what's available to us here.
I hope this helps. Good luck.
J.
Caribsea aragonite and Pure Caribbean Aragonite is what's available to us here.
I hope this helps. Good luck.
J.
I really wish people would stop mentioning southdown to new people into the hobby. Unless you live on the eastcoast there's a 99.99999% chance you are not going to get it for the $3/50lbs that people claim. You'll end up having people waste gas driving all over the place trying to find it, and end up failing then just getting frustrated and spending the 80cents/lbs or whatever caribsea goes for.
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