Contimplating buying a cheap "supposedly" safe nonliving sand for Home depot..

[JLAudio]

Contimplating buying a cheap "supposedly" safe nonliving sand for Home depot..

I decided to throw out all of my sand for my move this weekend (except a small portion for seeding sand) and use a non-living sand. Ive researched a little and found a few Home depot brands that ppl have been using called "Southdown" and a few others that are supposedly safe for like $4 for 50lbs. Any one have any experience with these brands? or any other safe, cheap, non-living brand?

 

[Killerdrgn]

i heard southdown sand isn't available anywhere anymore. But if you can find it, it is perfectly safe as many in Boston that got them back in the day still use it with no problems. But most sands in Home depot are silica based and not the aragonite sand that is good for reef tanks. For other applications, like turtles, though play sand is good enough.

 

[JLAudio]

so are you saying, I could use play sand?

 

[KathyC]

He's saying preferrably you should use an argonite based sand , which is not what you would get at at Home Depot. From all I've heard the original 'southdown' doesn't exist anymore.

Most suggest that your best bet is to buy some aragonite sand at your LFS and seed it with a few cups of the sand from your current tank.

 

[qy7400]

The Southdown/Old Castle play sand is no more. While aragonite is best there have been lots of debates over silca based sands both good and bad, but same can be said with the BB/SSB/DSB debates.

 

[JLAudio]

Yea I kinda figured it was to good to be true. 50lbs. for $5, so I guess I got to go for the dollar a lb. stuff:frown:

I still have all my old sand in circulated water, but dont want the cycle effect. Maybe I could rinse off with RO water and use that

 

[JLAudio]

What are the negative aspects? Does it mess with the water checmistry and harm the fish?

 

[House of Laughter]

JL, if you do the transition right, you can use your existing sand - you have to put all the sand in a bucket and pour off most of the water - when introducing it back to the system, put it in, spread it out, and cover it with a plastic bag while pouring water into a bown on top of the plastic - this will limit disturbance and allow the sand to settle back in - it will quickly get its layers back -

With this method, I recommend a 10% water change next day AND a 10% WC later that week.

Good luck,

House

 

[JLAudio]

its already been disturbed and put into a large garbage pale w/ a heater, circulation and a das ex 2 skimmer, so wouldnt most of the die off have already occured? Wouldnt this 3 week period or so like this have allowed it to naturally clean out

 

[KathyC]

If I may..I think what Jim means by 'disturbance' is if you use the plastic bag OVER the sand when you're pouring the water back into the tank..the sand won't end us as a sand-storm all over your tank.

If you've kept the sand heated, circulating & with a skimmer (and done a water change or two on it)..it should be relatively clean and definitely reusable in your new tank.

Did you have a particular concern regarding your old sand?
How long was it in your prior tank?

 

[JLAudio]

It was in a few tanks. Because I upgraded over the past four years and has some from all three upgrades. I have no concern about the old sand just trying to minimalize cycle. And this was a few members suggestion to disgard it

 

[JLAudio]

I now understand what House meant by the bag on top of the sand. Im not concerned about look and sand storm, being I sold all my livestock to members, I just would like minimal cycling time.

What parameters should I be testing for to know when its done. I know this seems like a NOOB question, OBVIOUSLY no Amm and nitrite, but should I wait till nitrites climb a bit?

 

[KathyC]

I've heard that suggestion too and did replace my sand entirely when I did my upgrade to my 120. I used some sand from my prior system to seed it.
Can't say I noticed a cycle at all, but I also have a large amount of L/R in my system and also kept my same sump (sand/water & all intact) when changing tanks.

It sounds like you've taken good care of your sand during your planning stages to your upgrade.
Why not use your current sand and do the following...some folks will cange out portions of their sandbed every week or two until it is entirely replaced.
The thought behind that is if you take out..say 10% this week and replace it with new sand, by the time you take out the next % the first section you changed will have finished it's very mini-cycle and will be 'live' with bacteria & critters..and so forth and so on.
Might be an option for you?

 

[JLAudio]

I thank you all for all your suggestions. I will consider them all and go to LFS and see if I can afford new sand and if I can I will do that, if not I will use House and Kathys great suggestions. I just dont want cycling fish loss etc.

 

[KathyC]

Why are you expecting such a large cycle?
Are you reusing your L/R? What size tank are you changing from & to?

Of course you need to keep an eye out for a cycle and react to one if you see it, so yes, test first for ammonia & then nitrites and if you have them do some water changes. I believe Jim suggested 10% the day after your change and another 10% a week later.

You'll need to watch for a cycle with any of the above ideas, though it wouldn't be a large cycle, small water changes with lengthen it but also minimize the impact on your fish.

 

[Killerdrgn]

To clarify what i meant about play sand, for applications such as reptile habitats play sand is decent. For Fish applications you want southdown sand.

 

[JLAudio]

Yea I am re-using my live rock. Im going from 110 to a 125 but only have (2) 40 gallon pales with my rock, sand and water. Im just trying to put in all the prep and research now so I dont have to deal with a uninhabitable tank for a cpl months. Im going to do just that kathy, thanks again

Killerdgn, thanks alot for sand info

 

[JLAudio]

not sure if this relevant, but I just saw old messages and my last fish was removed 11/23/07, which is exactly 3 weeks today, that my rock has been w/o any fish. So I hope I didnt starve all the beneficial bacteria on the rock. I dd notice yesterday that I saw some snalils in there and hermits, so there must be some living matter keeping alive

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

The rock will be fine. What bothers me it the use of silicate based sand. Silicates may leach out and cause some wacky weird things to go on in your tank. I would do a search here and just type in Home Depot Play sand or type in silicate sand and see what pops up.

 

[qy7400]

The problems/fears with silicate based sands are from using one thats not 100% silicate. I believe the Quickcrete and Koralscape brands do have pure silicate based sands and they will work fine. There are a few threads on RC as well about it as well that may go into more detail.