sand question

[firstimer]

i'm trying to do a deep sand bed. i have about 100 lbs right now. i was thinking of buying pay sand. fill that up in the tank and then put my 100 lbs on top. would this work?? or is the play sand too dense?

 

[planereefer]

Play sand isn't too dense, it's just the opposite. It can cause a sandstorm on high flow tanks.

I've read it has no place in an aquarium, but I've also read the exact opposite.

What size tank are you trying to do this in?

 

[Owen386]

have used play sand in freshwater tanks but have heard to avoid it in reefs. something about it containing silicates

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[jselzler1]

Play sand is silicate based vs. argonite in reef sand. The silicate will be absorbed into the water as trace element. I'd think there be some risk of persistant diatom bloom.

Silicate is the nutrient for diatoms.

 

[scjpll]

dont use it, i killed off 1000 worth of live stock when i first started with salt water.

 

[THE WOOKIE]

Dont use caribsea fiji pink either. The stuff is loaded with tiny pebbles that settle out over time and look horrible. My goby occasionally chokes on a pebble so i am considering switching to something else

 

[STiTCH87]

Dont use caribsea fiji pink either. The stuff is loaded with tiny pebbles that settle out over time and look horrible. My goby occasionally chokes on a pebble so i am considering switching to something else

I'll chime in on this too.

I do have fiji pink in both tanks and I love it in my pico where it stays clean and doesn't kick up nor do I have sandsifting fish to choke on it.
However I have seen gobies sift sand at a much larger grain than the pink pebbles are, so maybe your goby is just young/small?

Likewise, the reason I too would like to chime in and suggest against fiji pink is because it is SOOO fine of sand that it kicks around dust like crazy.
Most of it is sugar-sized, but there's like a flour-sized dusting of sand in with it.
If I were to do it again i'd of atleast rinsed the sand before using it to get all of that out cuz it sucks that everytime the sandbed in the 40g is moved a huge burst of powder floods the area.

Personally I think a good sand your be your everyday arag-alive.

 

[firstimer]

ill just buy all live sand then. might as well ! cant cut corners. thanks!

 

[Owen386]

ill just buy all live sand then. might as well ! cant cut corners. thanks!

You could save money by buying some dry sand opposed to all live

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[P-Nut]

i'm trying to do a deep sand bed. i have about 100 lbs right now. i was thinking of buying pay sand. fill that up in the tank and then put my 100 lbs on top. would this work?? or is the play sand too dense?

How big is your tank? I put 80lbs in a 40 breeder and have a 4" sand bed

ill just buy all live sand then. might as well ! cant cut corners. thanks!

save your money and buy dry sand. All that "LIVE" sand is quite DEAD.

 

[coder35]

His tank is 180g tall

 

[panayiote73]

For whatever it's worth: Check out jurassicsand.com. I bought 100lbs of the red 10yrs ago. It's beautiful and my tank is thriving.

 

[firstimer]

i was thinking of putting some dead but clean on bottom. maybe some live on top?? i was going to also do a dsb remotely. maybe 1" in my display only.

 

[STiTCH87]

You can buy as many pounds of dry sand as you want and just get a party solo cup of cycled sand from an established reef tank and put it on top in one area or spread out and it'll seed the entire sand bed to alive within a few weeks no problem.
I'm done with "already alive" sand myself. Just a gimmick IMO. Just if you go dry sand, make sure you rinse it. Actually, rinse any sand except what you'd get from an established tank.

 

[P-Nut]

You can buy as many pounds of dry sand as you want and just get a party solo cup of cycled sand from an established reef tank and put it on top in one area or spread out and it'll seed the entire sand bed to alive within a few weeks no problem.
I'm done with "already alive" sand myself. Just a gimmick IMO. Just if you go dry sand, make sure you rinse it. Actually, rinse any sand except what you'd get from an established tank.

What he said.
Sand that has been in bag with water for months, that has been cold and hot is not live. You are paying more for less, since you pay for a 20lbs bag that probably has 3lbs of water.