Play Sand In the Tank

[Jiddy]

My question is- ive heard that it is okay to put, "Down South Play Sand" in the tank for substrate, well i went to Lowe's to look, and seen they have QUICKRETE Play Sand, now i wanted to know if that was okay, and if play sand in general is okay for reefs?

-Jidz

 

[Jeff]

I believe that QuickRite is a silicate sand. So you can use it and get most of the benifits of Southdown, but since it is not araganite like Southdown, you won't get any buffering.

 

[Woodstock]

Play sand is NOT what you want in your tank.... as a matter of fact you do not want to use that in your child's sand box either. I've heard of kids having alergies to the silicates in it. I used to purchase the Southdown Sand from Home Depot. I used it for a long time with no problems in my reef. I will search for a picture of the bag for you and post it if i find it.

 

[Woodstock]

It is aragonite base so it helps to buffer your tank. If I were to have sand in my reef again, I would not hesitate to use it again. Here is what the bag looks like.

 

[mojoreef]

Silicates also dissolve into your water leading to diatom blooms or algae problems. Also thier is alot of unknowns in the sand to


Mike

 

[NaH2O]

Jiddy - Southdown is usually found on the East Coast, but I think Old Castle, and Yardright are the same thing. If shipping didn't cost an arm and a leg - I have some Southdown in my garage.

 

[thetedinator]

I live in SoCal. I found a crushed marble playsand that is silicate free at a local HD. Chemically, crushed marble and aragonite are the same thing and is suitable substitute if you can't find "Southdown" or "Old Castle".

 

[MikeS]

Agreed....QuikCrete playsand is a silica sand...the silica can fuel diatoms, and as mojo stated, there are many other mineral componants to it that may have adverse effects on your reef. The Home Depot sand that you hear of that is commonly used is as Woodstock stated, Southdown tropical play sand. It's basically oolitic/fine aragonite. It's only available in Home Depots regionally...oddly enough, if the region you live in doesn't stock it, they can't even order it from other Home Depots...

MikeS

 

[Jiddy]

I dont even have a Home Depot in this metropolis i live in, only Menards and Lowe's.... but i went to walmart today and found this

I found out Quikrete is def not a good choice, so i went to WalMart and they have Garden Basic Play Sand, i tried to do a search for this but since its a Walmart Exclusive i got nothin, anyone use/heard of this stuff?

 

[mojoreef]

www.purearagonite.com

mike

 

[wrightme43]

Jiddy, man dont try to skimp on your sand. Save the money and go bare bottom. I switched a 150 over to barebottom, and its the cleanest, happiest thing I have ever seen. I will be switching my home tank next. Now I just have to figure out how to present I put this sand in your tank, and now I need to take it out because I was wrong, with out losing thier business and trust. If you just have to have it, go for it. Talk to Mike about Bare Bottom and why. Read up on it. I have been, and I am convinced its better. Steve

 

[mojoreef]

Now I just have to figure out how to present I put this sand in your tank, and now I need to take it out because I was wrong, with out losing thier business and trust.

I dont know about that Steve, you know a dsb is a great sink for new tanks, and still viable for soft corals and most lps. It just has its limitations, I wouldnt have any fear about removing it or even replacing it. If the bed is on the downside..well its served it purposed and now its time for new or a change.
The concept of a DSB was just way over sold and the whole story on how it works and doesnt was not told. That does not make it a crappy thing, just something (as with all things) that needs to be completely understood in order for a person to have a fighting chance.

Woo that took alot to squeeze out, lol Welcome to the light my boy!!


Mike

 

[CarlaW]

Geez Mike, don't hurt yourself.

 

[MikeS]

Geez Mike, don't hurt yourself.

:lol: you nailed it... :lol:

MikeS

 

[Jiddy]

So is all the play sand brands goin to be bad, i see differant brands everyone but none ever say Aragonite or Silicia, is there any hope to find some locally?

 

[Jiddy]

I just called old castle and they told me they dont have a calcium base sand

 

[Jiddy]

http://www.crabstreetjournal.com/products/substrates/tropicalplaysand.html

Got it now

 

[Trenchsoul]

The sand you're looking at could be quartz or silica sand, it depends on the area where it is being harvested from. Quartz shouldn't cause any problems, but you'll have a harder time getting your pH up to where it needs to be and buffering without crushed coral/aragonite substrate.

Something to think about going bare bottom is if you want to have any fish that are going to need a sandbed. I'm a fan of the gobies and benthic critters, so I wouldn't want to go bare bottom.

 

[wrightme43]

They stuff he is getting is called southdown playsand and it is crushed aragonite sand. I went to all the stores here in my area of KY for the Jidmiester because he had some buddies visiting Nashville Tn. The dont sell it all here. Only silca based play sand round these parts.

 

[Jiddy]

Hey im out of luck, goin to have to pay $1.2 million for the stuff at my LFS, its actually the same price if i had someone ship it to me, GOOD OLE' S.Dakota!

And yes for the record, I had some buddies travelin to Nashville, and i knew from RF that Steve and his goat was from there, so after findin out he didnt have any moonshine for sale, i asked him to check to see if they sold SouthDown in his area, (my friends would of never got the right stuff) and out of the kindness of his heart, he checked multiple places, Helluva Guy Steve!

-Jidz