APch1ll3n
Well-known member
I am whiting white sand for my new setup. Was planning to buy some on eBay. There are 2 people selling white sand; is any1 using white sand bought from eBay? I you are; how do you like it? Is it worth it?
White sand
- Thread starter APch1ll3n
- Start date
Help Support Reef Aquarium & Tank Building Forum:
NanaReefer
Well-known member
Some people like it some don't. Personally I found it to be a PITA. Had it in my first tank, never again. Bad especially if you plan on keeping any fish that burrows. Then again good for those who are keeping Wrasses who bury themselves to sleep at night.
APch1ll3n
Well-known member
Sorry about the bad English on the original post. Must of been half asleep.. This will be my second reef tank so any suggestions would be appreciated. I like the white because it makes everything bright. Black sand is also nice looking at pictures on this forum. If I get black sand how would it effect the lighting? My friend hook me up with a Hamilton 3 halide lighting system. Was planning to get some Maximus clams and wanted to make sure they have enough light.
NC2WA
Well-known member
I use white sand..a mixture of Caribsea Ooglite sugar size sand AND Ocean Direct Live Sand...if you want to see what it looks like, click the Web Cam link under my signature and view my tank..I have sand sifting starfish, nassarius snails, and soon to have orange diamond gobies..so having sand makes sense for me...
APch1ll3n
Well-known member
How long hav you had the tank up and running? How much of a color change has it had? With the sand shifting critters you have how much and how deep they go? Also how deep is your sand bed. BTW very nice aquarium you have..
NC2WA
Well-known member
7 yrs running and no change in color..my gobies only sifted the top 1/8 inch of the sand, might go 1/4 of an inch if that...my sandbed is NOT a true DSB which by definition is 3-5 inches deep...I am around 2-2.5 inches deep...if you are in the Bothell area, you are more than welcome to stop by and check it out..
Derbird
Well-known member
I use white sand and like it. A mix of differnt grain sizes. I keep wrasses and other critters that need sand so my choice was easy 
Be sure you get Aragonite sand. It will help buffer your Ph and add trace elements. Most other sands are silica and I have heard that they can lead to algae down the road.
Be sure you get Aragonite sand. It will help buffer your Ph and add trace elements. Most other sands are silica and I have heard that they can lead to algae down the road.
pandora32
Well-known member
A side note on the black sand. Be careful with magnetic algae cleaners. The black sand is magnetic. As for the ebay sand. I ordered 180# of it. Was way cheaper than getting it from my lfs. Looked fantastic. BUT, it is just sand. Not aragonite. I didnt think about that when i ordered it and had to add ph buffer to keep the ph up. Dont like dosing. So when i moved, i tossed the sand and replaced it with aragonite. I had a dsb in the sump already. Also. My tank is 72" end to end. I had a pair of mp40, one on each end. I couldnt run the pumps at 100% anywhere below 7" below the top of the tank. Even at that height, it still blew the sand around pretty good. My tank is 29" top to bottom. Just my 2¢ and expieriance
Saltwater Stu
Well-known member
I would advise against adding the black as well, unless you don't mind adding a ph buffer. I went with a black sand for my SB and didn't like it, ended up covering the top with crushed coral that I had from a previous setup.
APch1ll3n
Well-known member
Thank you for every1 support and experience they had. I do appreciate it. I believe I will go with white sand. Now, back to the original question of the thread; has anyone use any of the 2 white sand selling on Ebay? They both look nice under light but not sure if they are real Aragonite or not? Also Is any1 using the Caribsea Aragonite seaflor special grade reed sand? How white is this sand and how much do you like it?
NC2WA, you sand bed looks awesome. Keep going back to look at your pictures of the tank. :clap2: From reading the forums and DSB vs SSB pages leaning into the 2"-3" mark sand bed. (still white sand)
NC2WA, you sand bed looks awesome. Keep going back to look at your pictures of the tank. :clap2: From reading the forums and DSB vs SSB pages leaning into the 2"-3" mark sand bed. (still white sand)
Last edited:
pandora32
Well-known member
Re-read my post above. I have used it and its not aragonite. Its plain sand like youd walk on on the beach.
NC2WA
Well-known member
Apch1ll3n,
I would approach it this way...figure out what you plan on keeping in the tank and then decide what sand best suits that need....for example, if you plan on having sand sifting gobies, then you want to stay away from any sand (white or black) that is coarse or rubble sand...by doing it this way hopefully you have a set of choices you can choose from.
I would approach it this way...figure out what you plan on keeping in the tank and then decide what sand best suits that need....for example, if you plan on having sand sifting gobies, then you want to stay away from any sand (white or black) that is coarse or rubble sand...by doing it this way hopefully you have a set of choices you can choose from.
APch1ll3n
Well-known member
Pandora 32 that was my fault. didn't read it as close as i should off.
NC2WA I am hoping to have several tangs definitely: blonde naso tang, probably 2 maximus clams, and what ever after that. My tank is a 150 gallon peninsula set up. Dont want to overcrowd it but want enough in there to maintain the tank. Always like acans, brain, Zoa, RBTA, chalice and so on. Not into birdnest too much or I havent seen what I like yet. So I am definitely getting aragonite white sand but just want to make sure I am getting something I will not have to tear the tank apart to get out. Since there are numerous of experience reefer in here. Rather hear from the experts that have had there tanks for awhile than just reading and going stores to ask. Always trying to save as much as possible. Thank you for all the answers and help every1 is giving.
I am leaning to the Caribsea Aragonite seaflor special grade reed sand and Caribsea Ooglite sugar size sand. Read alot of good things about them but also want to keep my sand bed white as possible.
NC2WA I am hoping to have several tangs definitely: blonde naso tang, probably 2 maximus clams, and what ever after that. My tank is a 150 gallon peninsula set up. Dont want to overcrowd it but want enough in there to maintain the tank. Always like acans, brain, Zoa, RBTA, chalice and so on. Not into birdnest too much or I havent seen what I like yet. So I am definitely getting aragonite white sand but just want to make sure I am getting something I will not have to tear the tank apart to get out. Since there are numerous of experience reefer in here. Rather hear from the experts that have had there tanks for awhile than just reading and going stores to ask. Always trying to save as much as possible. Thank you for all the answers and help every1 is giving.
I am leaning to the Caribsea Aragonite seaflor special grade reed sand and Caribsea Ooglite sugar size sand. Read alot of good things about them but also want to keep my sand bed white as possible.
NC2WA
Well-known member
these choices should be good...
WestMariculture
New member
I sell EcoReefSand oolitic aragonite on eBay. We have the same originating source as CaribSea's oolitic aragonite. If you go with the other seller on eBay for white sand, it's definitely not aragonite. Pandora32, I'm not sure which sand you purchased, but if it was mine it was aragonite.
I won't do any advertising here for all the great benefits and reasons to buy from us. I just wanted to reassure all the reefers that our sand is definitely aragonite.
I won't do any advertising here for all the great benefits and reasons to buy from us. I just wanted to reassure all the reefers that our sand is definitely aragonite.
pandora32
Well-known member
No. It wasnt yours. I cant remember the ebayers name. I liked it, dont get me wrong. I just didnt like rhe fact that it limited how i have my circ. pumps. If i could run the kind of flow i had, and could keep the sand in the bottom where it belonged, id still have it.
