Sand question

new92 · 04/22/2008, 07:06 AM

I have run across a potentially very good deal on bags of live sand (carib sea). I was originally going to use play sand due to the cost and I think it looks fine. A friend of mine has it in his tank and has had no problems, and I use it in my FW tanks also.

Anyway, the live sand would be about 1/2 -3/4 of the total poundage that I need, would there be any pitfalls of using the live sand and the play sand together?

an411 · 04/22/2008, 08:18 AM

The only thing that I can see is that it might not look so good if they are the slightest bit of different colors. Otherwise you should be fine. I am just trying to think how I would do it. I am not sure if there is any benefit to putting one or the other down first. Hopefully someone can give you more insight with this.

new92 · 04/22/2008, 08:46 AM

Thanks, thats 1 thing I hadnt thought of lol.

I know people in the past have said the play sand looks beige or tan to them, but in my FW tanks and some I stuck in a bowl in the empty tank when I got my MH lights in just to see how it would look, looks really white to me. In the bags the live sand to me looks beige but under the lights it all looks white to me, so I think it would be close enough to not stand out., who knows though....

sage_commander · 04/22/2008, 09:31 AM

I believe you would want to put the play sand down first and the live stuff on top of that. Otherwise you'd smother a lot of the good bacteria and it would take longer for your tank to cycle.

04/22/2008, 07:06 AM	#1
new92 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Middleburg,Jax,FL Posts: 48	Sand question I have run across a potentially very good deal on bags of live sand (carib sea). I was originally going to use play sand due to the cost and I think it looks fine. A friend of mine has it in his tank and has had no problems, and I use it in my FW tanks also. Anyway, the live sand would be about 1/2 -3/4 of the total poundage that I need, would there be any pitfalls of using the live sand and the play sand together?

04/22/2008, 08:18 AM	#2
an411 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Derby CT Posts: 2,861	The only thing that I can see is that it might not look so good if they are the slightest bit of different colors. Otherwise you should be fine. I am just trying to think how I would do it. I am not sure if there is any benefit to putting one or the other down first. Hopefully someone can give you more insight with this.

04/22/2008, 08:46 AM	#3
new92 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Middleburg,Jax,FL Posts: 48	Thanks, thats 1 thing I hadnt thought of lol. I know people in the past have said the play sand looks beige or tan to them, but in my FW tanks and some I stuck in a bowl in the empty tank when I got my MH lights in just to see how it would look, looks really white to me. In the bags the live sand to me looks beige but under the lights it all looks white to me, so I think it would be close enough to not stand out., who knows though....

04/22/2008, 09:31 AM	#4
sage_commander Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Poulsbo WA Posts: 646	I believe you would want to put the play sand down first and the live stuff on top of that. Otherwise you'd smother a lot of the good bacteria and it would take longer for your tank to cycle.