Sand Substrate Question

jjmatti · 05/14/2006, 08:52 AM

I have been thinking that it would be for the best to tear down my tank and take out the crushed coral substrate and add a new sand bottom. I think the 4 year old Crushed coral is what is keeping my nitrates at impossible to manage high levels.

I have read alot about "Southdown Sand" from Home Depot as a suitable choice. Is this my only option and what is the difference between that and the 30.00 dollar bag of Arag-alive that I used to set up my 75 gallon.. ??

michaelm2431 · 05/14/2006, 08:57 AM

About $26 a bag difference. The southdown at HD is now called Kolor Scape white play sand. I would use that and put a few cup fulls of live sand from the 75 to seed it.

Ken-21 · 05/14/2006, 09:30 AM

I wouldn't use play ground sand in my reef. It makes no sense to me to spend hundreds of dollars on live rock, corals, fish and tons of water purifiring equipment only to throw in sand that wasn't meant to be in a reef. I just took out my crushed coral and replaced it with "Live Sand" about two months ago and everything looks fantastic. JMO

Ken-21 · 05/14/2006, 09:33 AM

Sorry..."Purifying" I hate when I type too fast and then post with out reading it first!

mikeatjac · 05/14/2006, 09:43 AM

Kolor Scape white play sand sounds good to me and then seed with some sand from you current base. Live sand you buy in a bag really does not have much life in it. Lots written on RC about that.

05/14/2006, 08:52 AM	#1
jjmatti Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Northern New Jersey Posts: 517	Sand Substrate Question I have been thinking that it would be for the best to tear down my tank and take out the crushed coral substrate and add a new sand bottom. I think the 4 year old Crushed coral is what is keeping my nitrates at impossible to manage high levels. I have read alot about "Southdown Sand" from Home Depot as a suitable choice. Is this my only option and what is the difference between that and the 30.00 dollar bag of Arag-alive that I used to set up my 75 gallon.. ??

05/14/2006, 09:43 AM	#5
mikeatjac Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Jacksonville, Florida Posts: 2,433	Kolor Scape white play sand sounds good to me and then seed with some sand from you current base. Live sand you buy in a bag really does not have much life in it. Lots written on RC about that. __________________ Red Sea Reefer 525 - BK 160- G5 Blue - GHL

05/14/2006, 08:57 AM	#2
michaelm2431 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Middletown N.J. Posts: 786	About $26 a bag difference. The southdown at HD is now called Kolor Scape white play sand. I would use that and put a few cup fulls of live sand from the 75 to seed it.

05/14/2006, 09:30 AM	#3
Ken-21 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: On the edge of sanity Posts: 140	I wouldn't use play ground sand in my reef. It makes no sense to me to spend hundreds of dollars on live rock, corals, fish and tons of water purifiring equipment only to throw in sand that wasn't meant to be in a reef. I just took out my crushed coral and replaced it with "Live Sand" about two months ago and everything looks fantastic. JMO

05/14/2006, 09:33 AM	#4
Ken-21 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: On the edge of sanity Posts: 140	Sorry..."Purifying" I hate when I type too fast and then post with out reading it first!