sand

tylerdj · 09/22/2008, 05:51 AM

Is there any cheaper alternative to expensive coral sand.

atwinparadox2 · 09/22/2008, 06:07 AM

some people have used sand that you can get in large bags from home depot and such. With positive results, but I have read some drawbacks from using sand like this. If it's a new tank then maybe it would be better because you will have the cycling time. Hope this helps.

ilv4xn · 09/22/2008, 06:17 AM

don't qote me as I am very new to this, but I think the crushed coral helps to buffer your ph a little

slacktide · 09/22/2008, 06:23 AM

You typically want something with no silicates in it, but my alternative to sand has always been bare bottom

fivesmallworlds · 09/22/2008, 07:12 AM

I wouldn't bother with the HD stuff. They don't even carry the right kind anymore and you'll be wasting your time looking for it.

You also don't need to buy the "live" sand that comes with water and everything. The Dry livesand has all the same beneficial bacteria that you need.

That said, barebottom is always an acceptable alternative. myself I chose to go with one 40 lb bag of carribsea aragonite live sand ($40) for my 75g. It gave me about 1 1/2 - 2 inches of sand depth just for aesthetics.

IslandCrow · 09/22/2008, 07:18 AM

First, don't buy the bagged "live" sand. That will save you a little money. You can buy silica based sand at your hardware store, but there are varying opinions on it. The silica in silica based sand is insoluble, so you don't have to worry about that part. There are some theories that the physical characteristics of the silica sand grain may help promote algae growth or may not be well suited to certain sand dwelling marine animals. I've used it in my refugium, but that was only for about 6 months. I did have some cyano growth, but I think that had more to do with the low flow than the sand. My main complaint was that it wasn't as white as the aragonite sand. As for aragonite (i.e. coral or calcium carbonite based) sand buffering PH, that's a common misconception. It's completely insoluble at the PH levels in our tanks (you'd need to get the PH below 7.0), so it's not going to buffer your PH.

In short, you can use sand from the hardware store, but keep in mind that it was designed for aquarium use, so there are no guarantees. I'd suggest using the "Play Sand" intended for sandboxes. At the very least, I'd imagine they'd do a good job making sure there's nothing toxic in the sand. I've also heard of people using sandblasting sand, which I believe is supposed to be whiter in color. There actually are non-silica sands out there, but they're almost impossible to find. Whatever you get, be sure to rinse it out thoroughly, as it's likely to contain impurities.

Edit:
One minor clarification on the previous person's post. The dry sand does not contain the bacteria you need for your tank. Your live rock will quickly seed it with the bacteria you need, though, and that's why buying live sand is not necessary.

tylerdj · 09/22/2008, 02:05 PM

what about pool filter sand alot of cichlid people use this would that work

09/22/2008, 05:51 AM	#1
tylerdj Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: CT Posts: 130	sand Is there any cheaper alternative to expensive coral sand.

09/22/2008, 06:17 AM	#3
ilv4xn Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: portland OR Posts: 162	don't qote me as I am very new to this, but I think the crushed coral helps to buffer your ph a little __________________ Don't force it. Get a bigger hammer! Current Tank Info: 50gal

09/22/2008, 07:18 AM	#6
IslandCrow Reef Monkey Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Rockledge, Fl Posts: 5,759	First, don't buy the bagged "live" sand. That will save you a little money. You can buy silica based sand at your hardware store, but there are varying opinions on it. The silica in silica based sand is insoluble, so you don't have to worry about that part. There are some theories that the physical characteristics of the silica sand grain may help promote algae growth or may not be well suited to certain sand dwelling marine animals. I've used it in my refugium, but that was only for about 6 months. I did have some cyano growth, but I think that had more to do with the low flow than the sand. My main complaint was that it wasn't as white as the aragonite sand. As for aragonite (i.e. coral or calcium carbonite based) sand buffering PH, that's a common misconception. It's completely insoluble at the PH levels in our tanks (you'd need to get the PH below 7.0), so it's not going to buffer your PH. In short, you can use sand from the hardware store, but keep in mind that it was designed for aquarium use, so there are no guarantees. I'd suggest using the "Play Sand" intended for sandboxes. At the very least, I'd imagine they'd do a good job making sure there's nothing toxic in the sand. I've also heard of people using sandblasting sand, which I believe is supposed to be whiter in color. There actually are non-silica sands out there, but they're almost impossible to find. Whatever you get, be sure to rinse it out thoroughly, as it's likely to contain impurities. Edit: One minor clarification on the previous person's post. The dry sand does not contain the bacteria you need for your tank. Your live rock will quickly seed it with the bacteria you need, though, and that's why buying live sand is not necessary. __________________ All opinions in the above message should be taken with 35 ppt salt. -Mike C. Current Tank Info: I have a reef screen saver on my phone, does that count?

09/22/2008, 06:07 AM	#2
atwinparadox2 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Kingston, PA Posts: 782	some people have used sand that you can get in large bags from home depot and such. With positive results, but I have read some drawbacks from using sand like this. If it's a new tank then maybe it would be better because you will have the cycling time. Hope this helps.

09/22/2008, 06:23 AM	#4
slacktide Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 10	You typically want something with no silicates in it, but my alternative to sand has always been bare bottom

09/22/2008, 07:12 AM	#5
fivesmallworlds Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Minnesota Posts: 255	I wouldn't bother with the HD stuff. They don't even carry the right kind anymore and you'll be wasting your time looking for it. You also don't need to buy the "live" sand that comes with water and everything. The Dry livesand has all the same beneficial bacteria that you need. That said, barebottom is always an acceptable alternative. myself I chose to go with one 40 lb bag of carribsea aragonite live sand ($40) for my 75g. It gave me about 1 1/2 - 2 inches of sand depth just for aesthetics.

09/22/2008, 02:05 PM	#7
tylerdj Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: CT Posts: 130	what about pool filter sand alot of cichlid people use this would that work