Tracking down the ELUSIVE Southdown/YardRight Play Sand...

Mr James · 03/29/2006, 03:24 PM

I have a ton of sticky noteson my desk with tons of phone numbers of salesmen of yards and a big headache, but still NO SOUTHDOWN!! One would think that living in Florida gives you automatic rights to oolitic, Bahamian oolitic, aragonite, SouthDown Tropical, Kolorscape, Yard Right, Old Castle, and whatever else they call it, sand, but it does not. I tracked down the parent company that minnes it in the bahamas and I found where they bring it into the states (Fort Pierce, FL). I understand about the "Non-Compete" law thingy. But I refuse to pay $30 - $50 per 20lb bag.

I found a yard in Pensecola that the sales office says has aragonite sand, but they don't. They do however carry aragonite rocks, which I may go check it out (anyone know if this is good stuff or not??). I called another yard in Panama City that the sales office claims has aragonite sand, but they don't.

I am no considering a road trip up north to find this elusive sand. When I lived in Fort Wayne, IN, I bought 1.5 pallet's of the stuff. But not in Florida. Headache coming on, gotta go.

Wombat_101 · 03/30/2006, 10:23 AM

these companies SouthDown Tropical, Kolorscape, Yard Right, Old Castle (there all the same company) No Longer produces a 100% Aragonite play Sand. You most likely will not find any left over stock anywhere so a trip will most likely be a waste of time/gas/money.

Mr James · 03/30/2006, 10:29 AM

Can you answer this for me then please?? Would 100% aragonite rock benefit me?? If so, for what use would it be best used?? Base rock in the tank??

Wombat_101 · 03/30/2006, 10:39 AM

Well the reason people like the 100% aragonite sand is because of the small amount of buffering that it offers. I would assume (but am not expert by any means) that the rock would due the same.

CaptainCoral · 03/30/2006, 11:25 AM

I have actually been able to run a 75 gal softie tank (w/ssb), with a 25 gal fuge with 5 inches of aragonite, and all pacific live rock in the display, that maintains Ca and Alk on it's own. The only tank I've ever had that I could leave alone and never test anything. It since has gotten out of whack during a float switch failure last summer, (and a hurried/paranoid reefers missuse of concentrated salt mix) and I'm currently using Randys two part and water changes to get stability back.

I used to think it was just the sand, but now I believe it may be because of the real aragonite live rock also. My other tanks all have aquacultured limestone (florida aquacultured) rock and assorted variety of diy rocks. I've asked a very knowledgeable staff at my local lfs what they use to maintain Ca and Alk (on a very large system), and he just looked at me and all the tanks, and I understood. It must be a % and volume sort of thing. One day I'll have a dedicated Tank room and will experiment with large vats of sand and or rock.

Mr James · 03/30/2006, 12:15 PM

Good stuff Captain!! I am going to put together a small roadtrip to go see these mountains of aragonite rock after reading that.

rustybucket145 · 03/30/2006, 12:25 PM

Aragonite Rock + Hammer = Aragonite Sand

CaptainCoral · 03/30/2006, 12:29 PM

I should have said "only pacific live rock in the display, no aquacultured or diy"

03/29/2006, 03:24 PM	#1
Mr James Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Kernersville, NC Posts: 6,192	Tracking down the ELUSIVE Southdown/YardRight Play Sand... I have a ton of sticky noteson my desk with tons of phone numbers of salesmen of yards and a big headache, but still NO SOUTHDOWN!! One would think that living in Florida gives you automatic rights to oolitic, Bahamian oolitic, aragonite, SouthDown Tropical, Kolorscape, Yard Right, Old Castle, and whatever else they call it, sand, but it does not. I tracked down the parent company that minnes it in the bahamas and I found where they bring it into the states (Fort Pierce, FL). I understand about the "Non-Compete" law thingy. But I refuse to pay $30 - $50 per 20lb bag. I found a yard in Pensecola that the sales office says has aragonite sand, but they don't. They do however carry aragonite rocks, which I may go check it out (anyone know if this is good stuff or not??). I called another yard in Panama City that the sales office claims has aragonite sand, but they don't. I am no considering a road trip up north to find this elusive sand. When I lived in Fort Wayne, IN, I bought 1.5 pallet's of the stuff. But not in Florida. Headache coming on, gotta go.

03/30/2006, 11:25 AM	#5
CaptainCoral Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Naperville,IL Posts: 1,104	I have actually been able to run a 75 gal softie tank (w/ssb), with a 25 gal fuge with 5 inches of aragonite, and all pacific live rock in the display, that maintains Ca and Alk on it's own. The only tank I've ever had that I could leave alone and never test anything. It since has gotten out of whack during a float switch failure last summer, (and a hurried/paranoid reefers missuse of concentrated salt mix) and I'm currently using Randys two part and water changes to get stability back. I used to think it was just the sand, but now I believe it may be because of the real aragonite live rock also. My other tanks all have aquacultured limestone (florida aquacultured) rock and assorted variety of diy rocks. I've asked a very knowledgeable staff at my local lfs what they use to maintain Ca and Alk (on a very large system), and he just looked at me and all the tanks, and I understood. It must be a % and volume sort of thing. One day I'll have a dedicated Tank room and will experiment with large vats of sand and or rock. __________________ I have 300 lbs. of pet rock Current Tank Info: 55[QuarantineTank],75[softie,clown/anemone], and 180 AGA reefs

03/30/2006, 12:25 PM	#7
rustybucket145 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: valdosta, ga Posts: 3,707	Aragonite Rock + Hammer = Aragonite Sand __________________ 400gals of various tanks in the same system. Current Tank Info: 2 175w MH, 2 VH0 Actinics, Lots of Live Rock, tons of copepods, a Fat Mandarin Goby, Niger Trigger, Yellow Tang, Falco Hawkfish, Bi-Color Pseudo, numerous soft, SPS and LPS Corals

03/30/2006, 12:29 PM	#8
CaptainCoral Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Naperville,IL Posts: 1,104	I should have said "only pacific live rock in the display, no aquacultured or diy" __________________ I have 300 lbs. of pet rock Current Tank Info: 55[QuarantineTank],75[softie,clown/anemone], and 180 AGA reefs

03/30/2006, 10:23 AM	#2
Wombat_101 Reefer Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Long Island Posts: 281	these companies SouthDown Tropical, Kolorscape, Yard Right, Old Castle (there all the same company) No Longer produces a 100% Aragonite play Sand. You most likely will not find any left over stock anywhere so a trip will most likely be a waste of time/gas/money.

03/30/2006, 10:29 AM	#3
Mr James Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Kernersville, NC Posts: 6,192	Can you answer this for me then please?? Would 100% aragonite rock benefit me?? If so, for what use would it be best used?? Base rock in the tank??

03/30/2006, 10:39 AM	#4
Wombat_101 Reefer Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Long Island Posts: 281	Well the reason people like the 100% aragonite sand is because of the small amount of buffering that it offers. I would assume (but am not expert by any means) that the rock would due the same.

03/30/2006, 12:15 PM	#6
Mr James Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Kernersville, NC Posts: 6,192	Good stuff Captain!! I am going to put together a small roadtrip to go see these mountains of aragonite rock after reading that.