Play Sand ???

reefpour · 04/14/2008, 09:54 AM

Last August, 2007, I moved and took by 180 gal reef tank with me. At that time, I added a 100 gal stock tank as a refugium and am growing Chaeto in it. In the bottom of the stock tank, I added 4 bags of play sand from a local building supply. My tank has not been doing as well as it was. The SPS are growing VERY slowly, and are very pale. I am wondering in my use of play sand may be a contributing factor. My parameters are:
Specific gravity 1.026
Temp 77
Calcium 440
Alk 3.43
pH 8.2
Nitrate <2
Phos 0

Has anyone had any similar experience using play sand?

Thanks,

ConcreteReefer · 04/14/2008, 10:20 AM

I heard there are alot of silicates in play sand.. You might want to test for that.

johnnyblaze313 · 04/14/2008, 10:35 AM

I recently upraded to a 180 from a 100 and used kolorscape play sand. i havent noticed any ill effects to my livestock but i am battling a diatom outbreak. hard to say if its the sand or just a cycle the tanks going through. did you have a diatom problem after adding the sand? i did purchase a silicate test kit and found very small amount of it in the aquarium 0.3 ppm so i dont think its leeching from the sand

reefpour · 04/14/2008, 11:45 AM

I have been having a smallish diatiom outbreak the last couple of months. I guess it could have been delayed until enough of the silicates became dissolved... I am more concerned with my SPS extremely slow growth and lack of color. They almost seem like they are bleaching. I am still getting pretty good polyp extension. Just trying to figure out what I might have changed to cause this. I am on a different water supply, but I use a RO/DI and my TDS tests 0 - 1 ppm.

sirreal63 · 04/14/2008, 12:14 PM

Just VHO lighting? Are the bulbs getting old?

reefpour · 04/14/2008, 12:29 PM

I replaced the bulbs less than 2 months ago. I was thinking of switching to some MH, but then I saw TWOLF's tank, a Boise reefer and he lights with only VHO's and his tanks are drop dead gorgeous!

musky1963 · 04/14/2008, 03:15 PM

Do not use playsand. When I started out, I used it not knowing better. I had all kinds of problems and it scratches glass. Pay the extra and get aragonite and be done with it.

reefpour · 04/15/2008, 02:46 PM

What would you all think about my removing all the sand from my 100 gall stock tank refugium. It contains a remote plenum with some aragonite sand from it's original location. I have also added 4 bags of play sand. The 'fuge now contains at least a bushel of chaeto.

This would leave a BB 'fuge. I would shut off the flow before removing the sand. I'm pretty sure I would still have a lot of murky water and possibly some nutrient spikes when I turn the flow back on.

04/14/2008, 09:54 AM	#1
reefpour Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 85	Play Sand ??? Last August, 2007, I moved and took by 180 gal reef tank with me. At that time, I added a 100 gal stock tank as a refugium and am growing Chaeto in it. In the bottom of the stock tank, I added 4 bags of play sand from a local building supply. My tank has not been doing as well as it was. The SPS are growing VERY slowly, and are very pale. I am wondering in my use of play sand may be a contributing factor. My parameters are: Specific gravity 1.026 Temp 77 Calcium 440 Alk 3.43 pH 8.2 Nitrate <2 Phos 0 Has anyone had any similar experience using play sand? Thanks, Last edited by reefpour; 04/14/2008 at 10:43 AM.

04/14/2008, 12:14 PM	#5
sirreal63 Go Spurs Go!!! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Meadowlakes Texas Posts: 13,357	Just VHO lighting? Are the bulbs getting old? __________________ Jack No One has ever been seriously injured by using the search function. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms should be a convenience store, not a government agency. Current Tank Info: Reefing the Pentagon.

04/14/2008, 10:20 AM	#2
ConcreteReefer Moved On Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: SW FLA Posts: 996	I heard there are alot of silicates in play sand.. You might want to test for that.

04/14/2008, 10:35 AM	#3
johnnyblaze313 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Detroit, MI Posts: 420	I recently upraded to a 180 from a 100 and used kolorscape play sand. i havent noticed any ill effects to my livestock but i am battling a diatom outbreak. hard to say if its the sand or just a cycle the tanks going through. did you have a diatom problem after adding the sand? i did purchase a silicate test kit and found very small amount of it in the aquarium 0.3 ppm so i dont think its leeching from the sand

04/14/2008, 11:45 AM	#4
reefpour Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 85	I have been having a smallish diatiom outbreak the last couple of months. I guess it could have been delayed until enough of the silicates became dissolved... I am more concerned with my SPS extremely slow growth and lack of color. They almost seem like they are bleaching. I am still getting pretty good polyp extension. Just trying to figure out what I might have changed to cause this. I am on a different water supply, but I use a RO/DI and my TDS tests 0 - 1 ppm.

04/14/2008, 12:29 PM	#6
reefpour Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 85	I replaced the bulbs less than 2 months ago. I was thinking of switching to some MH, but then I saw TWOLF's tank, a Boise reefer and he lights with only VHO's and his tanks are drop dead gorgeous!

04/14/2008, 03:15 PM	#7
musky1963 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: NW PA Posts: 100	Do not use playsand. When I started out, I used it not knowing better. I had all kinds of problems and it scratches glass. Pay the extra and get aragonite and be done with it.

04/15/2008, 02:46 PM	#8
reefpour Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 85	What would you all think about my removing all the sand from my 100 gall stock tank refugium. It contains a remote plenum with some aragonite sand from it's original location. I have also added 4 bags of play sand. The 'fuge now contains at least a bushel of chaeto. This would leave a BB 'fuge. I would shut off the flow before removing the sand. I'm pretty sure I would still have a lot of murky water and possibly some nutrient spikes when I turn the flow back on.