Sand, yes I have read a ton on it.

[unfamous]

So I'd like to buy some dry sand today. Our LFS, the one I frequent, is closed on Sundays so I won't be buying from them today. I have read that several of the chain pet stores carry sand. Can anyone suggest a brand name that is a reliable quality? I'd really like a mix of black and white, but after reading, white seems to be a better choice for a beginner.

Any suggestions? I'm loading up my 90 gallon and will be ordering LR and water Tuesday.

[Ron Reefman]

A) You can't wait to order your sand from the LFS on Monday?
B) Be very careful at the 'chain' pet stores!
C) I don't think sand color is much of an issue, just an aesthetic choice.
D) You are 'ordering' water?
E) Why don't you order your LR and sand at the same time?

Just curious.

[thebkramer]

can't comment on sand.. don't remember what I got lol sorry.. I recently added live sand.. but don't recommend for new tank (waste of money!!)

my question is.. you are ordering water??? how much they getting you for??? you don't have a RO/DI unit?? I would def invest if one in not.. and they are not that expensive!! and well worth it!! you will be much happier with one.. plus.. what will you do if gosh forbid.. you have an emergency and need to do a huge w/c??? just a thought.. not trying to scare you
just curious.. where you getting your lr from??
what tank system are you going for?? so exciting starting a new tank!!!
btw...

WELCOME TO RC & THE ADDICTION!!!

[wicz101]

Originally Posted by Ron Reefman

A) You can't wait to order your sand from the LFS on Monday?
B) Be very careful at the 'chain' pet stores!
C) I don't think sand color is much of an issue, just an aesthetic choice.
D) You are 'ordering' water?
E) Why don't you order your LR and sand at the same time?

Just curious.

Also just curious?

[unfamous]

Originally Posted by Ron Reefman

A) You can't wait to order your sand from the LFS on Monday?
B) Be very careful at the 'chain' pet stores!
C) I don't think sand color is much of an issue, just an aesthetic choice.
D) You are 'ordering' water?
E) Why don't you order your LR and sand at the same time?

Just curious.

Live rock is being ordered from Aquatic Connection. I have a 90 gallon tank detailed in a previous thread. "New here, New tank".

A: LFS only sells LS which is a waste of money and bad for a beginner.
B: thanks for the advice. Been dealing with them for years with my dogs. I know the drill.
C: Correct. I like the salt and pepper look. Actually I like the look of black, but I understand it's hard to keep clean looking.
D: yes. LFS sells the water from their established tanks. They have thousands of gallons. It's $1.25 a gallon or $2.00 a gallon delivered. They also supply extra for top offs.
E: I'd like to have time to set up the sand and dry base rock before I'm rushed to put the LR in water.

Doing my own RO/DI is something I am looking at. Right now I'm not ready to do this myself.

[unfamous]

How about suggest to me a small, easy to maintain/use RO/DI filter system. I have no way, at this point, to plumb it directly into our water supply. Well, maybe there is, but it would be in a very small area. I am also looking into a ATO system.

[thebkramer]

try some of the sponser sites here on RC..
I know I've read here with some other reefers (maybe someone will chime in) that you can get a unit for as little as $70 you can even use a 35g garbage bin (rubbermaid ones) to store your water in
I'm sure someone will give more info about some of the less expensive ones Def worth getting though!!!! you and your tank will be much happier lol

[Sport507]

This is what alot of us use and I've seen it at Petsmart and Petco.

http://premiumaquatics.com/aquatic-s...C-RSAND40.html

[spieszak]

Plumbing isn't necessary. I run mine with an adapter
(bought at a big box store) from faucet in the bathroom sink. (and I keep my containers in the shower in case I forget for too long and they overflow a bit)

[Ron Reefman]

Originally Posted by spieszak

Plumbing isn't necessary. I run mine with an adapter
(bought at a big box store) from faucet in the bathroom sink. (and I keep my containers in the shower in case I forget for too long and they overflow a bit)

Very cool! My wife just allowed me to take over the hallway bath (behind my DT). I've plumbed water drain from sump to bathroom sink drainline (for water changes). My MH ballasts are in the bathroom cabinets. I pulled the medicine cabinet, cut off the back and reinstalled. Now the hallway wall outside the bath has on/off switches and digital timers built in and the back side wiring is all in the "medicine cabinet". This was all OK because the bathroom really never got used, but was still functional. Now she let me set up plastic shelves in the bathtub for storage of aquarium 'stuff'.

OP, LS isn't always a waste of money. Especially if you are doing a lot of base rock. Some people think it's not alive anymore (after being bagged). But one person on RC opened a bag and it had 2 live fish!

You are going to buy 90 gallons of water at $1.25/g. That's the cost of a pretty good RO/DI system. Trust me, you'll be much happier.

There shouldn't be a rush to get LR in the tank. You can keep it in a clean garbage can with a bubbler or powerhead for days!

Good luck and post up a few pics along the way

[disc1]

Originally Posted by unfamous

D: yes. LFS sells the water from their established tanks. They have thousands of gallons. It's $1.25 a gallon or $2.00 a gallon delivered. They also supply extra for top offs.

They sell the water out of their tanks? Old used water? Now that's a business model, if you can get people to buy it.

[redneckgearhead]

Originally Posted by disc1

They sell the water out of their tanks? Old used water? Now that's a business model, if you can get people to buy it.

Yea, for some reason a LOT of people believe that the bacteria is in the water.

[dublo8]

Dude....Get an RO/DI. Mix your own water and wait til monday to get your rock and your sand. Buying there "used" water will be good for the first fill of the tank, but I would never continue to use it for water changes and what not, you never know what can be in there water. That's where you want to have a RO/DI unit and a bucket of salt for yourself. This way you will always know you have clean, fresh water every time.

Black sand isn't difficult, just sometimes it's hit or miss if you get the good stuff or not. Some of it is magnetic, it also may not be made of aragonite like you want it to be. The aragonite based sand acts like a buffer for your tank. Live sand won't hurt anything either. In fact, the die off from the LS will help start a cycle. I actually suggest it. The LR on the other hand, I do not. get some dry rock from bulk reef supply or marco rock. Then order maybe only about 10lbs of live rock to help seed the dry. You will save so much money this way. Live rock at $6-$9 per lb. is going to cost a small fortune to fill your tank. With the money you saved you can have an RO/DI unit and make your own salt water. Good luck to you and your endeavors.

[Sport507]

I am one that believes that there is bacterium in the water column itself, if not how do people get bacterial blooms in their tank when something gets out of balance. However, it doesn’t compare in concentration to using some sand or live rock from and established tank.

[unfamous]

How about... mostly dry sand. Say 75lbs of it. Then 25 lbs of LS. 75 lbs of dry rock and 25 or so of LR. This sound like a good mix in a new 90 gallon tank? I know I may need more rock in a 90.

I see your point about the "used" water and the RO/DI stuff. I'll have to look deeper into how and where I can set up a water station here.

How about rinsing the sand/crushed coral that the pet stores sell? How do you folks do that? Or do you do that?

[Sport507]

I would not use crushed coral, any amount, you will regret that in a few months. As for sand I fill a 5 gallon bucket about half full, put a garden hose down at the bottom and stir it until the water runs clean.

[unfamous]

Can you give me more detail on why I shouldn't use crushed coral?

[Sport507]

Originally Posted by unfamous

Can you give me more detail on why I shouldn't use crushed coral?

Sure can, down the road when things are up and running tank established looking great and you’re grinning from ear to ear, then for some strange reason things aren’t looking so good anymore. At that point you will discover that you nitrates are way high. Oh well I’ll do more water changes but that doesn’t seem to help. So what caused that? Well the crushed coral will trap debris and after time it will build up and cause this problem.

When you have sand this extra food is on the surface and your clean up crew can finish the job they are in there for. Hope this makes sense.

Just do a search on crushed coral and you will find this out, not just from me.

[unfamous]

Did a search just after I posted. I See a lot of the "crushed coral is bad" but VERY LITTLE information on why. I see what you are saying and is makes sense. The pet store has some and its finely crushed. I'd say 1 mm and smaller. Do YOU feel this is too big? I figured that Coral would be easier to vacuum than sand during water changes. I'll look into it some more.

[Sport507]

Don't go smaller than 1mm to easy to get sand storms. The link I posted above is 1-2mm. That about right IMO.

The crushed coral I was posting about is the big stuff probably 30-75mm.

[WetShepherd]

Originally Posted by unfamous

Did a search just after I posted. I See a lot of the "crushed coral is bad" but VERY LITTLE information on why. I see what you are saying and is makes sense. The pet store has some and its finely crushed. I'd say 1 mm and smaller. Do YOU feel this is too big? I figured that Coral would be easier to vacuum than sand during water changes. I'll look into it some more.

If you go with crushed coral, you exclude some fish from your tank, such as wrasses who sleep in the sand bed (the crushed coral can cut / injure them). The other issue is the eventuality of high nitrates. CC seems to be very good and not only trapping detritus, but also allowing the release of nitrates (as opposed to holding them for processing). As someone who started with CC and switched to the sand recommended above - I would suggest starting with the sand and avoid headaches.

For RO/DI, you could check BRS out. Find out if your municipality puts chlorine or chloramine in the water and that will help you decide which system to get. The filter media lasts a long time so ordering online shouldn't be a big issue. You have ever plumbing option imaginable, from faucet adapters, to quick connect plugs that you can work into your cold water lines to actual pressure taps that you just clamp onto your line and it taps in as you clamp down (sounds crazy to me but I guess some people do that). In terms of convenience, there is no substitute for having your own filtration system

gl and have fun

[redneckgearhead]

Originally Posted by Sport507

I am one that believes that there is bacterium in the water column itself, if not how do people get bacterial blooms in their tank when something gets out of balance. However, it doesn’t compare in concentration to using some sand or live rock from and established tank.

Different bacterias live on/in different surfaces/mediums. It is my understanding (I am no scientist) that the nitrifying bacteria lives on surfaces, hence the reason you want porous rock (equals more surface area) I am not saying that there is no nitrifying bacteria in the water but the amount is very very minimal, from what I have read.

There is NO WAY I would put the "used" water from my LFS tanks. That is a good way to get an infestation of countless ailments.

Oh and STAY AWAY from the crushed coral! You will regret it

[thebkramer]

OOOOOOOOOOO

LOVE THE BUMBO SCOTT!!!
cute kid too btw

[Sport507]

Originally Posted by redneckgearhead

Different bacterias live on/in different surfaces/mediums. It is my understanding (I am no scientist) that the nitrifying bacteria lives on surfaces, hence the reason you want porous rock (equals more surface area) I am not saying that there is no nitrifying bacteria in the water but the amount is very very minimal, from what I have read.

There is NO WAY I would put the "used" water from my LFS tanks. That is a good way to get an infestation of countless ailments.

Oh and STAY AWAY from the crushed coral! You will regret it

I agree totally, would never use water from an LFS its not safe at all. I was only making the point that it also in the water column.

I could buy a new 10 gal. tank, fill it with 1.026 SG water run only an air stone introduce an ammonia source and that tank will go through a nitrifying cycle. It starts and propagates in the water column and some will always be there. I am no scientist either.

[unfamous]

So I called around to other stores in the local area and the PetSmart up the street has 2 30# bags of Caribsea Agrimax (Forgive the spelling. Almost sure its wrong!) and 4 15# bags of Carbsea Pink Fuji in the store. The Fuji is $15 a bag and the Agrimax is $19.00. I'm thinking this is a really good price. Its all "sugar" sized and from what I read could cause sand storms if I am not careful with power-head placement.

I'm thinking I'll pick up this sand. Maybe add a handful or two of crushed coral in one corner for effect. Just to go along with some of the shells we collected at Sanibel this summer.