White sand or Black sand??

monkeysee1 · 09/09/2018, 04:57 PM

Hi again everyone!
I'm going a bit more minimalist in my tank and have a my (much simpler) rock design picked out. Fish and my inverts. NO CORALS.
I, along with the aquarium consultant at the LFS I'm hiring agree it's time to change the sand bed.
I love the Tropic Eden White Miniflake Aragonite. The fine white is beautiful. But I also think think that Black Hawaiian sand is really cool.
The guy at the LFS store is discouraging me from the black sand and says it will REALLY darken my tank too much, scratch the glass and may look initially but will look like crap over time. Is he right?
Should I stick with white??
I'm taking votes.
I'm NOT going bare bottom - it's bad for inverts. Just a bit more minimalist with my 10 fish that I love - I want to keep ALL of them, with my inverts too (snails, feather duster, emerald crabs, urchins, shrimp, etc).
SO is he right??

Pslreefer · 09/09/2018, 05:16 PM

I like the black sand , however some of the grains in it will get magnetized to your glass algae scaper

FamilyTank · 09/09/2018, 06:24 PM

White

Crooked Reef · 09/09/2018, 07:11 PM

I have a 90 gallon reef with white sand and a biocube 29 dwarf lion tank with black. It darkens the tankeven with a powerful light. I don’t have an issue with scratching the glass, but I use a scrub pad and not a magnet on that tank. It does show detritus a lot more than you would think. When it is time to change it, I will go with white.

Chad_P · 09/09/2018, 07:25 PM

White. Had white in a prior tank, went through all the trouble to switch to black and ended up not liking it.

Fluorescent colors popped but tank looked too dark and always looked dirtier than white. Never had an issue with it sticking to algae scraper, I used Tahitian moon sand which I liked the best out of all the blacks.

Sold the 93 and started up a 180 gallon. Went with all white sand

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

laverda · 09/09/2018, 08:14 PM

Black looks shape when new. It quickly loses that look and looks dirty. Just like a black car, every bit of dirt (detrius) stands out.

Lancerman · 09/11/2018, 12:08 PM

I've had this dilemma but following the sage advice of those before me, opted for white sand. To me, it looks more natural, and I wont have to worry about it magnetizing. If you do decide to get black sand, look at petco, they have the live sand for ~$10 for a 10lb bag last time I checked(might have went up). But ultimately its up to your needs and preferences. Do what makes you happy!

monkeysee1 · 10/09/2018, 06:25 PM

Thanks for all your advice guys!
I went with white Tropic Eden!

Conigs · 10/11/2018, 09:24 AM

White

skulls1075 · 10/14/2018, 02:52 AM

good choice. that’s what i use.

hkgar · 10/14/2018, 03:57 PM

It is your tank. Do what you like.

Why care about we like?

Why do people ask what they should like?

Or, is your question really - what are the pros and cons of black versus white sand?

09/09/2018, 04:57 PM	#1
monkeysee1 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: MERRIMACK NH Posts: 423	White sand or Black sand?? Hi again everyone! I'm going a bit more minimalist in my tank and have a my (much simpler) rock design picked out. Fish and my inverts. NO CORALS. I, along with the aquarium consultant at the LFS I'm hiring agree it's time to change the sand bed. I love the Tropic Eden White Miniflake Aragonite. The fine white is beautiful. But I also think think that Black Hawaiian sand is really cool. The guy at the LFS store is discouraging me from the black sand and says it will REALLY darken my tank too much, scratch the glass and may look initially but will look like crap over time. Is he right? Should I stick with white?? I'm taking votes. I'm NOT going bare bottom - it's bad for inverts. Just a bit more minimalist with my 10 fish that I love - I want to keep ALL of them, with my inverts too (snails, feather duster, emerald crabs, urchins, shrimp, etc). SO is he right?? __________________ Your "fair share" is not in my wallet; it's in my fish tank!! Current tank info: 90 Gallon saltwater 10 fish with a few inverts; NO CORALS! Tried to go reef; didn't work out so hot; FOWLR's for me! Last edited by monkeysee1; 09/09/2018 at 05:14 PM.

09/09/2018, 07:11 PM	#4
Crooked Reef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 1,765	I have a 90 gallon reef with white sand and a biocube 29 dwarf lion tank with black. It darkens the tankeven with a powerful light. I don’t have an issue with scratching the glass, but I use a scrub pad and not a magnet on that tank. It does show detritus a lot more than you would think. When it is time to change it, I will go with white. __________________ “In wine there is wisdom; in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.” - Benjamin Franklin Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef. Biocube 29 lionfish tank. Mantis tank.

09/09/2018, 08:14 PM	#6
laverda Registered Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Anaheim, CA Posts: 6,902	Black looks shape when new. It quickly loses that look and looks dirty. Just like a black car, every bit of dirt (detrius) stands out. __________________ 240G mixed reef, 29G SPS/LPS clam tank, 50G mixed reef Current Tank Info: 300g mixed reef, 50g cube

09/11/2018, 12:08 PM	#7
Lancerman Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Arcadia Posts: 35	go for white I've had this dilemma but following the sage advice of those before me, opted for white sand. To me, it looks more natural, and I wont have to worry about it magnetizing. If you do decide to get black sand, look at petco, they have the live sand for ~$10 for a 10lb bag last time I checked(might have went up). But ultimately its up to your needs and preferences. Do what makes you happy!

10/09/2018, 06:25 PM	#8
monkeysee1 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: MERRIMACK NH Posts: 423	Thanks for all your advice guys! I went with white Tropic Eden! __________________ Your "fair share" is not in my wallet; it's in my fish tank!! Current tank info: 90 Gallon saltwater 10 fish with a few inverts; NO CORALS! Tried to go reef; didn't work out so hot; FOWLR's for me!

09/09/2018, 05:16 PM	#2
Pslreefer In Memoriam Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Port St Lucie, FL Posts: 597	I like the black sand , however some of the grains in it will get magnetized to your glass algae scaper

09/09/2018, 06:24 PM	#3
FamilyTank Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Downriver,Mi Posts: 226	White

09/09/2018, 07:25 PM	#5
Chad_P Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 208	White. Had white in a prior tank, went through all the trouble to switch to black and ended up not liking it. Fluorescent colors popped but tank looked too dark and always looked dirtier than white. Never had an issue with it sticking to algae scraper, I used Tahitian moon sand which I liked the best out of all the blacks. Sold the 93 and started up a 180 gallon. Went with all white sand Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

10/11/2018, 09:24 AM	#9
Conigs Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: New Jersey Posts: 68	White

10/14/2018, 02:52 AM	#10
skulls1075 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2018 Posts: 14	good choice. that’s what i use.

10/14/2018, 03:57 PM	#11
hkgar Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Dewitt MI Posts: 5,051	It is your tank. Do what you like. Why care about we like? Why do people ask what they should like? Or, is your question really - what are the pros and cons of black versus white sand? __________________ Gary 180 gallon, 40 gallon sump, 3 250 W MH + 4 80W ATI T5's, MTC MVX 36 Skimmer, Apex controller Aquamaxx T-3 CaRx Current Tank Info: A 2 Barred Rabbitfish, Red Head Salon, Yellow/Purple, McMaster Fairy, Possum, 2 Leopard Wrasses, Kole, & Atlantic Blue Tangs, 2 Percula Clown, 3 PJ and 1 Banggai Cardinalfish , Swallowtail, Bellus and Coral Beauty Angels