tgrove
Aquarium Advice Newbie
I feel stupid asking this but what is the vinegar test for store bought sand?
SAND BED
- Thread starter tgrove
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Jermz79
Aquarium Advice Addict
Drop some sand in a cup with vinnegar, if the sand fizzes like alkaseltzer then it is aragonite based. If it doesn't fizz it is silica based. Something in the aragonite sand has a chemical reaction with the vinnegar and that's what makes it fizz!
Aragonite sand is better as it helps buffer the Ph levels in your tank, and if you research silica sand a lot of people have had problems using it in aquariums!
Aragonite sand is better as it helps buffer the Ph levels in your tank, and if you research silica sand a lot of people have had problems using it in aquariums!
tgrove
Aquarium Advice Newbie
awesome i do appeciate the help
Jermz79
Aquarium Advice Addict
No problem!
krap101
Aquarium Advice Addict
i think its like calcium?
Drzy
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Is there any way to know what the right sand is to buy? I see "play sand" at Lowe's and Home Depot... how can I know if it'll pass the vinegar test? I can't just open the bag at the store. Well, maybe if no one's looking, but it'd be better if I just knew what kind was okay. 
HoopsGuru
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Most often it is sold as Caribbean or tropical play sand and is white in color while silica sand has more of a tan color. Yardright, Old Castle, and Southdown are some of the names the aragonite is sold under.
Aragonite is a better buffer, but plenty of people use silica sand without any problems. There is an urban legend that follows the stuff that the silica will cause algae growth but this is more likely linked to poor husbandry. The PH would have to be that low to dissolve the silica that your livestock would be dead well before you had algae fuel.
Aragonite is a better buffer, but plenty of people use silica sand without any problems. There is an urban legend that follows the stuff that the silica will cause algae growth but this is more likely linked to poor husbandry. The PH would have to be that low to dissolve the silica that your livestock would be dead well before you had algae fuel.
Drzy
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
I did see some Old Castle at ye ol' Home Depot today, I'll have to check that out again. Thanks HoopsGuru!
Go Spurs!
Go Spurs!
HoopsGuru
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Fine, go Spurs.......but please, have Tim Duncan trim the 'fro 
Drzy
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
I went back to a couple Home Depots and a Lowes today, but none of them had that type of sand. Does anyone know of any other places that sell it?
austinsdad
Aquarium Advice Addict
Maybe he thinks he'll do better against Big Ben that way.
Drzy
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Actually, here’s a better way to phrase my question that’ll probably get more responses...
Where did you buy your sand?
Where did you buy your sand?
HoopsGuru
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Old Castle, Yardright, and Southdown seems to be an East Coast thing, I'm not sure it is available in your area.
You could also contact the manufacturer and get a better list of possible locations: http://www.yardright.com/
You could also contact the manufacturer and get a better list of possible locations: http://www.yardright.com/
