caribsea arag-alive sand for freshwater tank?

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BettaChi

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Jun 25, 2016
Messages
93
Location
Orlando, FL
So call me blonde...but I accidentally ordered a variety of caribsea aquarium substrate that was for salt water online when I needed freshwater. Apparently it has all of the "nutrients" for a reef tank.

It was an expensive mistake... :bawl: and I wish they were more clear on the packaging (or I read the label more closely) as both the fresh and saltwater substrates by caribsea look so similar!

I have had the bag open for months (and let it dry out). My question is: Can I possibly rinse it with freshwater and then use it for a planted aquarium substrate in a fresh water tank?

I would have it be a decorative cover over my aquascape "planting" dirt which is caribsea floramax.

:fish2:
 
I'd be a little wary. Even if rinsed of everything "live" in it, I think that sand will still have a lot of material in it meant for a marine-level of Ph, and thus might raise the PH in your tank more than is healthy. Could be wrong, though: I'm just speculating.
 
Yes thanks. But no thanks.

:band:

I rock out to bettas only. My uncle did have a tank with lion fish when I was younger! They were cool to watch eat guppies. But when they all died due to slight temperature change...And I found out how much the coral in that tank cost (let alone the fish) I am glad I am a betta man.


:fish2:
 
Would you be able to show us a link to the exact product you accidentally got? That might help determine the answer. I know the struggle when there are so many packages that all pretty much look alike. :p
 
Would you be able to show us a link to the exact product you accidentally got? That might help determine the answer. I know the struggle when there are so many packages that all pretty much look alike. :p

Sure.

I didn't buy this directly from the distributor and the photo I saw was much smaller (so words like "marine" and "reef" didn't stand out as much) and I confused this for another freshwater product which looks almost the same.

But here it is. I threw it out BTW and just bought some new stuff.

https://www.caribsea.com/caribsea_arag-alive.html


:fish2:
 
The carib sea aragonite sand is calcium carbonate so will have a huge impact on the ph of your water cranking it up to around 8.0. If you stock wisely, it should be fine.

As for the "alive" part ofnit, theres nothing to worry about. Its just nitrifying bacteria and is likely dead by now.

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