live sand

[sansouci01]

what's the difference between caribbean sand and aragonite sand

 

[ivan_dalmatia]

what's the difference between caribbean sand and aragonite sand

Aragonite is really crushed coral which is less porous than live sand. So it takes up more room making it is less beneficial for your tank and its mates

 

[sansouci01]

so caribbian would be better

 

[ivan_dalmatia]

Depends if you wish on having pistol shrimp and stuff like that, more beneficial for the tank.
Crushed coral is good cause it wont intend to fly around your tank as much.
Go with a mix but start off with real "wet" live sand

 

[AquaRick]

aragonite sand is calcium carbonate based sand that will buffer the pH of your tank. It can come in a variety of grain sizes from CC to oolite/fine sand. It is not less or more porus than live sand. Live sand simply means the sand in question has been cured and is full of BB and other living organisms. I would think most if not all carribean sand is aragonite sand.

 

[ivan_dalmatia]

aragonite sand is calcium carbonate based sand that will buffer the pH of your tank. It can come in a variety of grain sizes from CC to oolite/fine sand. It is not less or more porus than live sand. Live sand simply means the sand in question has been cured and is full of BB and other living organisms. I would think most if not all carribean sand is aragonite sand.

How will it buffer your pH??? Please tell me

 

[AquaRick]

aragonite sand will dissolve in low ph and release CaCO3 into your tank. However, if the pH in your tank is so low to dissolve the sand, you've got some major problems going on.

 

[ivan_dalmatia]

aragonite sand will dissolve in low ph and release CaCO3 into your tank. However, if the pH in your tank is so low to dissolve the sand, you've got some major problems going on.

I guess thats true? It does intend to dissolve quickly.

 

[AquaRick]

I guess thats true? It does intend to dissolve quickly.

Aragonite sand does not tend to dissolve quickly unless you're experiencing some kind of major crash.....

 

[ivan_dalmatia]

Aragonite sand does not tend to dissolve quickly unless you're experiencing some kind of major crash.....

Why not? You dont have any circulation in you tank? But im wrong about the last part. How will cal. Boost your pH

 

[AquaRick]

Why not? You dont have any circulation in you tank? But im wrong about the last part. How will cal. Boost your pH

I'm sorry, I don't understand your comment. As for the buffer abilities of aragonite, you can google that yourself

 

[MaiTank]

There is a constant balance between pH, Alkalinity , and what water and mix you use. Almost all chemicals are a bit basic or acidic and therefore have an influence on pH. Pure water is neutral and has a pH of 7. Once a salt mix is added to pure water it usually goes to a pH of 8. Everything else you can get a reading online. Argonite does as advertised. That is why it is often found in reefs.

 

[Gregcoyote]

aragonite sand is calcium carbonate based sand that will buffer the pH of your tank. It can come in a variety of grain sizes from CC to oolite/fine sand. It is not less or more porus than live sand. Live sand simply means the sand in question has been cured and is full of BB and other living organisms. I would think most if not all carribean sand is aragonite sand.

+1 agreed. Sand is just silica. That works for a bacteria bed but it packs much denser than aragonite does. Silica also is used for diatom production (not desirable). If you dive the real reef, you find a lot of aragonite as that is made by wave action and the gnawing of parrot fish on the reef itself. I prefer aragonite for all the reasons mentioned and my reef has been operating over 20 years.