What type a sand should i get?

[Dbrown4u]

I want to get sand for my new tank and I'm just wondering what type I should get, I heard really fine sand isn't good because it stirs up a lot, but I love the way it looks, and it's gonna be a reef tank If that makes any difference

 

[Salmon McCloud]

If its a reef tank you should go with something with aragonite in it, It keeps pH up, if needed, as well as your water hardiness, because hard water is good for reefs aparently. You can get straight up aragonite to put in it, it looks really good and is very fine as you wanted.

 

[Dbrown4u]

Will it make the water cloudy a lot though?

 

[Salmon McCloud]

If you don't rinse it very well at first, I have it in my brackish tank and it was cloudy for at least a week before it cleared up since I didn't rinse it well enough.

 

[Kio707]

Rinse it A LOT before u put it in ur tank.

 

[huma-huma]

It really depends on how well rimsed and used the sand is. if its brand new, you have to ( HAVE TO) rinse the beejesus out of it, if you are gonna be going with bottom dwellers and sand crawlers, go with a finer grain, it doesnt scratch and tear up the fish as much

 

[Dbrown4u]

Oh okay cool so looks like what I want is better anyway lol any specific brands that would be good that you guys know of?

 

[Unicorn]

I bought most of my sugar sized aragonite sand from Petsmart. If you have their card you get 30lb for ~$16

 

[huma-huma]

Argonite is nice because it can help with buffer levels and the such, but if pfs or play sand is ok looks wise...you can get 50lb bags for 4-6 bucka lol

 

[ccCapt]

Aragonite sand is the way to go. I used CaribSea oolitic. It's very fine....almost sugar like.

Contrary to what some have posted, aragonite sand WILL NOT buffer your water. For it to buffer it must start to dissolve and for it to dissolve your pH must be ~7.3 or lower. It does, however, work fine as a buffer in freshwater since the pH in a freshwater sytsem is typically much lower than a saltwater system.

 

[Dbrown4u]

What does buffer mean? Sorry I'm new but Im thinking I'm gonna get the caribsea aragonite cause I heard it helps the cycle

 

[huma-huma]

Think of a tanks buffer capacity like your cars bumpers and your fish are inside, as long as your tank has decent buffering, itll protect your fish and help to.stabilize your chem levels and ph. Ever hear of a ph crash?

 

[Dbrown4u]

Nope lol so it's just not gonna help stabilize my tank? I think I'm okay with that cause Im gonna have a lot of lr and these 2 gallons of stuff to help the water, I think ones calcium and the other alk?

 

[huma-huma]

Its all obsessively technical. Ph crash is when your waters ph takes a nosedive and can kill off livestock. I wouldnt dose with anything until after the takes up and cycled

 

[Dbrown4u]

Oh okay about the crash, but yea, I wasn't planning on that stuff till after the cycle

 

[carey]

You won't have to for sure buffer your tank, it will depend on alot of things. The amount and type of corals will dictate if you need a two part. I still don't use one in my 125g which is full of coral. I'm getting there though but I have about 30 corals. lol

 

[Dbrown4u]

That's awesome, I'm planning on it being loaded with corals, I have some birdsnest and acanthastrea being held for me till I get it running an I plan on having a bunch of zoas and mushrooms...well that's the plan anyway lol