Beach sand

[slitherbomb]

Has anyone ever used sand from the beach? I would imagine that it would be live and would help cycle quicker. Anyone try this?

 

[CaptainMako]

I would be careful. While you can think of the ocean as one big fishtank, you also have to think of it realistically. How many parasites do you think live in that sand?

 

[HN1]

I wouldn't introduce beach sand, ever. Too many pollutants...

 

[slitherbomb]

What if I wash it completely? It would go into a new tank and I like the look of this sand better than what you can buy at the store.

 

[gwolfe]

Usually sand from the beach contains unwanted microscopic plankton, algae, and diseases harmful to fish. Even if you wash, it could contain metals that even freshwater can't get off. I would be on the safe side and leave the sand at the beach.
Buy sand from a local fish or pet store. The sand they have is usually imported from Fiji. Fiji doesn't have unwanted diseases and plankton, it has beneficial bacterial that is only found in their sand.
Hope this helps!
-Garrett

 

[uscamaro]

I wouldn't try this with a large tank, but if it's a 10g, try it out. So many people say it's not a good idea, but I haven't read or heard of anyone actually using beach sand (or even a reference of someone else trying it). The only thing, if you do try this and you're having problems with the tank, everyone will revert to your sand as the source of the problem, even if that isn't the case.

 

[uscamaro]

Nevermind, found an old thread about this same topic and it looks like BillD has tried and succeeded in using beach sand:

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f12/use-real-beach-sand-65384.html

 

[slitherbomb]

I secretly poured about an inch worth of Miami beach fine grain sand into my tank LOL. I went to the beach and went out to where the sand in the water was soft and fine and collected some. I think the sand looks really nice now lol. I wouldn't recommend anyone else do it because, well, actually, do it if you want. But then again, I'm also the kid who has used NSW from his backyard and cycled in 2 days and have bought fish from the store with no deaths yet....