live rock and live sand and playsand questions. - Aquarium Advice

neoginn · 09-25-2006, 11:47 PM

I have a few questions, i tried looking for the answer around but i found nothing.
#1 what is a cheap place to buy some base rock (or live rock/sand).
#2 what is the difference between playsand and live sand?
#3 will playsand become live sand?
#4 can a person buy some base rock and "seed it" with some high quality live rock?

**roka64** · 09-26-2006, 11:20 AM

1. I don't know, I buy mine from my LFS.
2. You can use aragonite playsand and it will become live sand. Live sand has water and some beneficial bacteria in it. IMO, I would go with the aragonite playsand, to save the money.
3. Yes
4. This is a great way to save some money. Use a little LR and a lot of base and it will become "live".

**melosu58** · 09-26-2006, 11:50 AM

yes buying base rock and LR and putting it in together will make it all LR. And will save you lots of $$$$$

neoginn · 09-26-2006, 05:10 PM

awesome thanks for input. i am going to go out and get some playsand, and then some base rock sometime this weekend.

**roka64** · 09-26-2006, 05:31 PM

You will be able to tell if the playsand is aragonite, by testing it with vinegar. It should fizzle and foam. Watch out for silicate based sand. It can be used but consists of "glass shard" edges and will possibly damage any kind of sand sifting critters....

neoginn · 09-28-2006, 09:01 PM

i got sme fizzle and foaming action going with the playsand, but holy cow was that stuff muddy. i am still cleaning it as you read this.

**roka64** · 09-29-2006, 11:08 AM

Cool, pics are in order, soon!

neoginn · 09-29-2006, 09:47 PM

check out the murky waters after i cleaned the sand. there is some cheepo (2 bucks a pound) base rock (i believe stores call is "lace rock") only 11 pounds though. After the water settles i am going to check the salinity. but for now enjoy the pics:

and this is my puffer acting sexy.

but thats a brakish tank.

neoginn · 09-30-2006, 10:55 AM

This morning its a lot clearer but still a little muddy... i wonder if i should just do a 75% water change. any sugestions?

slovinator · 09-30-2006, 05:33 PM

I have play sand in my aquarium and have had it in there for years without any problem. I cleaned it really good before I set up the tank though. My method... 5 gallon bucket and a garden hose.

I would put in a few scoops of sand and blast it pretty good with the hose and poor off the water. I'd do that a few times and it was good to go. The just repeated that with the rest of the sand until I had enough in my tank.

good luck

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09-25-2006, 11:47 PM	#1
neoginn Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Posts: 91	live rock and live sand and playsand questions. I have a few questions, i tried looking for the answer around but i found nothing. #1 what is a cheap place to buy some base rock (or live rock/sand). #2 what is the difference between playsand and live sand? #3 will playsand become live sand? #4 can a person buy some base rock and "seed it" with some high quality live rock?

09-26-2006, 05:10 PM	#4
neoginn Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Posts: 91	awesome thanks for input. i am going to go out and get some playsand, and then some base rock sometime this weekend.

09-28-2006, 09:01 PM	#6
neoginn Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Posts: 91	i got sme fizzle and foaming action going with the playsand, but holy cow was that stuff muddy. i am still cleaning it as you read this.

09-29-2006, 09:47 PM	#8
neoginn Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Posts: 91	check out the murky waters after i cleaned the sand. there is some cheepo (2 bucks a pound) base rock (i believe stores call is "lace rock") only 11 pounds though. After the water settles i am going to check the salinity. but for now enjoy the pics: and this is my puffer acting sexy. but thats a brakish tank.

09-30-2006, 10:55 AM	#9
neoginn Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Posts: 91	This morning its a lot clearer but still a little muddy... i wonder if i should just do a 75% water change. any sugestions?

09-30-2006, 05:33 PM	#10
slovinator Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 35	I have play sand in my aquarium and have had it in there for years without any problem. I cleaned it really good before I set up the tank though. My method... 5 gallon bucket and a garden hose. I would put in a few scoops of sand and blast it pretty good with the hose and poor off the water. I'd do that a few times and it was good to go. The just repeated that with the rest of the sand until I had enough in my tank. good luck