How can you tell?

[thedistance]

How do you tell the difference between silica sand and aragonite sand. I know you can pt them in vinegar but what is supposed to happen?

 

[Jermz79]

If it is aragonite sand when you put it in vinegar it will fizz ... like an alkaseltzer! If it is silica it will do nothing!

 

[JG]

This fizzing is important because the same thing will happen in the aquarium when your pH becomes low - only more slowly- so slow that you do not really notice it. This helps keep the pH of the water from becoming too acidic.

 

[thedistance]

thanks

 

[thedistance]

I have bought several different types of sand to try the vinegar method on, and when I put some Best white play sand in a glass of vinegar it fizzed. Now this is not the Best sand that you get at Home Depot. I got this at Toys R Us, and it’s also in a different package than the one at Home Depot. Now does that sound right (that Best sand fizzed in vinegar, white vinegar at that)? Or could their have been another reason for the sand to fizz?

 

[thedistance]

I have bought several different types of sand to try the vinegar method on, and when I put some Best white play sand in a glass of vinegar it fizzed. Now this is not the Best sand that you get at Home Depot. I got this at Toys R Us, and it’s also in a different package than the one at Home Depot. Now does that sound right (that Best sand fizzed in vinegar, white vinegar at that)? Or could their have been another reason for the sand to fizz?