There are other reasons aragonite sands are better for a saltwater tank. Silica sands may not be bad, but there is still the truth that aragonite is better if you can get it. I dont know all of the nutrients that a reef needs to grow and be healthy, but I know that calcium is one of those and helps promote corraline algae growth. Not to mention the buffering capacity arogonitic sands provide. You may very well have decent luck using a quartz based sand, but the fact is, a good calcium carbonate based (aragonitic) sand is invaluable in a saltwater aquarium.
The article you provided is a great one. Very informative and you might elect to try using a quartz sand in your tank. It would be a great experiment to see how well it works for you. good luck!