sand

[ebster]

I have found some sand online for my tank and don't know if is that
great. I also I put some rock in a found how dump it was so how do I get
it out of the tank.

Aragalive Reef Sand 20 lbs
Arag-Alive Reef Sand is Real Live Reef Sand!
Add essential ocean nutrients and speed up the cycle time of your marine, reef, or African cichlid aquarium. This actual live sand contains heterotrophic, autotrophic, and chemolithotrophic bacteria as well as nutrients such as calcium, strontium, magnesium, and carbonate (for buffering). Low in phosphates and containing NO silica, this live sand will make an immeasurable difference in your aquarium!

So what do you think I think it is good I have a 29 gallon and a 10 that both need some sand so it works great for me so how is it. The site is http://www.aquariumguys.com/ type in Live sand and thats what you get.

 

[cmor1701d]

It's a waste of money. Go to Home Depot or Lowes or ToysRus and get some (tropical if they have it) playsand that is meant for a kid's sandbox. That is dry sand that will become live over time and cost about $5.00 ofr a 50 pound bag. Add some LR to it and you'll have LS and LR.

 

[Reese]

Good luck finding that stuff at Home Depot or anywhere else. I called/went all over and nobody carries it. If you can find it good for you. If not, at least you only have to cover the floor of a 29 gallon...

 

[cmor1701d]

The garden section of HD or Lowes carries playsand. It might not be tropical playsand but if it's meant for a sandbox it's safe for an aquarium.

 

[Macrosill]

Any sand will work. You need to decide what is important to you. The regular play sand is silica based. It is essentially ground up rock. It has sharp edges and corners. If you put any sand sifter in the tank I have read this type of sand can scratch and injure these animals. It also does not have the ph buffering ability of the aragonite sand. The latter is made from calcium, I believe. It has benefits over the silica sand.

Last year I called Southdown, the supplier of the "Tropical Play Sand" and they told me they lost their supplier of the aragonite sand. All their sand was now silica sand, regardless of the name or sku number on the bag. Due to this I don't believe you can get aragonite play sand anymore from Home Depot or any other building supply retailer. I had to get the sand from a lfs at a price of a little less than 2 dollars/lb. If you take this cost it does not add much considering we are spending hundreds on our set-up.

Why skimp on the sand when you are willing to spend a few hundred on lights? Every part of our small eco system is just as important as any other.

Good Luck,
Brian

 

[cmor1701d]

Oldcastle Stone Products, the distributor of SouthDown, Yardright and Old Castle tropical play sand still lists the Tropical Play Sand on the YardRight web site. They have a 'contact us' link where you can ask them who carries the product in your area. DO NOT SAY THIS IS FOR An AQUARIUM, but rather for a sand box.

 

[jaiden]

Put vinegar on sand. if it fizzes it's aragonite. if not, don't use it.

After driving around to 10 places in november 03, and not finding what I wanted, I broke down and spent the 40 bucks or whatever to have some caribsea shipped to me. I probably paid more than that in gas trying to find the stuff in the first place.

 

[Joester2k3]

I used Pavestone Brand decoration/playsand from the HD. I called the manufacturer and it has no silica in it. However it is not agronite. Tank hasnt been up long enough to see any problems yet but time will tell