Dumb question but... old Saltwater sand in fw?

[Travis55]

Ive torn down one if my sw tanks and really wanna turn it into a fw tank. But i hate gravel and dont wanna buy more sand if i can rinse mine really really really good. Possible? Worse comes to worse ill use new crushed coral ive got layin around but im hopin i can use my sand. Thanks all

 

[Stellah]

I honestly have no idea, because I've never kept salt water before- BUT- what I would say is, rinse a small portion 'really really well' and fill a container with water and the sand, and then test the levels ( ph- hardness- salinity) on day one- and after a week of sitting. That way you know, without harming any fish, or bothering to set up a tank just to tear it down.

 

[Travis55]

I honestly have no idea, because I've never kept salt water before- BUT- what I would say is, rinse a small portion 'really really well' and fill a container with water and the sand, and then test the levels ( ph- hardness- salinity) on day one- and after a week of sitting. That way you know, without harming any fish, or bothering to set up a tank just to tear it down.

Ill try that. I feel if i get the salt out it should be ok. Id like a dwarf puffer tank


And their brackish so it should definitelybe ok

 

[Mebbid]

The sand itself is fine but keep in mind that it will raise the pH of the tank.

 

[Travis55]

The sand itself is fine but keep in mind that it will raise the pH of the tank.

But with enough rinsing it should release all the crud locked in shouldn't it?

 

[Mebbid]

It's not the crud in the sand that raises ph its the sand itself. It very slowly dissolves in water releasing compounds to raise the ph.

Assuming this is aragonite sand of course.

 

[Stellah]

Also- dwarf puffers are freshwater?

I don't have any, but I've been thinking about getting some- what I've read online says they are happiest in fresh? Is that not true?

 

[Travis55]

Also- dwarf puffers are freshwater?

I don't have any, but I've been thinking about getting some- what I've read online says they are happiest in fresh? Is that not true?

The green spotted puffer are a brackish fis that go full salt when adult.

 

[Travis55]

It's not the crud in the sand that raises ph its the sand itself. It very slowly dissolves in water releasing compounds to raise the ph.

Assuming this is aragonite sand of course.

It is aragonite sand. Maybe ill do a small cichlid tank. I can get juvies dirt cheap from a local guy

 

[Legit Fish]

just make sure the sand isnt built just for a saltwater tank because some are specifically made for saltwater only

 

[Wy Renegade]

just make sure the sand isnt built just for a saltwater tank because some are specifically made for saltwater only

Are you referring to bacterial-based live sands here? Sand is sand, it isn't specifically built for anything. Certain types of sand may be better in a particular set-up as was already pointed out, but nobody builds sand for saltwater only. bacterial-based live sand has marine rather than freshwater bacteria in it, but those bacteria will be eliminated during the washing/drying period.

 

[Travis55]

just make sure the sand isnt built just for a saltwater tank because some are specifically made for saltwater only

Aragonite is designed for marine and fw but better for cichlids. Thats what my new bag said

 

[Wy Renegade]

Aragonite is designed for marine and fw but better for cichlids. Thats what my new bag said

Mother nature designed it . . . its not man made for anything. We just dig it up and bag it. Aragonite sand is usuable in either marine or freshwater because of what it does in water. Its a calcium-carbonate based sand and it breaks down and dissolves slowly over time, releasing the calcium-carbonate into the water and raising pH and water hardness. It works very well for either marine or freshwater applications that like a pH around 8 and harder water, like cichlids.

 

[Travis55]

Mother nature designed it . . . its not man made for anything. We just dig it up and bag it. Aragonite sand is usuable in either marine or freshwater because of what it does in water. Its a calcium-carbonate based sand and it breaks down and dissolves slowly over time, releasing the calcium-carbonate into the water and raising pH and water hardness. It works very well for either marine or freshwater applications that like a pH around 8 and harder water, like cichlids.

Thats what my post said. Lol marine and fw cichlids. Haha

 

[Travis55]

So new idea! Would the rinsed sand be ok for a turtle tank?