sand question
 

Maybe its already been discussed,but i was wondering if you could use playsand(washed in bags from home depot)or is it different from ocean sand,just wondering :confused:
Jim

I think most ppl would recommend you use a more proper sand. simply because the playsand is not going to provide any buffering affects.

I could be wrong tho :eek:

Chad

I agree with Chad.

Six or so months ago when I was debating rock choices, Stircrazy told me, if you're going to get into this hobby, get into it right, ie. don't skimp. I think that is pretty good advice. I don't know how much experience you have, but I myself would rather be safe than sorry. Canadian Man might have some SWC Sugar Sand still, maybe you could contact him. I believe it was $25 for a 40lb bag. I use it and it's nice stuff, very white. It's the same stuff that the stores in the Edmonton area sell, and it might be cheaper.

Now don't quote me on this, but I think one of the reasons a calcium or aragonite sugar grain sand is a better choice than a silica or granite based sand is the physical shape of the granules themself. The calcium/aragonite is a softer material, and tends to be softer edged and perhaps rounder. The other stuff may have jagged edges and this can be harder on the microfauna (as well as the glass ... it can scratch the glass quite badly).

I could be wrong but I thought I read something along those lines once.

I always thought silica = trouble or algae problems. Maybe the story has been revised since I last researched.

kari

According to Dr Ron ... there is no difference in sand choice other than the appropriate mix of grain size ( DSB that is ) so use whatever you can get your hands on ... you could go with no sand at all as a bunch of reefers on RC are doing because they claim that the DSB that they were running was causing algae blooms and even Dr Ron says they only last about 4 years and then should be replaced ? ... there is always a ebb and flow in this hobby cause what is the latest/greatest this week is trash next week but in a year is the best again :confused: :rolleyes: :smile:

Cheers

I figured as much, :neutral: i'd rather play it safe and use good stuff.would love to get some really white sugar sand if anyone has any for sale(hint,hint Canadian Man :mrgreen: )

Qiunn : I have about 2.5 yrs exsperience(learned a lot of expensive mistakes)I try to research before i do things,but still consider myself a beginner
:smilecol:

thans not nessasary true, there is a huge difference between silican and cairbsea. mainly the surface features of the sand. sugar sand is smooth whare silica sand has many sharp edges which Dr. Ron says can be hard on "critters" that move through the sand or others that "sift" the sand.

Steve

Got another sand question. Is it ok to add anything with a bigger grain size such as the pic below (except they're a lot whiter)? No such thing as bad sand due to the size is there? I've got like 10-20lbs of these (new) from my previous fish only setup and was wondering if I can dump these in to form the base of my sand bed. I'll have sugar sand on top though.

http://www.jlaquatics.com/images/caribsea/reef.jpg

I think you would be OK to mix the larger grains in. that stuff looks great. The best sandbeds I've had have been mixed grain sizes, sometimes all the way up to gravel.

Eventually it will mix to a point on its own as it is disturbed by the in-bed fauna. The tiny sand will settle down through the larger grains, and some of the larger pieces will be displaced upwards.