ok substrate test inprogress.

[ldzielak]

I purchased 30lbs of Sugar Sand for my old 33g that I'm setting up for a FO and the rest for my refugium DSB on the big tank. I put in 20lbs in the 33g and then added the water trying to not stir it up too much. the sand realy compacted so I ended up adding the rest of the bag. After a day the tank has settled to what looks like a snow storm on the powerheads, ornamental coral and heater. When I turn the power heads on I kick up a big mess. Will this be like this for ever. I want to move some Live rock over and eventualy my Golden Head Gobie. He stirs up the coarse Aragonite in my big tank somuch, he will hove this tank looking like a cloud in 5 min. I did not rinse the sand, trying to keep all the small particle sizes in too, but it this a waste of time?

Option #1,
Drain the entire tank and wash the sand.

Option #2
Put coarse Aragonite on top and give up on the "look" I wanted.

Option #3
Remove sugar sand to Refugium and use coarse Aragonite in this tank.

What do you guys think?

[Aquattro]

Lee, as soon as the sand get a bacterial film on it, it will stay on the ground! Shouldn't take too long to settle in.

[ldzielak]

Thanks Brad,

Will just wait for now, but do you guys think the Golden head gobie will stir this stuff up too much. He loves to move everything arround in my big tank, just have no experience with sand this fine and busy fish like this.

[Aquattro]

Lee, I think it'll be fine. My yellow tang likes to zoom around about 1/4 from the sand and leave a rooster tail behind him. The sand settles right down again. Also, my tomato clown digs his tail in the sand and it clears up in less than a minute. I wouldn't worry about until it becomes a problem.

[canadawest]

Hey Steve,

Is the dolomite in your test the "Mighty White" stuff you got from Crappy Tire?

How is the test coming along? If the stuff is safe to use in our aquariums, I will go pick up a bag tomorrow to add to my new refugium, and the leftovers can go into my main tank.

Would anyone who is using dolomite recommend adding it to an existing sandbed? If so how long will it take to settle? I just don't want a milky tank for 3 days and all my corals covered in the stuff. Plus it's bound to stress the fish out too.

[StirCrazy]

ya it is the mighty white stuff.. I will do another test after wwf is over and see how it is.. it looks perfectly clear right now.. but I will do a ph test..

Steve

[StirCrazy]

Ok I tested it befor wwf got good.. the sugarsand is still like a 1/2 milk 1/2 water mix but the dolomite is crystal clear.
PH for the sugersand 8.0
PH for dolomite 8.1
I am using a Hagen kit (all I had available) and I think they tend to read .1 or .2 high from my expereance.

the water I started with was very soft and acidic so I expected a large increas in both samples but I think they are settling out.. also I have about a 40/60 split between sand/water. don't know if that matters though...

Steve

[canadawest]

Sounds like the dolomite is about equivalent to the sugar sand but has some better qualities, and seems perfectly safe with livestock as Victor has had it in his tank for a while now.

With that in mind I'm off to Crappy Tire tomorrow to spend some of that Crappy Tire money I've been accumulating! [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

[reefburnaby]

Hi,

The other alternative is sandblasting sand (silica sand) and that's what Tigger put in his tank (or is putting in his tank). It sinks faster and settles faster.

- Victor.

[One_Divided]

I've got a bunch of silica but havn't tested it yet.. Very nice and white. steve, you are welcome to experiment with some if you want..

the feedback I've gotten on it is that it may lead to silicates breaking down in the water and therefor more algea growth, but I'm not too sure about that.. some say it's fine but doesn't offer the buffering or anything.. just denitrification..