Southdown Question

[tedh]

I have read this forum for quite some time and have learned a great deal. Now I have the opportunity to ask a question because I can't find it anywhere on the board.

I have found a Home Depot with Southdown "Tropical" playsand. The bag says that it is caribbean sand and silica free. It also states that it is sterilized which I figure is probably a good thing. My question and search for advice is that it says on the bag that it is NOT recommended for aquarium use.

Because this is the first time using Southdown as a first layer I wanted to run it by you pros for advice.

TIA,

Ted

 

[imow]

I have heard this was put on the bags AFTER they became popular for aquarium use. I think it is a way to discourage this cheap alternative. Ingore it.

 

[goavs21]

tedh-

Where did you find the sand?? What state / city??

(Been searching for a while, looking for a cheap alt to fill the 125!!)

 

[tedh]

goavs21

I found it over at the HD in Columbia, MD. They have a couple of pallets in the garden section. I didn't catch the price but will go back tomorrow and hopefully get a few bags.

- Ted

 

[ChrisRD]

Ted:

A while back someone pulled together the whole story on Southdown sand and posted a bunch of info on this board. The short version:

Marcona Ocean Industries supplies this sand to both CaribSea and Southdown. The label on the Southdown playsand apparently has something to do with a non-compete agreement.

As imow said - ignore the warning - this is the stuff you want.

 

[tedh]

Thanks to all that have replied so quickly! I just wanted to send a quick note with a couple of comments:

1. Yes, I took some extra time late last night and found the threads Wolfman referenced. Although I am a patient person, the lesson can be learned many times to look just a little harder.

2. I wanted to clear up the question just a little! I have a 40g that I setup about 4 years ago and I used a bag of what I found to be called "Caribbean" play sand at the time as a first layer. I then added about 70# of live sand to make about a 4 inch DSB. I have a pearly jawfish that loves it! Wolfman hit the target, I did not remember the warning label on the bag a few years back and wanted to make sure this was the same stuff I had used before. I had also read a few posts about metal (copper) being added to the bags or something and was curious as to what folks would say. I can be gullable sometimes to rumor and always like a second opinion.

I am still interested in what other folks have to say. Knowledge is power! I'm not looking to cut corners per se but want to save and redirect funds if there are "proven" (I'm not saying that thinking it's foolproof) methods that have been used to successfully setup other reef tanks!

- Ted

 

[Anonymous]

I would go ahead and use the SD. I added 75 lbs to my 75G a few months ago with no ill effects ad I quite like the look of the deeper DSB.

using Southdown as a first layer I wanted to run it by you pros for advice.

What do you mean for the first layer? Are you using some other substrate for additional layers?

Louey

 

[danmhippo]

The Southdown I used (600LBs) are all labeled not for aquarium use. I can understand why they want to slap that label on it, just feel it's a cheap trick.

I did vinegar test before I throw the whole bags into the water. Out of the 1 teaspoon of SD, everything dissolved quite nicely. So far, I am not having any problem keeping inverts in the pond.

 

[tedh]

Louey,

I'm actually taking the plunge and growing a little! I have had a 40g saltwater for about 5 years and loved every moment (well almost every moment ). The inverts and corals I've got are running out of room to grow and I think I've finally got enough knowledge to move to the next level! We shall see!!

I am planning on putting down a layer of SD, then a layer of "new" live sand (to be purchased) and then take the sand from my 40 and top it off (I may put the sand from the 40 in the middle). I want to end up with 4-5 inch DSB for denitrification and because I like the life found in the DSB as well as a home for my pearly jawfish! In all I'm looking at about 300-400 pounds total for the 120 I'm setting up. Hopefully that will be sufficient.

- Ted

 

[Anonymous]

then a layer of "new" live sand (to be purchased)

Are you talking about real live sand or the bagged stuff. IMO the bagged stuff is not worth the extra money. Your existing SB should be sufficient to seed your new sand.

BTW, congrats on the new tank!

 

[tedh]

Louey,

I was looking at purchasing some GARF grunge or other live sand (real stuff!). The reason is simply to inject some different/new live sand in building out the new tank. I have read a lot of people including Dr. Shimek recommending the use of live sand gathered from different places to build a DSB. Support for this is the variety of life in the different regions of the world. I started the 40g using "The Package" from Tampa Bay Saltwater. So I've got gulf live sand with neat and interesting worms and such. I'm researching fiji live sand and as mentioned the GARF stuff and of course continue to look for other advice and hints.

So it's not as much the feeling that I need more "live" sand to build the DSB but rather the chance to find some new critters and variations in live sand to add to the tank. I do think I have come to the point where I will keep a fine grain sand bed instead of adding crushed coral/shells or something. Seems everyone is in agreement that the finer sand makes for better DSB.

Thanks,

Ted

 

[ChrisRD]

Hey Ted:

You can also check out Indo-Pacific Sea Farms and Inland Aquatics for critters to seed your system/sandbed also. They've got some nice kits/packages specifically for that purpose.