Substrate Help

[Liam]

I have just purchased a new aquarium (50gallons) with all accessories and will be loading with substrate this weekend. My local store manager swears by using actual sea sand from our local beach. He started all his aquariums with this sand and his systems seem very healthy. I would appreciate anyones comments. :?:

 

[Anonymous]

Fisrt off

:welcome:

Personally I would not use stuff from the local beach. You run the risk of introducing parisites and other nasties.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Liam

Be very very careful about the sand you chuck in there. I have used live sand that I gathered locally but I dived it out on a reef a couppla miles offshore in about 55ft of water. That sand is coarse and full of critters- crushed shells, LR fragments etc and does not have any of the pollutants leached into it that you will find at the water's edge- oil, industrial waste etc come to mind. Remember that foam from breaking waves is nature's protein skimmer and will concentrate all that nastiness on the shore. Also, if its anything like the sand on our beaches, its likely to be too fine for use.

Hope that helps

 

[Liam]

Thanks Andy 37. Another question, if I wash the sand thoroughly would that be okay. Also if I use crushed coral and washed shells, would that be acceptable?

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Liam

First off, listen to Mark, he knows a helluva lot more than me... :wink: I used local live sand because i was specifically looking for live sand. That stuff is in my sump. In my display I have some form of synthetic white coarse sand made by Aquamedic, and not very much of it.... Its much whiter than beach sand and has a far more aesthetic appeal IMO. That way you minimise nasties, both organic and chemical... Washing will have little effect with some substances, we have small sand grain sized lumps of hard crude oil in our beach sand from oil spills in the 80's still, and I'm sure you could pick up metallic particles as well that wont wash out....as well as biological nasties...

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Andy 37. Another question, if I wash the sand thoroughly would that be okay. Also if I use crushed coral and washed shells, would that be acceptable?

Washing it out may or may not be enough to get every thing out. If you are looking for a low cost substraight you have many options. Do not waste your money on any live sand in a bag, it's just wet sand. A couple of play sands will do the trick. The one that is used quite regulary is southdown. It think they changed the name to new castle or something like that.

As far as the life in the sand good quality live rock should see the sand enough.

You could save the money on substraight and go barebottom.

 

[SnowManSnow]

I like sand on the bottom.. just seems right haha

Personally, I would purchase argonite substrate. Tried and true.. not anything in there that you're gonna regret 2 yrs down the road.

Again, personally, I wouldn't use sand from the beach.

B

 

[Fulinn]

Just popping in with my two cents.

I am using Kolorscape playsand from my local Home Depot.

My 75 gallon tank has about 200 pounds of this sand. I am very very pleased with it.

I have added 70 pounds of Live Rock and have a very healthy bacteria coloney going. Very small algae bloom so far, tanks been running about 8 weeks or so.

From my experience so far I would recommend this method of setting up my tank. Next up is a boost of pods for the rock rubble that is hiding in the back corner of the tank.

Bonnie