Beach sand any good?

aquiman

aquiman

Member
Hi all. Almost ready to fire up my new 90G FOLR tank but havent gone out yet to buy sand for the bottom of the tank. I happen to be at the beach in Rhode Island and the sand is real nice. Any negative drawbacks to filling a few buckets with sand and using in the new tank rather than buying from the LFS? If it risky I'll forget it!
 
slice

slice

Active Member
I've read many more experienced folks than me say using beach sand or even NSW from near the beach can have a multitude of undesirable toxins and/or microbes. You have no idea what you are putting into your tank.
Maybe someone who can speak on this more specifically will happen by.
I wouldn't do it just to save a few bucks.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Hi,
I have always read about toxins too....If I lived near the beach, I wouldn't use the sand ON THE BEACH but I would go out a bit and collect the sand under the water where the tide washes in. I believe Florida Joe, who has a drop dead beautiful tank does his water changes with ocean water from the beach near him.
I would PM Florida Joe to be certain that I have that info correct first. So don't go jumping to get sand on my say so. I bet he would know if the beach sand is usable or not...also Bang Guy or Spanko would know for sure. Those are the professors on this site I trust...
After all, where do you think the live rock and reef sand that folks sell to us comes from?
 
slice

slice

Active Member
Flower is right, we should wait for more opinions, and there are those who collect their own NSW. There is a guy who frequents a couple other sites who has had a reef tank running continually for over 40 years and he collects many of his critters from a nearby sound...BUT everyone I've read of doing so does it well out away from the beach. LR doesn't come from the beach either.
All the foam that waves push on the beach? That is nature's own foam fractionator (aka protein skimmer), and where is nature's collection cup? The beach!
 
aquiman

aquiman

Member
Thanks guys. I'm monitoring the feedback. I will likely refrain but find the comments interesting... So thanks and keep em comin. Flower, I hope you're feeling better.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Slice http:///t/392455/beach-sand-any-good#post_3484808
Flower is right, we should wait for more opinions, and there are those who collect their own NSW. There is a guy who frequents a couple other sites who has had a reef tank running continually for over 40 years and he collects many of his critters from a nearby sound...BUT everyone I've read of doing so does it well out away from the beach. LR doesn't come from the beach either.
All the foam that waves push on the beach? That is nature's own foam fractionator (aka protein skimmer), and where is nature's collection cup? The beach!
LOL..I simply meant live rock comes from the ocean. That last line you posted however says it all.
Oh and Aquiman...Thank you. I'm feeling better, just easily tired out.
 
jaodissa

jaodissa

Member
Not to mention all the nasty sewage spills, oil spills and icky tar. (You can so tell I live on the beaches in California) Yuck.
 
travelerjp98

travelerjp98

Active Member
It's a common discussion:
From 2011: https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/386901/beach-sand
From 2008: https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/338287/beach-sand
From 2002: https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/3859/beach-sand
From 2003: https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/91208/beach-sand
This is an interesting one. From 2005. https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/180050/beach-sand
 
aquiman

aquiman

Member
Wow. Lots of previous discussions on it. Kinda new to the forum and will do searches in the future for previous threads... Thanks to all that responded. :hi:
 
kiefers

kiefers

Active Member
Anything you put into your system runs a risk of something happening. Whether it be toxins released into the system, a bacterial infection, a parasite, hence why most QT just about everything that was once wet.
I have ocean sand in one of my systems and not once have I experiences any problems. It is how you prep the sand prior to putting in your tank that makes the difference.
Don't get me wrong, most if not all those posts were all right, to some extent but education goes along way.
 
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