Beach sand Vs. Live sand

[wrenchsnipe]

Has anyone ever used beach sand for their tank rather than buying live sand? And is there any formula for how much sand you will need for a tank, the one on swf.com doesnt work. I have a 90 gal tank 48 x 18 and want about 2" of sand.
Thanks

 

[travis89]

The one on this site works on my browser and says yoou want about 70 lbs. As for the sand, I would say to buy the sand because you never know what is in the sand on the beach and there could be something you don't want in your tank.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by Travis89
The one on this site works on my browser and says yoou want about 70 lbs. As for the sand, I would say to buy the sand because you never know what is in the sand on the beach and there could be something you don't want in your tank.
I agree. I would not use beach sand, you just never know what could be in it.

 

[lovethesea]

another big N O to beach sand. Unless you go way out to get your sand I say no. The waters edge is just a big mother nature size skimmer IMO.

 

[granny]

Yes, I have used beach sand in my tanks, but that was along time ago when all we had was beach sand and ocean water. You had to live near the ocean to have a SW fish tank. It is not reccomended anymore due to the severe pollution of our oceans. Buy the bagged sand and be safe. There is a formula, but I dont have it-someone posted it here a while back-try a thread search-but you can pretty much judge it by eye. the bags are the same length as the width of your tank and each back is about 3-4 inches deep, so two bags give your about 2 inches of sand at about 32 inches of tank width so you would need 3 big bags. I used 7 in my tank, but wanted a 4 inches bed for biological filtration. A two inch bed isnt going to give you a nitrifying bed if that is what you want, but it will look nice and cushion yourrock. Also some of the gobies need deeper sand than that so consider what fish you are adding first. YOu may want to go with a deeper sand bed.

 

[wrenchsnipe]

thanks guys. What sand are you talking about Granny that you can buy. I think your right, I need to have about a 4" layer of sand for it to be any good.

 

[wrenchsnipe]

I also read on a websight "To save money, many people go to Home Depot and buy Southdown Sand."
Has anyone ever heard of this stuff or tried to use it?

 

[granny]

Lord have mercy!
I cant remember the name of it. I purchased mine from my LFS. Its a very fine sand and comes in 30 pound bags. YOu really have to rinse it well initially.
They gave me a bag of live sand from an established reef tank to seed my sand with at the time. It might have been Aragamax, but not positive.
Do you have a good LFS?

 

[chipmaker]

I use nothing but sand I collect from the gulf of mexico. Been doing it for years and never had a problem Samew for the water its all I use and have used for years and never had a problem. I know lots of folks that do the same thing with localy collected sand and water....I think its all over blown hype with all the associated probems folks say will happen.

 

[rstiles]

STAY A WAY FROM THAT STUFF!!! I made THE big mistake of buying that sand,when I was rinsing it was not what you would call clear,what the he_ _ every body on this board was in favor of it ,I still have it in the tank every time my clown fans its tail a cloud of dust, I'm at the point of replaceing with crushed coral (have in other tanks some for over 4 years no problem) or mixed-grade aragonite substrate,you can buy live sand on line.

 

[soldier0117]

I would say don't use beach sand, but if you live in a place like bermuda then maybe because water is very pure there. Maybe you could use ocean from deep out in the ocean, but I doubt you would want to go diving for sand.

 

[wrenchsnipe]

Yeah my LFS is ok, I'll have to maybe go in there and check out a few things, Thanks everyone.

 

[thegrog]

NO to beach sand.
If you go diving for it, and can go several miles out, then go for it! Would be a tiring dive coming up with a hundred pounds of sand though!!

 

[rsank2]

Can you use regular fresh water gravel in a tank?

 

[thegrog]

Originally Posted by rsank2
Can you use regular fresh water gravel in a tank?
You can. You can also run down the street

[hr]
and screaming at the top of your lungs. I don't recommend either.
Salt water needs the sand bottom for biofiltration. FW gravel just does not provide that.

 

[lovethesea]

Well, I am glad we put a stop to any streaking.

I know nothing about FW, but what is their gravel made of (besides the obvious.....) i.e paint, processes ??
Why would it be any worse that CC ??

 

[chipmaker]

Because gravel is normally not going to provide any buffering of any type since its not calcium based. Then again if its not a deep sand bed no real buffering is going to be accomplished anyhow. Now contrary to what was posted I know of folks that do use crushed limestone or paver gravel which is made from crushed limestone. Its a grey color.....looks terrible IMHO but its no different than any calcium based sand would be. I have seen terrible jello like blobs of something or other erupt from sand that is highly recomended.(Old CAstle or Southdown ring a bell)I use nothing but sand from the Gulf of Mexico and have never ever had a problem.......And for the record. I wuld not want to put my money on a bet that water and sand from ther Bahamas is purer in any way than water is thats off the Atlantic coast or GofM.