Beach sand?

[sschreiber]

So I am going to Myrtle Beach in a few days and am wondering if beach sand can be used in my new tank?

 

[aquaknight]

Can be used? Yes. Recommended or encouraged? No. It's silica-based sand which in itself is a debate on whether or not you should use it. If you believe it fine's, the problem is where you would collect it. Most public parks, state, county, etc generally have rules against collecting. If you only take a sea shell or two, no one cares. If you're dragging out 5-gal buckets of sand, that might rise a wildlife officer's/park ranger's/etc eyebrow... And because it's a public place, the possibilities of some type of pollutant in the sand is a factor.
The sand itself is rather yellow, although appearing white at the beach. Once in your tank, it gives off more of an appearance of a FW tank rather then SW.

 

[travelerjp98]

I think it's fine- I've put live rock in my tank from the Caribbean that I found myself and put it in my tank.
I've also collected sea shells from cape may-nj, outerbanks- nc, emerald isle-nc, isle of palms-sc, and tybee island- ga, and put them in my tank one time or another and it's been fine.

 

[meowzer]

Quote:
Originally Posted by sschreiber http:///forum/thread/386901/beach-sand#post_3400603
So I am going to Myrtle Beach in a few days and am wondering if beach sand can be used in my new tank?
I would not use it....not worth the risk since You have no clue what kind of trash is in it
you can buy dead bagged aragonite sand, and if you know someone with SW tanks get a cup of sand from their tank to seed yours, or just buy a small bag of live sand

 

[beth]

No, no, no. Beaches have all kinds of contaminates which become a cesspool in a contained environment such as a fish tank. Live sand is your best bet.