Originally posted by midwest reefer
sort of a tank related ? but I figured I could catch ya here. Do you really use that 3$ sand? Does it look all brown in the tank? Can I see a pic if you have one? I thought it had impurities. The tank will be FOWL, and Ill probably use 100#. Menards here has it, Im just nervous to use it.
Yes I do. And it looks the same as the bagged sand at my LFS.
Some other aspects of "my" setup may be in order.
1) I pump my sump/refug water through crushed oyster shells. $3.99/40# at local feed and seed stores--is sold as chicken feed. My calcium has risen from ~250-300ppm to ~400ppm. One of the reasons for using calcium based substraits like CC or aragonite sand is to buffer calcium and ph.
2) I use plant life to complete the nitrogen cycle and consume carbon dioxide. Some here worry about diatoms from silica based substraits. Diatoms are algaes and need the same nutrients as any plant life. So with or without silica based sand you will get some algae unless sufficient other plant life is present.
3) I use straight tap water and only replace water that evaporates.
4) I have 1/2" or so CC, rocks, and shells on top of the sand.
5) I do not dose anything.
Bottom line is that IMO because of that, the actual substrait does nothing but provide places for decoration and footholds for varius plant life. I simply do not care if a single nitrate is consumed by anerobic or anoxic bacteria in the sand. But if you do not have some circulation over some source of calcium, your experience may vary.
HTH
