Can I use dry sand?

[dmschiff]

I want to replace my cc with sand. My tank is about 5 months old with live rock.
Can I replace the cc with dry sand? IF so what kind and where can I get it?
Can I actually buy something like the play sand I use in my kids sand box?
I'm sure this would be too good to be true---that would be way too cheap!
My lfs sells dry sand for $4/5 pounds vs. local home improvement store at $10/150 pounds.
How long does it take before it becomes live sand?

 

[autofreak44]

my guess is that any kind of low grade sand is going to have something like lead in it. it may just be me but i think its not worth risking the chance of something going wrong to save 20 or 30 bucks. but maybe im wrong

but if i were you i would just stick with the regular stuff

 

[ifirefight]

Originally Posted by dmschiff
I want to replace my cc with sand. My tank is about 5 months old with live rock.
Can I replace the cc with dry sand? IF so what kind and where can I get it?
Can I actually buy something like the play sand I use in my kids sand box?
I'm sure this would be too good to be true---that would be way too cheap!
My lfs sells dry sand for $4/5 pounds vs. local home improvement store at $10/150 pounds.
How long does it take before it becomes live sand?
Do a "search" on this site...tons of info....

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by dmschiff
I want to replace my cc with sand. My tank is about 5 months old with live rock.
Can I replace the cc with dry sand? IF so what kind and where can I get it?
Can I actually buy something like the play sand I use in my kids sand box?
I'm sure this would be too good to be true---that would be way too cheap!
My lfs sells dry sand for $4/5 pounds vs. local home improvement store at $10/150 pounds.
How long does it take before it becomes live sand?
I used to sell marine (dry) sand for 1.99/5lbs find another LFS if sand is that much. I wouldn't recommend play sand, although some people have used it. Marine sand, even if dry, has a bit of buffer in it to help keep yor ph where it needs to be. I have Ivory coast sand (came dry as well) in my tank. It was $24.99/20lbs retail. It has a natural buffer. I have used different salts and different water. My ph is ALWAYS 8.2 .

 

[lovethesea]

if you use play sand you need to rinse it. Place it in the tank wet to prohibit the dust storm. Since it is not live sand you can "seed" it from someone elses tank (maybe a cup full from our LFS)
Marine sand should be wet also just to prevent the dust storm.

 

[sepulatian]

Marine sand should be wet also just to prevent the dust storm.
I am sorry, I did not mention that!!!! Any sand that is bought dry does need to be rinsed.

 

[lovethesea]

Originally Posted by sepulatian
I am sorry, I did not mention that!!!! Any sand that is bought dry does need to be rinsed.

I just say that because when we switched our first tank from CC to sand we did NOT rinse/wet down. I distinctly remember my clown fish flipping us off and our mandarin going cross eyed.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by lovethesea
I just say that because when we switched our first tank from CC to sand we did NOT rinse/wet down. I distinctly remember my clown fish flipping us off and our mandarin going cross eyed.

Oh my!!!!!

 

[aquaguy24]

Originally Posted by lovethesea
I just say that because when we switched our first tank from CC to sand we did NOT rinse/wet down. I distinctly remember my clown fish flipping us off and our mandarin going cross eyed.

how long untill u saw ur fish agian..lol..

 

[lovethesea]

It took a few hours to "clear" up. The water had a murky look for most of the day. After that it was fine. But rinsing/wetting down is the best way to go.

 

[jasony]

i recently (2 days ago) switched out my crushed coral and replaced it with a few 3 dollar bags of home depot play sand for my 150 fowler
i scooped out my clowns and damsels from my tank and placed them in a rubbermaid bucket with tank water.. then i simpky scoooped out all (or most) of the CC from the tank and threw it in the trash.. took about 2 hours and tank got super cloudy (had zero visibility after the CC got stirred up..
i them simply cut open the bags of home depot play sand and dumped them in the tank.. (i know now that this was a bad idea because the tank turned into a big mud bath!)
but i didnt panic and left my filter running over nite.... by day 3 (today) the water was clear enuff for me to add my clowns and damsels back!!
sand is a lot better than CC if only for asthetics!
home depot rocks!

 

[dawman]

Any play sand or sand from a hardware store contains silicate and phosphates along with many harmful minerals and metals . You are taking a HUGE risk using anything other than sand prepared for marine use .
We are trying to replicate the ocean in our aquariums , play sand , silica sand , or any land based sand that is NOT found in the ocean can and will contaminate your tank .
Everyone wants to try and save a few $$ , but this will be more costly in the long run .

 

[jasony]

my friends have used play sand (white old castle play sand) for their tanks for years and years and never had any problems... they had fowlr tanks as well...
how exactly do the problems manifest themself?
sincerely

 

[dawman]

Originally Posted by JasonY
my friends have used play sand (white old castle play sand) for their tanks for years and years and never had any problems... they had fowlr tanks as well...
how exactly do the problems manifest themself?
sincerely

Most play and contains silicates and phosphates .

 

[walmart]

I used play sand and everything in my tank is fine. (used 2 different brands). and my PH is 8.3. and i have not lost a fish or any creature in my tank.

 

[dawman]

Originally Posted by walmart
I used play sand and everything in my tank is fine. (used 2 different brands). and my PH is 8.3. and i have not lost a fish or any creature in my tank.

You might not have any problems with a fish only tank . Once you get corals you will see . Also do you have any silicate , copper , and phosphate test kits ?

 

[walmart]

No, There are many people that use play sand and are fine.
Did the play sand screw up your tank or something?

 

[dawman]

Originally Posted by walmart
No, There are many people that use play sand and are fine.
Did the play sand screw up your tank or something?

No , I have never used play sand . I know many people that tried to go the CHEAP way and everyone found the phosphates and silicates from the sand . When removing the play sand and put the correct sand with fresh water in there were no levels of either . Ask anyone that has been keeping Reef or F.O. tanks for a long time . There have been many people that have going the CHEAP way and find out the HARD way .
Just like anything else in life , some things are ok to go cheap and others are not .

 

[dmschiff]

Ok 2 questions.
1- When rinsing/wetting the sand, do I need to use a dechlorinated water?
2- Is there any benefit to rinsing the old cc with or over the sand to help it to seed or to transfer any of the live bacteria and pods that have accumulated in the cc?