Deep Sand Bed and Aragonite (Southdown)

[sal t. nutz]

I posted this as a reply in the fish forum, but wanted it to have it's own thread, so it could be discussed:
Well, I have to chime in here. I am getting ready to put a sand bed in my 300, and I am debating with myself. I can get Aragonite sand real cheap near my house, but I am contimplating getting regular Silica Playsand anyway. My reason is this. While Aragonite is calcium carbonate based and breaks down for the good of the tank, high alk and Calcium is what makes this sand clump and harden. While silica based sand will not clump and harden like that. I am torn, and can't decide. Logic would dictate that, when the Calcium carbonate sand hardens and clumps like Southdown and Aragonite sands, it would no longer help to remove Nitrates, as it would no longer be an Oxygen poor area. There would be NO cirulation and it would just be a dead zone. This wouldn't happen with silica sands, they would always have a de-nitrification area.

 

[tjkohler]

It can clump, but if you have a healthy sand bed (with all the critters that come in one) than the sand shouldn't be able to clump because of all the movement ... right?

 

[slothy]

i agree, between my worms, hermits, and all the misc unknown stuff, it isnt clumping, or very little

 

[javajoe]

Ive had a DSB with southdown for a almost a year, and it has not clumped at all. I seeded with 20 pounds actual live sand, and i have 70 pounds of live rock... have never had a problem. teeming with bugs, worms, etc, and my nassarouis snails are alwats burrowing in it.

 

[sal t. nutz]

Well, that may be true for a shallow sand bed, but what about a 6 inch sand bed, where the worms and hermitts don't go down that far. and if they did stir that part up, it would no longer be a low oxygen zone.

 

[sal t. nutz]

You are correct anthem about the Kalk, that is the main reason it clumps. However, silica sand won't do that. The kalk breaks down the calcium carbonate and basically melts it together. Silica sand doesn't break down like that. Basically I am still torn on what to do. Not to mention that Silica isn't quite as fine and won't still up clouds like Aragonite does.

 

[javajoe]

Originally posted by Sal T. Nutz
Well, that may be true for a shallow sand bed, but what about a 6 inch sand bed, where the worms and hermitts don't go down that far. and if they did stir that part up, it would no longer be a low oxygen zone.
my DSB is between 5-6 inches in most places. no clumping after 11 months.

 

[sal t. nutz]

Java, that is good to hear, but that isn't really long enough for it to even become established, more or less clump.

 

[slothy]

one of our lfs has a tank 2-3 years set up with southdown, didnt look like it was clumpy..

 

[tjkohler]

Slothy,
Which LFS used Southdown? Do you kow of anyone here in Mich that has a stach?

 

[slothy]

ya reef attic in kalamazoo .. me and lou took a trip out there not to much going on there..
but lots of southdown.., lou has the link to there site...

 

[lou_brakant]

tjkohler, I got five bags of southdown with slothy on saturday, from thereefshop.com, nice place but in a garage, yes the car port for some people. Mark had quite a bit of southdown $5.99 a bag. I figured we would buy something while out there.(took about 2+hrs to get there).

 

[tjkohler]

You're using that Southdown right? This place is in Kalamazoo that sells Southdown?

 

[nm reef]

***Take the private deals conversation to e-mail***

In response to the origional question about aragonite VS silica based sand beds....it is true that either can and will clump due to excessive or mis-applied Kalk....my understanding is in that situation aragonite would be more likely to clump. But....such a problem with KALK would be eaqually serious with either type sand bed. The aragonite seems to me to be a much more natural material for the sand bed......it does slightly break down and assist in maintaining calcium/alkalinity/ph. Silca based sands have no such properities that I'm aware of. Also the texture of the sand particles should be considered....aragonite is smoother and not as jagged...silca sand is a course/ragged texture that could be potentially damaging to micro fauna that we try to keep in any DSB. Personally I'd prefer to stay with aragonite type sands...even though alternatives would work. I simply believe that the aragonite is a much more beneficial substrate base.