ryanbooton
Member
Where can i buy the sand for my tank?? Can i get selica sand or do i have to get it from the pet store?Ive got a 125 gallon tank. About how much should i use? Ive got about 50 lbs of crushed coral. Please help!
DSB from Lowes???
- Thread starter ryanbooton
- Start date
I wouldn't use the regular play sands. The silica will create mass diatom blooms. And, you really don't know what you're getting with those sands. The exception would be Southdown or Yardright sands.
On the other hand, hobby sands are very expensive. But worth the expense IMO. For an adequate DSB, you need at least 5" of sand on the bottom of your tank...and that is a lot of sand. You can get dry hobby sand for the most part, then seed the top layer with live sand. Absolutely, no crushed coral.
On the other hand, hobby sands are very expensive. But worth the expense IMO. For an adequate DSB, you need at least 5" of sand on the bottom of your tank...and that is a lot of sand. You can get dry hobby sand for the most part, then seed the top layer with live sand. Absolutely, no crushed coral.
ryanbooton
Member
Somones posted a comment about sand from Home Depot. The sand starts with an A. Any ideasS????
It was probably "aragonite". This is not a sand brand name, but a type of sand that is calcium carbonate based--such as the brands I mentiond: Southdown and Yardright.
Aside from these brandname sands, sands from home improvement stores are generally silica-based. You can use them, but the results may very troublesome. It is a risk.
Aside from these brandname sands, sands from home improvement stores are generally silica-based. You can use them, but the results may very troublesome. It is a risk.
nm reef
Active Member
Silica based sands will work.....possibly not as prefered as aragonite type sands...but they do work. Before I'd use silica sands I'd look at these links....both offer aragonite type sands that are the prefered types for DSB's.
caribsea
pure carribean aragonite
natures ocean LS
DSB hows & whys
caribsea
pure carribean aragonite
natures ocean LS
DSB hows & whys
trebor126
Member
I used Quikcrete "Kiddie Play Sand", 130lbs, and topped it of with 25lbs of CaribSea live sand.
The Quikcrete Kiddie Playsand I bought at Lowes for $2.50 per 50lb bag. = $7.50
and the Live sand from a fish store = $27.00
Total for 5" sandbed in a 55gal. cost me $34.50.
I have had this set up for over 3 months now and all is great. I had a small diatom blume, but my clean-up crew took care of that.
I have a link to pictures of my tank with the new DSB. Check them out..
Hope this helps..
The Quikcrete Kiddie Playsand I bought at Lowes for $2.50 per 50lb bag. = $7.50
and the Live sand from a fish store = $27.00
Total for 5" sandbed in a 55gal. cost me $34.50.
I have had this set up for over 3 months now and all is great. I had a small diatom blume, but my clean-up crew took care of that.
I have a link to pictures of my tank with the new DSB. Check them out..
Hope this helps..
ryanbooton
Member
Thanks guys thats just what i wanted to know!!!