Limestone sand ?

[chrisnif]

Okay so my quikrete has to go, major diatoms just like I was promised by a few people I should have listened to...Ill keep the other bag in case i decide salt is too much darn work - which its quickly becoming.
Anyway, I read somewhere that argonite is limestone, so I made some calls and I can get limestone sand from a building supply place locally for $15/ton (he said like 50 cents for 100 pounds, and I doubt i need that much). Anyway I stopped by the place with my bottle of vinegar to make sure its the right stuff and surely it is... and it disolves 100%, nothing but water creamy vinegar and foam.
Properly rinsed (which I assume is going to be a fun interesting process considering the temps we're having and the fact that I'm not allowed to use the sink for "projects" since we now have purple (pvc primer) spots on our laundry sink. Anyway can it be done, is it safe. He let me grab a pound or so, I tossed a pinch in my tank in a corner to see if there were any issues, but I'm going to replace the whole sand bed because im dumb It raises my pH on my RO water to like 7.5, so it does buffer up a tad which is probably good.

 

[chaseter]

Why not crushed coral...which is what ocean sand is???

 

[garick]

I'd avoid the crushed. Way to much room to trap waste and cause nitrates and more problems than its worth tbh

 

[chaseter]

You do know there are finely crushed corals sands and chunky sands right? I have finely crushed coral sand for my goby and the sand is so fine, some of it goes through my blue fish net. I would go with what is found in nature, not man made crap.

 

[chrisnif]

Well what the place has is a mixed. Id say about 40% of it is "beach sand" find, 40% of is is "chunky argonite" (like the argonite with the flecks of shells, but still way finer than crushed coral), and 18% or so is crushed coral size and 2% is pea to corn size. I was going to strain it through window screen to get rid of the biggest of the pieces.
I mainly ask because by using Quikrete I've ruined (visually not actually) my tank and frusterated myself to the point where I'm ready to drain it and fill it from the tap and do africans of discus again...and I dont care to go that route at this time, ive put so much into this tank.
So yeah I still trying to cut a corner, but will it work better at least this time?

 

[stanlalee]

if its limestone sand with no harmful impurities and the right size it will be fine. Like you stated its the same composition aragonite sand, live rock and the structure of your corals are made of. hell you should buy it by the ton and sell it in a pretty bag with fish on it $5 for a 20lb bag.

 

[chrisnif]

Yeah the landscape supply place sells it for $28/ton + $1/loaded mile for delivery (min $25). He said I could come take 2 instant ocean buckets full for $1 (I think he's looking at entertainment value of me filling the buckets and lugging them to my car).
Like i said it passes vinegar, i can screen it out to make sure i get the texture I want etc.
All this and I accidently left my MH on (timer should have kicked it off at 9, so 5 extra hours now) and the freaking diatom storm seems to be subsiding, do they know its night time even tho the lights are on (fish sure dont).

 

[beaslbob]

Not an expert here but from what I hear that while aragonite and limestome are both calcium carbonate based, there are difference in composition and structure between the two.

 

[stanlalee]

Originally Posted by beaslbob
http:///forum/post/3207629
Not an expert here but from what I hear that while aragonite and limestome are both calcium carbonate based, there are difference in composition and structure between the two.
you may very well be right but florida aquacultured live rock is dry mined limestone for sure and from what I've always heard as long as there arent harmful contaminants and metals its still safe.

 

[beaslbob]

Originally Posted by Stanlalee
http:///forum/post/3207763
you may very well be right but florida aquacultured live rock is dry mined limestone for sure and from what I've always heard as long as there arent harmful contaminants and metals its still safe.

Absolutely!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I use limestone rock quarried here and costing $20/ton.
But the specific question raised here was about aragonate vrs limestone sand.