noobie in live sand

[ali1]

First, I'm happy to be on this forum because theres lots of active and supportive members. So i read that live sand is more beneficial for corals than crushed coral. I'm not putting in corals just yet, i have lots of time before then. I'm setting up a 125G and need to know about sand.
a: What kind of sand do i need and I'm aiming for 2" depth, correct?
b: Whats the hype about aragonite vs other sands? Is aragonite required for reef tanks?
c: Can I use regular dry sand such as SpectraQuartz, Colorquart, or beach sand rather than Caribesea or other namebrand sands?
d: If i put any type of sand in there, will it be alive sooner or later regardless?
e: whats the popular choice chosen by most 3reef members?
f: cheapest place to buy the correct sand?

 

[saxman]

The problem with CC is that the grains are so large, they collect uneaten food and other detritus between them, which decays and tends to raise NO3 levels.
Personally, I prefer #3 or #1 grade aragonite over "sugar-fine"/oolitic sand. It "lays down" MUCH better, and has less of a tendency to cause a "sandstorm" if it's disturbed. i typically run 1.5" or so of substrate. Yes, the sand will become colonized with bacteria and other fauna. Some folks add a cup of sand from an established tank to aid in the diversity of the fauna and to act as a "seed".
Aragonite can be an aid in maintaining the pH/buffering abaility of your system, as it slowly dissolves over time (simple explanation). Quartz sands don't do this, and some quartz sands actually promote algae blooms as Fe may leach out of them.
As for "cheap" sand, you can try various "play sands", (one was Southdown). The key is to test whatever sand you're considering. Take a vial of vinegar and drop a bit of the sand into it. If it fizzes, you have aragonite or limestone based sand, which you can use after thorough rinsing.
HTH

 

[spanko]

Originally Posted by saxman
http:///forum/post/3295634
......................Aragonite can be an aid in maintaining the pH/buffering abaility of your system, as it slowly dissolves over time (simple explanation).
Hello Greg. My understanding is that this is true in larger systems where a DSb provides an anoxic zone at the bottom of the sand that becomes acidic through the production of sulfuric acid by denitrifying bacteria. Not so much use for the buffering purpose in a nano tank.
Just some clarification for peeps here.

 

[tuhin10]

Hello Greg. My understanding is that this is true in larger systems where a DSb provides an anoxic zone at the bottom of the sand that becomes acidic through the production of sulfuric acid by denitrifying bacteria. Not so much use for the buffering purpose in a nano tank.
Just some clarification for peeps here.
I agree with spanko ................

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