Originally Posted by
Dawman
Play sand contains silicates , phosphates , and nitrates that will contaminate you tank.
I use $3 per 50lb Kolorscape play sand and have NEVER seen a phospate or nitrate reading since the day I transferred my 30g over to a 100g with 100lbs of all new play sand substrate (30g had crushed coral)
It is going to be impossible to rinse. I began to and realized right away I dont have the time, containers or enough water to rinse 100lbs of fine sand effectively. If its a new set up just let it run thru the system while nothing is in the tank. The clays or whatever residue that is on the sand will get picked up by the pre filter in the overflow box in my case or whatever kind of mechanical filtration you have. I ran carbon for the 1rst week while the water was clearing up. Once it cleared up its a nice white. Get a sand sifter or plan on manually turning it over a few times a week (that is my experience. I have a high bioload, 12hr a day of MH lighting and even if I dont turn it over it doesn't look as bad as some of the neglected "pet store" sand I've seen, it just wont stay the ice white it started out looking like. If I didn't have 7 fish including 4 anthias that require at least two feedings a day and a 12hr MH light cycle I'm almost positive I wouldn't need to turn it over manually. my sump sand is the same, looks great and has never been touched).
I have never tested for silicates nor to I have any plans to. I have every type of coral (soft, lps,sps), several supposedly less than easy fish and plenty of sand inverts (four fighing conch, two super nassarius that stay burried ect) and if it aint bother them and I dont have an algae problem I have no rational for testing for silicates. Far as I know its not a test typically tested for and I have only seen it available fro seachem.
set up six months ago and still no regrets
