Play Sand
- Thread starter calvindo
- Start date
bang guy
Moderator
Originally posted by Kipass4130
You may have gotten silica, it isnt the best... it tends to be or turn brown. It is very harmful for your lungs, so wear a mask if you decide to work with it
Kip (et. al)
Silica based Playsand is an extremely impure Silica sand. It is so impure that it isn't capable of creating a hazardous amount of Silica dust. That's what makes it safe for sandboxes. Think of all of the elements that are not harmful to kids but lethal to coral. This list tops out with copper & Tin. Not to mention the vast amount of Silicates from Feldspar.
Pure Silica sand is hazardous material and requires a mask when working with it. I feel it's MUCH more appropriate for a sandbed provided it isn't made from pulverized quartz.
beaslbob
Well-Known Member
Originally posted by calvindo
Just went to the local hardware store and picked up some play sand. I wasnt able to find the "southdown" brand. My question is... will any play sand work? I am planning to mix this with 50% live sand.
thanks!
play sand is ok. I do recommend you put the live sand on top to seed the play.
jedininja
Member
I've used playsand for years and havent had any problems. I just added a layer of livesand on top of it. I didnt have any algae outbreaks and all my corals are doing fin. I only have softies and LPS so I dont know about if it will affect SPS. As for the color, its just a light tan, much like beach sand.
beaslbob
Well-Known Member
Originally posted by JSB
Good luck. I've been looking for a week now. No one has argonite sand around here. I don't know what to do, because I can't buy all LS. This is really irritating.
You don't absolutely need any live sand. I just use play sand from wall mart/home depot/lowes at $3.00/50#. Some place a small amount of LS on top to seed the entire sand bed. I put Crushed coral on top with some white rocks and some shells. Aragonite is reported to buffer ph, calcium and magnesium. I haven't had any problem with the sand/CC combination.
rkm
Member
I just wanted to bring this post back to life. Kipass4130. Nice wright up. Good information. Today I went to my local Home Depot. I found ALMOST the same bag of sand in your picture. It seems that it had all the same wording, pictures, and colors. But. At the bottom they added not for aquarium use.....Do you think these people sell the same sand in aquarium stores packaged differently for 3x the money. It looks that way with that note on the bottom of the bag. It was even silica free. I have a CC bed at the moment. I bought a new acrylic tank and figured the sand would keep more scraches off. The CC never let me down. I am still not sure if I want to change it.
touchdown34
Member
This is a great thread...I like the idea of using this sand and then adding live sand on top...no doubt it cuts cost..
However, how do you know when to add more live sand...are there any clues....and do you withdraw as much as you deposit?
Touchdown34
However, how do you know when to add more live sand...are there any clues....and do you withdraw as much as you deposit?
Touchdown34