Playground Sand
- Thread starter kynekke
- Start date
scopus tang
Active Member
Originally Posted by Kynekke
http:///forum/post/2548221
Today I'm upgrading from a 90 to a 125 and I can't afford live sand. How bad would the cycle be to put in some playground sand just to add to the live sand from my 90? Also what kind of playground sand, any specifics?
Thanks
If you can't afford LS, why don't your purchase the dry aragonite sand? Sells in 30 lb bags for considerably less than LS and is reef-safe. Although I have to be kind of curious ~ how do you afford switching from and 90 to a 125 with all the additional expense of that switch and not factor in a couple hundred dollars for LS? Not trying to be rude, I'm just curious. If I was going to upgrade and improve my tank, I wouldn't be looking at cutting corners on things that are truly the rock upon which your entire tank is established. When your not happy with the results of your playground sand in the future, are you really going to want to tear down your entire system and start over? Sure, there will be people on here that will tell you that they've done it and had no issues, others who probably won't say anything, could tell you about the disasters of having tried it. Why take the risk? Nothing good comes from hurrying or cutting corners in this hobby. JMO
http:///forum/post/2548221
Today I'm upgrading from a 90 to a 125 and I can't afford live sand. How bad would the cycle be to put in some playground sand just to add to the live sand from my 90? Also what kind of playground sand, any specifics?
Thanks
If you can't afford LS, why don't your purchase the dry aragonite sand? Sells in 30 lb bags for considerably less than LS and is reef-safe. Although I have to be kind of curious ~ how do you afford switching from and 90 to a 125 with all the additional expense of that switch and not factor in a couple hundred dollars for LS? Not trying to be rude, I'm just curious. If I was going to upgrade and improve my tank, I wouldn't be looking at cutting corners on things that are truly the rock upon which your entire tank is established. When your not happy with the results of your playground sand in the future, are you really going to want to tear down your entire system and start over? Sure, there will be people on here that will tell you that they've done it and had no issues, others who probably won't say anything, could tell you about the disasters of having tried it. Why take the risk? Nothing good comes from hurrying or cutting corners in this hobby. JMO
kynekke
Member
It's a straight across trade, all equipment of my 90 for all equipment of a friend's 125. I just upgraded from a 55 to the 90 2 weeks ago with all of those equipment upgrades, new rock, new sand, new lights I'm tapped out. I know it all sounds weird but I'm doing this friend a favor switching him.
kynekke
Member
Adding live sand at this point would cause an ammonia spike though, when upgrading my fish and coral are moving too... when I moved from the 55 to the 90 I didn't have a spike because the live sand and live rock I purchased were from an established tank. I was hoping adding base sand instead of live sand would alleviate the ammonia spike/cycle.
cdangel0
Member
Adding playground sand will not cause a spike - there's nothing in it to die-off and cause ammonia which is where your spike comes from. Keep in mind though that when you stir up your current sandbed to switch tanks you will be releasing a lot of unpleasants in to your water column which will more then likely create a Nitrate spike.
I do not know there is any specific type of playground sand to use as I've talked to many many people that have used many many different types. it's all in your preference to grain size.
I'm going to go against general concensus and say save your money, if you already have a 90g worth of LS I wouldn't spend money on more LS. In a few weeks your playground sand will be LS.
I do not know there is any specific type of playground sand to use as I've talked to many many people that have used many many different types. it's all in your preference to grain size.
I'm going to go against general concensus and say save your money, if you already have a 90g worth of LS I wouldn't spend money on more LS. In a few weeks your playground sand will be LS.
scopus tang
Active Member
Originally Posted by Kynekke
http:///forum/post/2548316
It's a straight across trade, all equipment of my 90 for all equipment of a friend's 125. I just upgraded from a 55 to the 90 2 weeks ago with all of those equipment upgrades, new rock, new sand, new lights I'm tapped out. I know it all sounds weird but I'm doing this friend a favor switching him.
Ok, that makes sense, but I still would spend the money on the dry aragonite. You should only need one thirty pound bag, and it can't be that much more than what you're going to pay for play sand. Also won't cause a spike, cause it doesn't contain anything live.
http:///forum/post/2548316
It's a straight across trade, all equipment of my 90 for all equipment of a friend's 125. I just upgraded from a 55 to the 90 2 weeks ago with all of those equipment upgrades, new rock, new sand, new lights I'm tapped out. I know it all sounds weird but I'm doing this friend a favor switching him.
Ok, that makes sense, but I still would spend the money on the dry aragonite. You should only need one thirty pound bag, and it can't be that much more than what you're going to pay for play sand. Also won't cause a spike, cause it doesn't contain anything live.
scopus tang
Active Member
Originally Posted by Kynekke
http:///forum/post/2548453
Where does one get dry aragonite? I called the local home improvement store and they acted like I'm crazy.
Don't know if on-line places stock it or not, but I picked mine up from the local Petsmart.
http:///forum/post/2548453
Where does one get dry aragonite? I called the local home improvement store and they acted like I'm crazy.
Don't know if on-line places stock it or not, but I picked mine up from the local Petsmart.
maeistero
Active Member
no playground sand is salt safe anymore. people say southdown, but they started shipping mixed pallets of thier new and old stuff and it's all new now at home depot.
ditch the idea and get some aragonite from a pet store. it's either that or completely break down your tank a couple months from now, clean it out and start over. likely you'll kill off most of your livestock, have to do another cycle and figure out what to do with your lr. personally, my time is worth way more than the price difference between cat litter sand and clean aragonite.
ditch the idea and get some aragonite from a pet store. it's either that or completely break down your tank a couple months from now, clean it out and start over. likely you'll kill off most of your livestock, have to do another cycle and figure out what to do with your lr. personally, my time is worth way more than the price difference between cat litter sand and clean aragonite.
jtrzerocool
Active Member
Originally Posted by Kynekke
http:///forum/post/2548453
Where does one get dry aragonite? I called the local home improvement store and they acted like I'm crazy.
any good LFS will sell dry aragonite...
http:///forum/post/2548453
Where does one get dry aragonite? I called the local home improvement store and they acted like I'm crazy.
any good LFS will sell dry aragonite...