Playsand Fish Tank

[locoyo386]

Hi there,
Here is a small video of the tank I started using playsand for the subtrate.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVEApb1DbPk

 

[jordan3548]

Thats what I plan on doing. A buddy of mine has been in the buisness for a very long time and he works for a company that harvests live sand and live rock from the gulf he is actually the diver and he said Home depot sells play sand you can use just make sure it says collected from the caribbean on the bag and its actual sand from the ocean. So I went and bought 200 pounds of what he told me to buy.

 

[locoyo386]

Originally Posted by jordan3548
http:///forum/post/3079454
Thats what I plan on doing. A buddy of mine has been in the buisness for a very long time and he works for a company that harvests live sand and live rock from the gulf he is actually the diver and he said Home depot sells play sand you can use just make sure it says collected from the caribbean on the bag and its actual sand from the ocean. So I went and bought 200 pounds of what he told me to buy.
Cool, can you post a picture to see if it's the same sand that I am using?

 

[fishkid13]

Works great very cheap only way to go. Well not the only way but most cost effecient.

 

[locoyo386]

Originally Posted by fishkid13
http:///forum/post/3079592
Works great very cheap only way to go. Well not the only way but most cost effecient.
Well I know why not to use this type of sand, but I am not sure what the long term effects are. Well compared to the typical sand we use for the subtrate.

 

[aquaknight]

The bulk of sand in my 125gal, is play sand (around 250lbs total, 40 or so pounds of that true calcium based sand) since it was setup August 2006. No real problems so far, calcium as always been a tad low and having to dose a touch more then normal IME, and I've always had a touch of nusiance algae, but I blame that to the large bay window that sits adjacent to the tank.
The real problem is the look. You either get the yellow'ish Quikcrete stuff, which flat out looks terrible under typical aquarium lights, or you get the 'white' play sand, which looks like concrete. That's why I have the good sand over top in my tank. If you not planning on running a deep sandbed, just 1"-2" I probably would recommend to not shave the couple of bucks in the sand. I've having to constantly add more of the good sand to keep it uniform.

 

[locoyo386]

Hi there,
Originally Posted by AquaKnight
http:///forum/post/3080046
The bulk of sand in my 125gal, is play sand (around 250lbs total, 40 or so pounds of that true calcium based sand) since it was setup August 2006. No real problems so far, calcium as always been a tad low and having to dose a touch more then normal IME, and I've always had a touch of nusiance algae, but I blame that to the large bay window that sits adjacent to the tank.
The real problem is the look. You either get the yellow'ish Quikcrete stuff, which flat out looks terrible under typical aquarium lights, or you get the 'white' play sand, which looks like concrete. That's why I have the good sand over top on my tank. If you not planning on running a deep sandbed, just 1"-2" I probably would recommend to not to shave the couple of bucks in the sand.
I have read that calcium is one issue, but only in a reef or with some invertabrates. Also I read that it has an efect on alkalinity, I would imagine bacuse of it being of a different composition. Not sure fi either one is true, but the calcium makes sence to me.
How is your turf filter doing by the way?

 

[aquaknight]

Yea, presumably there are buffering effects with the calcium sand. As it continues to wear down over time, calcium/alk/etc. is released into the water column. Since silica sand is void of those, it obviously just can't.
The turf scrubber is mixed. Itself is doing great. The problem is the stupid pump I have it on keeps stopping randomly. Go to feed the tank and get a nice wiff of dying algae

. But the scrubber eventually comes back though.

 

[locoyo386]

Originally Posted by AquaKnight
http:///forum/post/3080074
Yea, presumably there are buffering effects with the calcium sand. As it continues to wear down over time, calcium/alk/etc. is released into the water column. Since silica sand is void of those, it obviously just can't.
The turf scrubber is mixed. Itself is doing great. The problem is the stupid pump I have it on keeps stopping randomly. Go to feed the tank and get a nice wiff of dying algae

. But the scrubber eventually comes back though.
Are you considering putting in a new pump?

 

[mantisman51]

I, too, used argonite playsand for my 125g reef tank. If you're going to use playsand, two things to do: Fill about half a 5g bucket with the sand and rinse with boiling water-alot of processors use diesel and waste oil to lubricate the sand during processing-yes I worked at a gravel/sand processor. Then use a garden hose and stir the sand while running the water in the bottom of the bucket. This will get rid of the fine dust that will cloud your water-even after it settles down but you move stuff in the tank.

 

[locoyo386]

Originally Posted by mantisman51
http:///forum/post/3080096
I, too, used argonite playsand for my 125g reef tank. If you're going to use playsand, two things to do: Fill about half a 5g bucket with the sand and rinse with boiling water-alot of processors use diesel and waste oil to lubricate the sand during processing-yes I worked at a gravel/sand processor. Then use a garden hose and stir the sand while running the water in the bottom of the bucket. This will get rid of the fine dust that will cloud your water-even after it settles down but you move stuff in the tank.
Thanks for the advice, unfortunately it is set up and running already, as you can see from the video.

 

[aquaknight]

Originally Posted by locoyo386
http:///forum/post/3080087
Are you considering putting in a new pump?
Yep, the second time it was replaced with a MJ1200...
Originally Posted by mantisman51
http:///forum/post/3080096
I, too, used argonite playsand for my 125g reef tank. If you're going to use playsand, two things to do: Fill about half a 5g bucket with the sand and rinse with boiling water-alot of processors use diesel and waste oil to lubricate the sand during processing-yes I worked at a gravel/sand processor. Then use a garden hose and stir the sand while running the water in the bottom of the bucket. This will get rid of the fine dust that will cloud your water-even after it settles down but you move stuff in the tank.
Instead of the 5gal bucket, depending on how much sand you plan on doing, consider using a Rubbermaid bin, one of those roughnecks. They'll give you a wider/shallower area, which helps to rinse out the sand better. I know I had to rinse and drain each 50lb bag of sand at least 5 times.

 

[mantisman51]

I have a very bad back. It was all I could handle.

Also, it was easier to overflow the water while I was stirring the sand.

 

[locoyo386]

Well I will consider it in the future if I decide to keep doing this playsand. Too bad this one is already running.