What's up with the sand?

[zman411]

ok I read like a ton of post concerning sand
live sand
dead sand
southdown
and some others
my questions are kinda simple..................
home depot is like a great distance from me
wallmart said they have "play sand" by "old castle products"
I was wondering what other places you all get your sand and what kind (name brand) of sand you use
I'm setting up a 55 a 50 a 125 and a 220
so cheep sand would be good
but I don't mind paying a couple bucks more if the quality is better
any help would be great!

 

[archon]

it is prefferable to get live sand(the expensive stuff with all the live critters) but you can get regular sand(not sure exactly what kind) and add some live sand to make it live sand. live sand is really beneficial to the tank so it is recommended to have live sand. they either come in pre packed bags at your lfs or you can buy it from the lfs by the pound.

 

[standish]

You can use any aragonite based sand. Beware, alot of play sand is silica based (not good).
Using live rock, you can seed your sand bed without having to spend the money for live sand. Alternately, you can use a combination of dry aragonite and live sand.

 

[robb]

I have 100% silica sand in my tank and don't have a problem. If I had it to do over again I would go with Southdown or something of that sort because I have heard so many people talk about how good it is. My fighting conch seems to have no problem with it. He has been in it for 2 years now and is doinf fine.
Go look at the bags that the play sand is in and see where the sand comes from.

 

[coxy101]

I bought 45 lbs of crushed coral sand for a (what I think) hefty price - $45. My LFS threw in 3 lbs of live sand from their reef aquarium to seed the bed. I just wish the LFS would have told us that it was going to take over a week for the sand to start to settle!! When the live rock came in the mail from SWF - we couldn't even see in the tank...
I looked around for Southdown, but no success...
I do know someone who used silica based sand and it was a algae nightmare!

 

[thomas712]

Coxy101
If you feel like a drive I can tell you where there is some Southdown, Yardright playsand.
Portage Michigan a place called The Reef Shop.
Also I think someone found some in a Home Depot here in michigan in the Grand Rapids area, I believe there was a thread about a week or two ago about it.
Thomas

 

[zman411]

Originally posted by Thomas712
Coxy101
If you feel like a drive I can tell you where there is some Southdown, Yardright playsand.
Portage Michigan a place called The Reef Shop.
Also I think someone found some in a Home Depot here in michigan in the Grand Rapids area, I believe there was a thread about a week or two ago about it.
Thomas
kinda funny you said that cause I got my 125 from michigan and it was a 4 hour drive and I'm pretty sure my woman would kill me for even thinking of another 4 hour drive for sand
lol

 

[robb]

I went to Home Depot last week and got 2 50lb bags of this there. It say it is pure Caribbean sand.

 

[thomas712]

You got it Robb thats the ole Southdown bag only the Southdown isn't on it anymore.
Good find. Which city did you find it on?
Thomas

 

[robb]

That sand is at the new Home Depot in Shields by Meijers. They had a few palets of it so I grabbed 2 bags up. Maybe I should have grabbed more.

 

[zman411]

I went to wallmart today
they carry "new castle products" play sand
the bags they where in are moist
but it didn't say anything about the sand
so I chose not to buy any So I'm still basicaly looking for alternatives to southdown

 

[donmgicwon]

Originally posted by Thomas712
You got it Robb thats the ole Southdown bag only the Southdown isn't on it anymore.
Good find. Which city did you find it on?
Thomas
Thats the same stuff we have at one of the Grand Rapids HD's you mentioned. I guess they sold most of the first two pallets but they ordered 2 more. I see the beginnings of a beautiful relationship. Between HD and the SW public that is.

 

[mburnickas]

Rob- that is the same stuff I bought 2 months ago. The Agway had pallets and pallets.