chimera Posted October 17, 2004 Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 I bought a box of this off trademe cheap. is crushed coral sand any good? i assume because it is coral sand it wont contain silicates. is crushed coral sand of the aragonite type? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RnB Posted October 17, 2004 Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 thats the problem it depends on what was crushed....... crushed marble normally ment to be ok though........ why not get some RO/DI and soak sand in it for a week or two then do some tests...... Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted October 17, 2004 Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 Silicates aren't bad. I think it's another myth which needs to be dispelled. The natural solubility of silica sand doesn't come close to the higher levels of silicate actually found in NSW. I have a refugium of silica sand, with no issues. I'm running it dsb style to try and reduce nitrates. There is no doubt that a dsb will reduce nitrate efficiently (just don't want one in my display), and silica sand is the perfect substrate for a dsb. Reasonably fine, so the required oxygen gradient can be generated at a relatively shallow depth. Silica sand isn't bad. Layton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted October 17, 2004 Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 Everything I have read sais silica is bad given that is what Diatoms feed on. I agree that maybee using silica sand doesn't mean you will get silicates in you tank water though. No doubt that silicate sand can be used in a remote DSB, seen people online doing this (USA and Europe). Something to remember is that bacetrria (from what I have read) can't live on silicate sand as its too smooth. This is why it is not reccomended for freshwater tanks, not because of the silicates but because of the fact that its not bilogocally friendly. Chimera - crushed coral and coral sand are the same thing to the best of my knowledge. Pie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted October 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 ok cool, cheers guys. next question is who has a small amount of live sand I can buy and seed with the coral sand?!!! i might seed it outside the current system for a few weeks first. how does this sound? - flush sand through rodi first - chuck it in a bucket of saltwater with a small powerhead - add some live sand and some live rocks to seed it any better ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted October 17, 2004 Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 If it was me, personally I would just add it to the main system, a few cups a week or somethin. Don't know why I would do that, its just what I would do. Your new system is plenty big enough to handle a few KG of sand cycling Can have as much sand as you want from me if you come and get it, although I suspect someone closer will be able to look after you. If you do get stuck, let me know i'll hook you up. Pies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RnB Posted October 17, 2004 Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 Thats what pies advised me to do, and thats what i did.... Added about 3kg per week for quite some time, washed the sand for A LONG time in straifght tap water to flush out dust etc.... then RO then just scooped it in, had fish in tank and corals, no ill effect noticed....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted October 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2004 cool, will do that then. cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted October 18, 2004 Report Share Posted October 18, 2004 Something to remember is that bacetrria (from what I have read) can't live on silicate sand as its too smooth. Funny that it's used in biological sand filters as media then. A lot of people are going to be really upset, I think... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted October 19, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2004 picked this up today, looks good (well, at least it looks better than the photo shown below!!!) Cost me $30 for 23kg's. Not live, but not bad. Will start adding this slowly next week (btw, it's the sellers pictures and writing above! Gravel? well,... sort of ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RnB Posted October 19, 2004 Report Share Posted October 19, 2004 bring some over, we can compare it with my expensive (must be better ) sand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RnB Posted October 19, 2004 Report Share Posted October 19, 2004 on the bag inside the box whats the writing say.... prey tell.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted October 19, 2004 Report Share Posted October 19, 2004 Pak n sav, it looks like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted October 19, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2004 "kitty litter"... no not really its just a clothing bag for cancer foundation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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