Sand from the beach?

[Kelly]

I want to set up a marine tank (I think its about 35 gallon) with 4 or 5
fish and some live rock *maybe* coral. Can I use sand from the beach? This
is of coarse a salt water beach. If I can is rinsing enough or is there a
better way to clean it?

Also the tank I got is used and I need to clean that, is water enough? I
have heard of some people using vinegar too.

I am not new to aquaria but I am new to salt water so thank you for any
advice you might have.

Kelly

[Dragon Slayer]

its not a good idea, in some places its illegal to take sand from the
beach............and its got a massive amount of man induced toxins and
pollutants in it as well.

the viniger is used to help break down the calcium deposites in a tank, if
you dont have them then its not necessary just wash it with good ol clean
water.

kc

"Kelly" > wrote in message
...
> I want to set up a marine tank (I think its about 35 gallon) with 4 or 5
> fish and some live rock *maybe* coral. Can I use sand from the beach? This
> is of coarse a salt water beach. If I can is rinsing enough or is there a
> better way to clean it?
>
> Also the tank I got is used and I need to clean that, is water enough? I
> have heard of some people using vinegar too.
>
> I am not new to aquaria but I am new to salt water so thank you for any
> advice you might have.
>
> Kelly
>
>

[Teeb]

Ditto to everything.. PLUS... take almost everything you know from keeping
freshwater tanks and toss it out the window except for the cycling process.
That is the only thing that is the same. Read alot here and ask alot of
questions especially if you are not sure of something. Asking first is
better than *oops... should I have done... this..?*

And welcome to the most addictive money pit in the universe!

Teeb


"Dragon Slayer" > wrote in message
...
> its not a good idea, in some places its illegal to take sand from the
> beach............and its got a massive amount of man induced toxins and
> pollutants in it as well.
>
> the viniger is used to help break down the calcium deposites in a tank, if
> you dont have them then its not necessary just wash it with good ol clean
> water.
>
> kc
>
> "Kelly" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I want to set up a marine tank (I think its about 35 gallon) with 4 or 5
> > fish and some live rock *maybe* coral. Can I use sand from the beach?
This
> > is of coarse a salt water beach. If I can is rinsing enough or is there
a
> > better way to clean it?
> >
> > Also the tank I got is used and I need to clean that, is water enough? I
> > have heard of some people using vinegar too.
> >
> > I am not new to aquaria but I am new to salt water so thank you for any
> > advice you might have.
> >
> > Kelly
> >
> >
>
>

[Dragon Slayer]

nope

kc

"Kelly" > wrote in message
...
> Thanks!
>
> I guess that means I shouldn't use the sal****er from the ocean either
huh?
> "Teeb" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Ditto to everything.. PLUS... take almost everything you know from
keeping
> > freshwater tanks and toss it out the window except for the cycling
> process.
> > That is the only thing that is the same. Read alot here and ask alot of
> > questions especially if you are not sure of something. Asking first is
> > better than *oops... should I have done... this..?*
> >
> > And welcome to the most addictive money pit in the universe!
> >
> > Teeb
> >
> >
> > "Dragon Slayer" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > its not a good idea, in some places its illegal to take sand from the
> > > beach............and its got a massive amount of man induced toxins
and
> > > pollutants in it as well.
> > >
> > > the viniger is used to help break down the calcium deposites in a
tank,
> if
> > > you dont have them then its not necessary just wash it with good ol
> clean
> > > water.
> > >
> > > kc
> > >
> > > "Kelly" > wrote in message
> > > ...
> > > > I want to set up a marine tank (I think its about 35 gallon) with 4
or
> 5
> > > > fish and some live rock *maybe* coral. Can I use sand from the
beach?
> > This
> > > > is of coarse a salt water beach. If I can is rinsing enough or is
> there
> > a
> > > > better way to clean it?
> > > >
> > > > Also the tank I got is used and I need to clean that, is water
enough?
> I
> > > > have heard of some people using vinegar too.
> > > >
> > > > I am not new to aquaria but I am new to salt water so thank you for
> any
> > > > advice you might have.
> > > >
> > > > Kelly
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

[SG]

> "Kelly" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> I guess that means I shouldn't use the sal****er from the ocean either
> huh?

Some consider sw from the ocean to be the best. You have to be very
carefull where you get the water from though. As an added bonus fresh
sw often contains plankton and whatnot to feed your corals. There have
been related posts to this group in the past. search
groups.google.com.

Sand is different. I have not seen any body recommend beach sand.

[Teeb]

The water is generally just as polluted as the sand unless you're able to
head out hundreds of miles to open ocean.. and even then I am not sure I
would trust it these days... I think it's much better to mix your own. You
at least know what you are getting that way.

Teeb

"SG" > wrote in message
able.rogers.com...
> > "Kelly" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >>
> >> I guess that means I shouldn't use the sal****er from the ocean either
> > huh?
>
> Some consider sw from the ocean to be the best. You have to be very
> carefull where you get the water from though. As an added bonus fresh
> sw often contains plankton and whatnot to feed your corals. There have
> been related posts to this group in the past. search
> groups.google.com.
>
> Sand is different. I have not seen any body recommend beach sand.
>

[Moontanman]

>
>Sand is different. I have not seen any body recommend beach sand.
>

I may live in a strange area but I have used beach sand, mostly ground up
shells, for years with no problems. I did have one probelm with sea water but
that covers 30 yeras of salt water so that isn't too bad a record. Saying that
i must say that commecial coral sand is probably best as is commerciel sea
salts but if you think live rock is some how collected in pristen areas where
no pollution occures you are in for a surprise. I would rather collect all my
own stuff so i know where it comes from and what is in it but it's time
consuming and exspensive to drive way down a beach with barrels and buckets for
sand and water and scuba diving for live rock can run into tons of money if it
is even legal where you are so the best way is the commecial way for the most
part.

Moon
remove nospam from e-mail to send to me, I grow trees in aquariums like bonsai.
I breed dwarf crayfish, great for planted community tanks. If you can get me a
shovelnose sturgeon fingerling (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus) no wild caught
please, contact me

[MikeG]

Sorry for a late reply, just got my news back. You can use sand from the
beach, but it needs to be prepared. A long and teadios process.

Seawater can be used, but it is not as good as what you can mix up. read
this
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/seawater.htm

MikeG

"Kelly" > wrote in message
...
> I want to set up a marine tank (I think its about 35 gallon) with 4 or 5
> fish and some live rock *maybe* coral. Can I use sand from the beach? This
> is of coarse a salt water beach. If I can is rinsing enough or is there a
> better way to clean it?
>
> Also the tank I got is used and I need to clean that, is water enough? I
> have heard of some people using vinegar too.
>
> I am not new to aquaria but I am new to salt water so thank you for any
> advice you might have.
>
> Kelly
>
>