Ok to use Aragamax Sand in cichlid community tank?

[Cookie]

Hi all. . . . .

I have been considering for sometime of switching from pea sized
gravel to 1-3 inches of fine sand. It is a 50 gallon long tank with 1
oscar, 4 giant danios, 1 plec, and 1 dragon fish (which would love to
burrow in the sand.) The pet store only has sal****er and Aragamax
Sand. What is exactly Aragamax Sand? Is it intended for FRESHWATER
tanks? Does it contain salt? Would my box filter suck it all up? BTW,
I don't have a UGF installed. Thanks in advance!

[NetMax]

"Cookie" > wrote in message
m...
> Hi all. . . . .
>
> I have been considering for sometime of switching from pea sized
> gravel to 1-3 inches of fine sand. It is a 50 gallon long tank with 1
> oscar, 4 giant danios, 1 plec, and 1 dragon fish (which would love to
> burrow in the sand.) The pet store only has sal****er and Aragamax
> Sand. What is exactly Aragamax Sand? Is it intended for FRESHWATER
> tanks? Does it contain salt? Would my box filter suck it all up? BTW,
> I don't have a UGF installed. Thanks in advance!

My guess is that it has aragonite (argonite?) in it, so it's intended to
boost and stabilize your water at higher pH, gH and kH for African
cichlids.

It would not have salt, and your powerfilter would probably not bother it
once the sand had levelled and hunkered down (of course, anything digging
in it might throw it up at the filter's intake, and then it start
collecting in the filter).

Check out other sources for sand (quarry, sandblasting supplies etc).
Home Reno places also carry sand, but it's quite fine. You really want
something with a bigger grain size.

NetMax

[keith]

Go to your local home hardware or somthing and buy salt free play sand. it
has worked wonders for me
"Cookie" > wrote in message
m...
> Hi all. . . . .
>
> I have been considering for sometime of switching from pea sized
> gravel to 1-3 inches of fine sand. It is a 50 gallon long tank with 1
> oscar, 4 giant danios, 1 plec, and 1 dragon fish (which would love to
> burrow in the sand.) The pet store only has sal****er and Aragamax
> Sand. What is exactly Aragamax Sand? Is it intended for FRESHWATER
> tanks? Does it contain salt? Would my box filter suck it all up? BTW,
> I don't have a UGF installed. Thanks in advance!

[Cichlidiot]

In rec.aquaria.freshwater.cichlids Cookie > wrote:
> I have been considering for sometime of switching from pea sized
> gravel to 1-3 inches of fine sand. It is a 50 gallon long tank with 1
> oscar, 4 giant danios, 1 plec, and 1 dragon fish (which would love to
> burrow in the sand.) The pet store only has sal****er and Aragamax
> Sand. What is exactly Aragamax Sand? Is it intended for FRESHWATER
> tanks? Does it contain salt? Would my box filter suck it all up? BTW,
> I don't have a UGF installed. Thanks in advance!

I use Aragamax sand (not to be confused with Arag Alive sand, which is
packaged in salt water, same manufacturer) in my rift lake tanks without
issue. My shellies really like to move it around and sift through it. It
seems to be about the right sized grain for their sand digging activities.
I've not had any issues with the power filter during day-to-day
activities, although the sand can get stirred up while refilling after a
water change if I'm not careful, so that's something to keep in mind.

That being said, I'm not sure your particular tank is suited towards
having this kind of sand. It is not inert. It is calcium carbonate and
will break down in the water over time, which will increase GH and KH.
While this is perfect for a rift lake tank, I am not sure how well this
would go over for your oscar. You can find more inert sand like the other
responders have suggested. Or if you're leery about that, for more money
you can probably find a fish store that sells 'plant sand' or, if you want
a different look, there's also black sand. If you have no other options
than the Aragamax or just really prefer it for some reason, I'd say to try
seeing how rapidly it affects your water chemistry first by setting up a
test bucket.

[Cookie]

Cichlidiot > wrote in message >...
> In rec.aquaria.freshwater.cichlids Cookie > wrote:
> > I have been considering for sometime of switching from pea sized
> > gravel to 1-3 inches of fine sand. It is a 50 gallon long tank with 1
> > oscar, 4 giant danios, 1 plec, and 1 dragon fish (which would love to
> > burrow in the sand.) The pet store only has sal****er and Aragamax
> > Sand. What is exactly Aragamax Sand? Is it intended for FRESHWATER
> > tanks? Does it contain salt? Would my box filter suck it all up? BTW,
> > I don't have a UGF installed. Thanks in advance!
>
> I use Aragamax sand (not to be confused with Arag Alive sand, which is
> packaged in salt water, same manufacturer) in my rift lake tanks without
> issue. My shellies really like to move it around and sift through it. It
> seems to be about the right sized grain for their sand digging activities.
> I've not had any issues with the power filter during day-to-day
> activities, although the sand can get stirred up while refilling after a
> water change if I'm not careful, so that's something to keep in mind.
>
> That being said, I'm not sure your particular tank is suited towards
> having this kind of sand. It is not inert. It is calcium carbonate and
> will break down in the water over time, which will increase GH and KH.
> While this is perfect for a rift lake tank, I am not sure how well this
> would go over for your oscar. You can find more inert sand like the other
> responders have suggested. Or if you're leery about that, for more money
> you can probably find a fish store that sells 'plant sand' or, if you want
> a different look, there's also black sand. If you have no other options
> than the Aragamax or just really prefer it for some reason, I'd say to try
> seeing how rapidly it affects your water chemistry first by setting up a
> test bucket.


Thanks for the info! I have been doing some homework on sand lately,
and I have decided that the silica sand used as a filter medium for
pools is of the right size and safeness for the tank. I don't want to
get a sand that is too sharp that will irritate the fish.

--Cookie