Southdown tropical play sand

Hello;

A few years ago I bought 400 lbs of a tropical playsand called southdown
at home depot for about $4 for a 50 pound bag. This worked great for my reef
tank because it was argonite based. I wanted to get some more but heard they
are out of business. Is there any other sand being used these days that is
similiar?

thanks

Bob

"emorbius" wrote in message ...
A few years ago I bought 400 lbs of a tropical playsand called southdown
at home depot for about $4 for a 50 pound bag. This worked great for my reef
tank because it was argonite based. I wanted to get some more but heard they
are out of business.

Yes, I tried to get couple of bags recently and they are nowhere to be found.

Is there any other sand being used these days that is similiar?

I do not know of any calcium-based sand, but acording to DSB promotor
dr Ron Shimek, any fine sand will do well to be DSB sand, silica sand included.
Sand particles in a reef tank are quickly covered with bacteria film and
they stop acting as a calcium buffer in a pure chemical way pretty soon.
After a while it does not matter what the sand is made of because this
bacteria film is kind of insulating water from chemically reacting with sand.

"Pszemol" wrote in message
...
"emorbius" wrote in message
...
A few years ago I bought 400 lbs of a tropical playsand called
southdown at home depot for about $4 for a 50 pound bag. This worked
great for my reef tank because it was argonite based. I wanted to get
some more but heard they are out of business.

Yes, I tried to get couple of bags recently and they are nowhere to be
found.

Is there any other sand being used these days that is similiar?

I do not know of any calcium-based sand, but acording to DSB promotor
dr Ron Shimek, any fine sand will do well to be DSB sand, silica sand
included.
Sand particles in a reef tank are quickly covered with bacteria film and
they stop acting as a calcium buffer in a pure chemical way pretty soon.
After a while it does not matter what the sand is made of because this
bacteria film is kind of insulating water from chemically reacting with
sand.


I have about 400lbs of this left for future tank growth use. I bought 12
bags when I finally found some last year(bought all they had). It was also
labeled under the name "Yardright" and was distributed by the same company.
Good luck finding any as there are a bunch of people trying on "Reefcentral"
board with no luck.
Hope you can fair better and your chances are higher on the north east coast
of finding any.

Cant help you out on a good substitute but with the knowledge here on the NG
I`m sure someone has a good safe sand to use.

Has this idea been tested in low oxygen areas deep in the
sand?

Also what about things that eat the sand, like sea cucumbers.

Calcium sand is sure not going to keep the calcium levels
up for a reef tank, but did he look at all aspects of what
happens to the sand?

Yes, someone can have a successful reef tank with a silica
sand bottom, but I'm not convinced that the calcium sand
isn't better.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



Pszemol wrote on 3/22/2006 10:44 AM:
"emorbius" wrote in message
...
A few years ago I bought 400 lbs of a tropical playsand called
southdown at home depot for about $4 for a 50 pound bag. This worked
great for my reef tank because it was argonite based. I wanted to get
some more but heard they are out of business.

Yes, I tried to get couple of bags recently and they are nowhere to be
found.

Is there any other sand being used these days that is similiar?

I do not know of any calcium-based sand, but acording to DSB promotor
dr Ron Shimek, any fine sand will do well to be DSB sand, silica sand
included.
Sand particles in a reef tank are quickly covered with bacteria film and
they stop acting as a calcium buffer in a pure chemical way pretty soon.
After a while it does not matter what the sand is made of because this
bacteria film is kind of insulating water from chemically reacting with
sand.

Wayne Sallee wrote:

Has this idea been tested in low oxygen areas deep in the sand?

Also what about things that eat the sand, like sea cucumbers.

What we have here is (Pensacola Beach) Silica Based Sand and all our
wild critters seem happy..
Pure White, I mean pure white!! It even squeaks when you walk on it. :-)


--
Ric Seyler
Online Racing: RicSeyler
GPL Handicap 6.35

http://www.pcola.gulf.net/~ricseyler
remove -SPAM- from email address
--------------------------------------
"Homer no function beer well without."
- H.J. Simpson

Those of you that have silica type sand. Would you happen to be using
in a Deep Sand Bed environment of 3 inches or greater by chance?

I ask cause I am curious if it seems to be working out for you really
well or not. I am looking into building a Deep Sand bed type sump for
my own. Read here and their and all sources I have found all recommend
argonite type bed but none seem to mention any sort of pro/cons to
say silica or just any other material period.

The depth is for an oxygen free area to develop.
It wouldn't mater is you were using Cal or Silica.

My SPS reefs I always used CaribSea FigiPink...
I had a couple "stepchild" tanks with various stuff in them
and never had a particular problem I could point to the Silica
sand I scooped out of my backyard.

AverageSchmuck wrote:

Those of you that have silica type sand. Would you happen to be using
in a Deep Sand Bed environment of 3 inches or greater by chance?

I ask cause I am curious if it seems to be working out for you really
well or not. I am looking into building a Deep Sand bed type sump for
my own. Read here and their and all sources I have found all recommend
argonite type bed but none seem to mention any sort of pro/cons to
say silica or just any other material period.





--
Ric Seyler
Online Racing: RicSeyler
GPL Handicap 6.35

http://www.pcola.gulf.net/~ricseyler
remove –SPAM- from email address
--------------------------------------
"Homer no function beer well without."
- H.J. Simpson

AverageSchmuck wrote:
Those of you that have silica type sand. Would you happen to be using
in a Deep Sand Bed environment of 3 inches or greater by chance?

I ask cause I am curious if it seems to be working out for you really
well or not. I am looking into building a Deep Sand bed type sump for
my own. Read here and their and all sources I have found all recommend
argonite type bed but none seem to mention any sort of pro/cons to
say silica or just any other material period.


I have used silica sand for a DSB aprox 5 inches without any problems,
other than having to be careful when using my cleaning magnet, the
silica is as hard as the glass and so it can scratch the glass a lot
easier than the aragonite sand will. The critters will not know the
difference, I have sand sifting cuc's and lots of little critters in the
silica sand without any problems. I purchased some silica sand
ballasting sand, I got a ver fine grit for around 10 buxs a 50 pound bag.

Kim

So that's what you are doing in your tank when nobody's
home :-)

Yea I'm not saying that one can't have a sucsefull reef
tank with silica sand. That would not be true. But what I
am saying, is that I don't think that the idea that "the
calcium sand provides no benefit over the silica sand" is
correct.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



RicSeyler wrote on 3/23/2006 3:51 PM:


Wayne Sallee wrote:

Has this idea been tested in low oxygen areas deep in the sand?

Also what about things that eat the sand, like sea cucumbers.

What we have here is (Pensacola Beach) Silica Based Sand and all our
wild critters seem happy..
Pure White, I mean pure white!! It even squeaks when you walk on it. :-)

If you through a penny in your reef tank, bacteria will
grow over it. So does that bacteria prevent the copper
from dissolving into the water?

Answer: no

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



Wayne Sallee wrote on 3/23/2006 5:04 PM:
So that's what you are doing in your tank when nobody's home :-)

Yea I'm not saying that one can't have a sucsefull reef tank with silica
sand. That would not be true. But what I am saying, is that I don't
think that the idea that "the calcium sand provides no benefit over the
silica sand" is correct.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



RicSeyler wrote on 3/23/2006 3:51 PM:


Wayne Sallee wrote:

Has this idea been tested in low oxygen areas deep in the sand?

Also what about things that eat the sand, like sea cucumbers.

What we have here is (Pensacola Beach) Silica Based Sand and all our
wild critters seem happy..
Pure White, I mean pure white!! It even squeaks when you walk on it. :-)