DSB

I went and got paver sand at Homedepot out of habit. Am I supposed to use
play sand? The paver sand isn't very consistent.

--
Jim

You need a calcium based sand. A silica based sand
can be used, but a calcium based sand is better.

Wayne Sallee



jthread wrote on 11/29/2007 6:02 PM:
I went and got paver sand at Homedepot out of habit. Am I supposed to use
play sand? The paver sand isn't very consistent.

"Wayne Sallee" wrote in message
...
You need a calcium based sand. A silica based sand can be used, but a
calcium based sand is better.

Wayne Sallee



I got Caribbean Live sand. $55 for 40 lbs. Claims to reduce nitrates. "Real
Aragonite" Whatever that means.

Jim

jthread wrote:
I got Caribbean Live sand. $55 for 40 lbs. Claims to reduce nitrates. "Real
Aragonite" Whatever that means.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aragonite

It's what you want. It's usually comes from calcareous endoskeleton
corals, so it's basically dead coral that has turned to sand by grinding
action.

"Wayne Sallee" wrote in message
...
You need a calcium based sand. A silica based sand can be used, but a
calcium based sand is better.

Wayne Sallee



jthread wrote on 11/29/2007 6:02 PM:
I went and got paver sand at Homedepot out of habit. Am I supposed to use
play sand? The paver sand isn't very consistent.


How's it look now. Better?

http://www.safaricabs.com/tankdsb.jpg

Jim

Yea that looks good.

Wayne Sallee



jthread wrote on 11/30/2007 8:32 PM:
"Wayne Sallee" wrote in message
...
You need a calcium based sand. A silica based sand can be used, but a
calcium based sand is better.

Wayne Sallee



jthread wrote on 11/29/2007 6:02 PM:
I went and got paver sand at Homedepot out of habit. Am I supposed to use
play sand? The paver sand isn't very consistent.


How's it look now. Better?

http://www.safaricabs.com/tankdsb.jpg

Jim

Hi Jim,

I suggest that you read at least one of these three articles:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...ture/index.php

http://web.archive.org/web/200208060.../1/default.asp

http://web.archive.org/web/200012122...wb/default.asp

These are all by Ron Shimek, the guy who essentially "invented" the
concept of using a sand bed to process excess nutrients in a home
aquarium. In a nutshell they each explain why there are basically
three (closely interrelated) things that are important to a
functioning DSB:

1. The range of particle sizes that make up the sand.

2. The depth of the bed.

3. The diversity of the organisms that live in and on the sand.

Subsequent to these articles being published Shimek has added a fourth
parameter: Sand bed area, saying that "edge effects" make it difficult
to impossible to maintain the necessary DSB biological diversity in a
tank smaller than about 40 gallons. IOW: A DSB in a small sump,
refugium, or bucket is pretty much a waste of time in terms of
nutrient processing.

Each article specifically makes the point that the mineral make-up of
the sand is not important so long as there is nothing toxic in the
mix.

It's likely that the sand in your tank is just fine so your next move
should be to buy, beg, borrow, or st...(never mind) a number of
'innoculants' for your DSB from friends' or LFS's tanks and/or
detrivore kits from various on-line merchants. Also, figure on re-
inoculating your DSB periodically (once or twice a year). BTW: The
live sand you bought mainly contains bacteria but it's unlikely to
have much else in the way of infauna.

HTH.

Sedimentarily yours,

Alex

"Tidepool Geek" wrote in message ...
The live sand you bought mainly contains bacteria but it's unlikely to
have much else in the way of infauna.

Unlikely?? Are you kidding?
Will have NOTHING else, becasue nothing else would
survive shelf life in the sealed plastic bag.

But I would mix both sands since the coraline sand
could be pritier than the paver sand - I would put
paver sand on the bottom layer than coraline from bag.

Tidepool Geek wrote on 12/1/2007 2:28 AM:
These are all by Ron Shimek, the guy who essentially "invented" the
concept of using a sand bed to process excess nutrients in a home
aquarium.

LOL I'm going to invent the idea of growing plants
in dirt, inside the house. :-)

Wayne Sallee

"Wayne Sallee" wrote in message ...
Tidepool Geek wrote on 12/1/2007 2:28 AM:
These are all by Ron Shimek, the guy who essentially "invented" the
concept of using a sand bed to process excess nutrients in a home
aquarium.

LOL I'm going to invent the idea of growing plants
in dirt, inside the house. :-)

Was this idea used before him popularizing it as "DSB"?