DSB sand choice

gkw · 01-14-2006, 10:41 PM

I want the denitrification of a DSB in my fuge...so I was wondering if I can put any kind of playsands(the kind that is reef safe) in my fuge as a DSB....to save some money. In this case, what inverts I can put in the fuge?

Thanks!
GKW

gkw · 01-17-2006, 09:11 AM

anyone??

I understand that it's best to use oolite sand, but oolite can produce the denitrification with the min. of an one inch sand bed.

What about using the sand from Homedepot and make a 4 - 6 inches of sand bed? Would it produce denitrification?

Thanks!
GKW

Blade_Runner · 01-17-2006, 10:03 AM

I have Aragonite playsand from Home Depot in my sump. I pulled 150 lbs of it out of my 210 and replaced it with crushed coral. I think it's better suited to the sump as it really is silty stuff. I now have a 50/50 mix of the HD sand and CC in my 210. It seems to work better. The Aragonite in the sump seems to be doing a good job. The NO3 in my 300 initially climbed to 20-30ish in the break in period before I added the sand. It is now running at 0.

gkw · 01-17-2006, 02:52 PM

What about those silica based sand called Quikrete Playsand? People had been using it and report that it's safe for marine aquarium. Are these small enough for denitrification at 4 - 6 inches sand bed?

Thanks!

Blade_Runner · 01-17-2006, 08:23 PM

Gee, I think the jury is still out on Silica based sand. Aragonite does have the added advantage of adding CA to the tank and additional buffering. There is little price difference between the 2. Aragonite is just a pain to find. Personally, I'd look around for Aragonite. Mechanically, I think bacteria will find a home in either.

gkw · 01-17-2006, 09:31 PM

Blade Runner,

I tried to look for Southdown, Oldcastle, and Yardrite playsand for over a month with no luck. Homedepots, Lowes, local Southdown Inc, and other construction company...all said they don't have it. I have also heard that it's a seasonal item and it should be around this time of the year, am I right?

If the bacteria will be ok in the Quikrete then.....I will put about 90 lbs of the Aragamax (oolite) sand in the main tank, which comes to about 2 inches of fine aragonite sand bed. Then, I will put about 6 inches (about 150 lbs) of the Quikrete playsand in the fuge.

AND then I will use a 20lbs bag of Arag-Alive sand to seed both the main tank and the fuge.

What do you think of this set up?

Thanks alot!

My2heartboys · 01-18-2006, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gkw

I want the denitrification of a DSB in my fuge...so I was wondering if I can put any kind of playsands(the kind that is reef safe) in my fuge as a DSB....to save some money. In this case, what inverts I can put in the fuge?

Thanks!
GKW

GKW,

I originally started with Southdown playsand----WARNING IT WILL CLOUD YOUR WATER FOR DAYS ON END AND WILL GUM UP YOUR EQUIPMENT. Sorry for the all caps, but thought it imperitive that somebody heard this before they do like I did---jump in without asking.

I intially started my sandbed as a part of filtration and part ornamental. Well, in looking at the fish I wanted to get--I knew that I would have to make a deeper sandbed. Then one weekend on a hair--I got a black sea cucumber (after I had covered about half of the top of the bed with a courser sand substrate). Long story short--I am now going to have to slowly vacuum of small parts of the top of the sandbed and place sugar sized (aragonite) sand down in its' place. The sea cuke does not like this courser substrate--spends most of it's time on the glass or the rocks. This is after I have made a mess of my water quality trying to stir the finer stuff up to the top. Word of advice---never do that.

BTW--I had a friend who has had some experience with this sand say that it does not cloud your water or gum up the equipment nearly as bad as the southdown playsand. I imagine you can keep it down more by rinsing this with RO water before placing it in your tank. Will not know this for sure until the first of the month.

Anne

gkw · 01-18-2006, 07:32 PM

Hi, Thanks for all the help!

Now, how about if i were to put 4 inches of Quikrete playsand in my fuge and then put another 2 inches of sugar fine sand on top of that. Would this work?

Thanks!
GKW

karlas · 01-18-2006, 07:51 PM

i would put the finer sand on top it also helps when adding sand if you soak it in a bucket over night then drain the water off then scoop the sand out with a cup or small container and pour it near the bottom of the tank it seems to cut down on cloudiness this way

gkw · 01-18-2006, 08:09 PM

Karlas, if I put the oolite sand on top would it make it to the bottom eventually? and would this affect the DSB and the denitrification?

thanks!