Found Old castle white play sand in Chicago Land

Wouldn't you know just after spending $120 on some figi pink I notice the Home depot right around the corner has that sand that is called Old castle white play sand!! I think it's the right stuff too.... But I did notice that it says right on the bag that it contains silicates... is this the right stuff or what...

Maybe I'll pick up a bag a take a pic of it so you all can see... hell it might be worth buying the whole pallet and holding on to it... or to share with my fellow reefers..

 

Don't sweat silicates that much

HI,
I use a phos reactor to remove silicates and I usally wash sand and soak it a day or two before adding.
I find the really fine sand works better than those expensive crushed coral or even the argonite sands as long as you have a it a few inches thick and I usally put one bag of argonite on top.
But many of the DSB experts say silica dosen't dissolve in sea water from sand it comes already insolution with the tap water thats been treated.
I haven't had any problems with mine nock on wood.
My brisstle worms love it, the snails love it, and my pistol shrimp hates it cause it caves in so he shores up the sand with crushed coral pieces he's the best darn castle builder with crushed coral and that sugar sand.
Its Ammazing the work he done if a few weeks. every rock has a tube under it with a quick exit, of the brisstle worms come into the cave hunting molting pistol,shrimps.
my local PHD marine bio says argonite dosen't work unless the ph hits 7.8 or lower mine never gets to 8.2 cause I use kalkwasser that spike KH and PH. So my arogonite has never used to buffer.


notice the black layer under the sand, its a flume that removes nitrates and NH3 and turns hydrogen sulfite to iron based salt .
Many people don't understand DSB's they can only crash if the organisms that support them go extinct due limited gene pools most orgnaism can't have binary reproduction for ever.

My primary sump has 50 pounds of builder sand and washed 40 pounds of that laval rock in apile in the center and a 1 dollar plant reforguim shoe box, high tech low expense. And two skimmers

Doug

 

Tanked001 if you are in the western suburbs I actually have 2 5gal buckets of left over LS from my old 75gal. All it would need is a rince and it will be good to go.
If your interested just shoot me over a PM

 

I really don't NEED any more sand now but the way this hobby has been going for me I'm sure I'll want some more later.
If that old castle sand is useful I'd hate to pass it up for only 3 4 bucks a bag even if sits for years...
Anyhow, I think I'm pick up a few bags.. I'll post a pic when I do...

djnzlab1, Thanks for the info... I also run a phos reactor and switch up media depending on what I'm attaching... nitrates... silicates... so on.

jtReef, I'm in the Orland area (southwest burbs) I really don't NEED any sand but you never know... If I ever do or know anyone that does I'll keep you mind... Thanks agian

 

Hey JT, I'll take a bucket O sand! I need some for upcoming pico projects

We still gotta check each others stuff out too!