Looking at using CaribSea Hawaiian black sand

I had it for a while.... didn't like it for all the reasons above. Hard to keep clean. I also felt the tank was just too dark. I much prefer white sand having tried the black.

M

 

I used live black sand used for freshwater plants mixed with plain ole sand. Mine tank is almost two months old now. Some stuff does show up but circulation is the key. Everyone that sees my tank says its sexy. But seanizzle and sushi are right. There is a pick in my thread with the sand I used.

Its not Droid, it's me fishies.

 

You don't have a mirror ball for lighting do you? ;D

 

Prolly, Prolly not. ;D

 

OK, so these are the pros and cons I have learned so far regarding black sand.

Cons:

Black shows the debris and detritus that accumulate over time. I don’t like the salt & pepper look very much. (Thanks & Karma to the members who added the pic’s!!)

Black retains heat, I live in Southwest Florida and heat is an issue for me.

Black does not reflect light very well. I would get more bang for my MH buck with white sand, also the underside of some of the corals may not look as good as they would with white sand.

Black sand may contain iron. I heard a horror story about a guy who destroyed his tank because the sand kept getting stuck in his mag-float and scratched the glass, also the potential of the sand getting in powerhead magnets.

Black sand is a bit coarser, it may agitate sand sifters.


Pros:

It looks very very sexy!!!!!

It looks very very sexy!!!!

It looks very very sexy!!!!


Soooooo, I keep thinking of this comparison. I have seen guys who prefer the very very sexy girl over the far more functional one, even after being forewarned of all the facts. (not that I have ever made that mistake) and in the end regret it. The blind, short term lust
for beauty overweighed the more logical choice.

Considering all the facts at this point I am 60% in favor of using the Hawaiian Black Sand. Because it so very very sexy!! I still have about a week before I have to drop it in. I’m sure I will go back and forth a few more times until then.

Thanks again to all who chimed in.

 

Just remember that that sexy chick will screw you over in the end LMAO.

 

WOOW!!!!! I just would like to say that again. WOW!!!!!

 

I don't think black sand looks natural at all. My opinion though.
I have black for my fuge. I couldn't not try it so I figured a fuge was the place to try lol

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I may be too late to help but I have black sand and love it. My fiance doesn't like it because of the salt/pepper look but I think it's cool. It will never look as perfect black when you first get it. I clean it often and it stays the same salt/pepper look. it comes down to preference but it doesn't seem possible to keep it from not mixing or showing other stuff in it. Good luck

 

I liked black sand or black/white mix for my freshwater African Cichlid or Pirahna tanks. IMO I feel that lighter sand looks more natural for a SW tank. It's funny, you'd think darker sand would hide debris more, but it's def harder to keep it clean.

It's like when I bought this gorgeous white Texas Holey Rock for my cichlid tank, I loved it in the first few months, but as time went on it got uglier and uglier with algae, etc.

I vote for white aragonite sand, it will look nicer as it ages with the tank, more natural contrast with live rock, just my two cents & taking nothing away from those that use darker sand.

Check out this older thread debating the same thing, there are some pics for you to see some tanks with the darker sand & more opinions: http://www.3reef.com/forums/sand/jet-black-sand-55957.html