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can you use beach sand for a FW tank?
Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 6:49 pm
by lesleyanndunn
The answer is probably no, but thought I would ask anyway
If you rinse it well until all the salt and dirt is away?
Some have suggested boiled, putting in sun to dry, then boil again?
Or to bleach it to kill nasties, then plenty of dechlorinator to help get rid of bleach and plenty of rinsing?
Or not worth the hassle?
I also read it can affect the ph and hardness of your water?
Re: can you use beach sand for a FW tank?
Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 10:37 am
by RTR
Beach sand may not be pure silica sand. It is likely to be contaminated by other minerals which will affect the water chemistry. It is not worth the processing even for BW oor SW IMHO.
Re: can you use beach sand for a FW tank?
Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 10:46 am
by Mac Myers
+ 1
I thought I posted in some detail on this. Maybe I hate save instead.
You can but since the advent of readily available, "relatively" (unless filling a large tank) cheap substrates no one does for the above mentioned reasons.
Re: can you use beach sand for a FW tank?
Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 10:56 am
by lesleyanndunn
I thought so!
I just bought playsand and some fine black gravel to mix in for a bit of contrast!
Re: can you use beach sand for a FW tank?
Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 11:01 am
by Mac Myers
Good idea!
I like Tahitian Moon Sand.... but that stuff almost had me living under a bridge when I filled a 100 Gal (379 ltr) tank.
Re: can you use beach sand for a FW tank?
Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 12:34 pm
by lesleyanndunn
Mac Myers wrote:Good idea!
I like Tahitian Moon Sand.... but that stuff almost had me living under a bridge when I filled a 100 Gal (379 ltr) tank.
