The Puffer Forum

Hey guys

Is plain white sand ok for a Marine tank?

Thanks

you can use any sand you want... but plain sand doesn't have the buffering capability that aragonite has.

In FW tanks clay based soils are preferred because they promote plant growth. In SW set ups it is usually calcium based substrates.

plain white as in the color? chose whatever color you like

just know, that there are two naturally occurring sands in nature. one is calcium carbonate, which is what is used for aquariums. the other is a type of silicate, which is not used for aquariums because it is harder than glass, so it easily scratches glass and acryllic even more so.

aragonite sands are made of calcium carbonate. the purpose of using this is as JP stated, for buffering capabilities.

some advertise as "live" sand. don't bother with these. they sit on shelves so long that they are dead. so long as you use some sort of calcium based sand, you should be fine. you can use live rock to seed the sand and that will make it live.

What? Not quite IMHO.

Clarification:

Silica based sands are extremely common in tanks, especially FW tanks as they are inert. Glass is normlly made from silica sands. it can be used in BW and SW tanks, but is not beneficial there.

Calcium/magnesium based sands affect the water parameters (both GH and KH, and also pH due to the KH effect) and are are beneficial in alkaline FW tanks (Rift Lake tanks) and BW and SW tanks for that very reason.

All sands can scratch glass if you are careless. Ditto for tuffa rock and pumice, and the fines from such - which have different compositions from sands. Live rock can also scrath glass, ditto the fines from such, and those are Ca/Mg carbonate and bicarbonate based just like the non-inert sands which are generated from them.

HTH

i didn't know that about the silicate sands. that's just what i was taught - thumbs up for the info

LOL at your pidgeon in your "My Puffers"
You when make me get homesick

Welcome back DRRT!