Beach sand

Jedi1199

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Hi,

I live in California, about 2 hours drive to the Pacific Ocean. My question is, could I simply take a run out to the coast and collect a few bucketfulls of sand and use it in my tank? I cannot see how natural sand, that has existed for millennia, would be detrimental to a reef aquarium? Does anyone have actual experience with this?

Edit: Obviously, I would boil it and dry it thoroughly before introducing it to my tank.

Thanks,
Steve
 
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P-Dub

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You do not want to use sand from California. The makeup of the sand in temperate oceans is completely different from tropical oceans. California sand is primarily decomposed granite made up primarily of felspar, quartz, and biotite. Tropical sand is primarily ground up and digested coral skeletons. The parrotfish and similar species are the primary sand creators in the tropical reef. Additionally, we are trying to avoid silicates in the reef tank at all costs. Quartz is the most common polymorph of crystalline silica. So, in a word, no.
 
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Jedi1199

Jedi1199

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Thank you P-Dub.. That makes sense... One big problem I have had in my freshwater tank is "Brown Algae" which, as we all know is not actually algae at all, but single cell organisms that feed off of silica and other undesirable elements (Amazing we all lived this long drinking from the hose or municipal tap water). It is almost impossible to control once established and rears its ugly head constantly. I would hate to go through all the effort and expense of buying equipment to prevent this, only to have the sand itself be the cause of such an outbreak. Guess I will just have to buy crushed coral and that be that.

Thanks,
Steve
 

P-Dub

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Thank you P-Dub.. That makes sense... One big problem I have had in my freshwater tank is "Brown Algae" which, as we all know is not actually algae at all, but single cell organisms that feed off of silica and other undesirable elements (Amazing we all lived this long drinking from the hose or municipal tap water). It is almost impossible to control once established and rears its ugly head constantly. I would hate to go through all the effort and expense of buying equipment to prevent this, only to have the sand itself be the cause of such an outbreak. Guess I will just have to buy crushed coral and that be that.

Thanks,
Steve
Here for you and the success of your reef, Steve.
 

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