Black sand - Which one?

[Aqua Splendor]

Hello,

I'm currently looking for black sand and I never used that before, but always dream about it!
There's 2 sand I see that interest me:


Bio-Activ Live Aragonite Beach Live Aquarium Sand in Black
https://amzn.to/2IaP7b6

and

Carib Sea Arag-Alive Substrate
https://amzn.to/2I8UXtx


I'm curious to have some feedback it's for my nano reef challenge 365 competition.
I'm wondering if it still leaches thing in the water, I'm thinking to go with SPS

Thank you

 

[rusty hannon]

Hello,

I'm currently looking for black sand and I never used that before, but always dream about it!
There's 2 sand I see that interest me:


Bio-Activ Live Aragonite Beach Live Aquarium Sand in Black
https://amzn.to/2IaP7b6

and

Carib Sea Arag-Alive Substrate
https://amzn.to/2I8UXtx


I'm curious to have some feedback it's for my nano reef challenge 365 competition.
I'm wondering if it still leaches thing in the water, I'm thinking to go with SPS

Thank you

i m not useing black sand argonite but am useing white argonite in my nano and think its one of my worst decisions.i thought useing argonite would help with my ph which was never really horrible but thought it would give me a little boost.boy was i wrong in fact i havent gotten over 7.99 since the change and ine never had this issue before. oh thats rite after a 50 per. water change. hope all goes well for u .R

 

[AcroNem]

I've used the arag-alive Hawaiian black for several systems, in my 150 it's going on 5 years now. No issues from any system I've seen or used it in, and it looks really good.

 

[OA3B]

I used the CaribSea, no complaints thus far...
These are very early pics of my 20g long, it’s been running roughly 4 or 5 months.

 

[Aqua Splendor]

I used the CaribSea, no complaints thus far...
These are very early pics of my 20g long, it’s been running roughly 4 or 5 months.

Do you have pic without the blue?
How is your PH?do you have a lot of SPS?

 

[Cdeg]

Following along was thinking about this for my new build and seen cons about both. Only thing that worries me is the possibility of metals

 

[hometown9]

I use CaribSea and haven't had issues with the sand, however it is magnetic and sticks to my magnet cleaners and wavemakers. It ended up scratching my glass pretty nasty. Just be careful you don't get it stuck otherwise you'll have a similar experience. Good luck!

 

[OA3B]

Do you have pic without the blue?
How is your PH?do you have a lot of SPS?

Honestly I don’t test my pH as I should. I am afraid of sps due to the fact I’m still learning the balancing act of nutrients and the big three. I do test regularly and do water changes every two weeks.

 

[mitch91175]

The look of sand is more natural, but sand causes many issues in tanks. Ever since I removed my sand from my tank, it has flourished beyond my belief. Doesn't mean it could have with sand, but removing the sand has eliminated majority of the nutrient issues that I have battled in the past with tanks with sand. Plus I am able to grow what I want on the bottom of the tank. Currently have the bottom being covered with zoanthids.

 

[PacoPetty]

I've used the arag-alive Hawaiian black for several systems, in my 150 it's going on 5 years now. No issues from any system I've seen or used it in, and it looks really good.

I second this and you can get it on line at Petco for $16.19 a bag.

 

[AcroNem]

The look of sand is more natural, but sand causes many issues in tanks. Ever since I removed my sand from my tank, it has flourished beyond my belief. Doesn't mean it could have with sand, but removing the sand has eliminated majority of the nutrient issues that I have battled in the past with tanks with sand. Plus I am able to grow what I want on the bottom of the tank. Currently have the bottom being covered with zoanthids.

I don't want to come off as mean or too harsh so I'll apologize in advance, but sand itself doesn't cause issues in someone's system, the person maintaining the system does. Sand is natural and is highly beneficial In a reef system, issues can arise if detritus is allowed to build up or if there is not adequate flow to the top of the sand bed or if it isn't maintained. Keeping the sand turned regularly either through vaccing it during a water change/ by hand or with invertebrates eliminates a lot of the potential issues that could arise.

 

[saturn13]

I used black media blaster material with no issues, it's actually coal slag, looks good all creatures seemed to be ok with it. I din't think it buffers anything and needs a good rinse before use. $10 for 50 lb bag. I had corals, clown fish, fire fish, gobies, various snails and hermits, a sandsifter star and cucmbers.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/black-diamond-medium-blasting-abrasives?cm_vc=-10005

 

[AcroNem]

I used black media blaster material with no issues, it's actually coal slag, looks good all creatures seemed to be ok with it. I din't think it buffers anything and needs a good rinse before use. $10 for 50 lb bag. I had corals, clown fish, fire fish, gobies, various snails and hermits, a sandsifter star and cucmbers.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/black-diamond-medium-blasting-abrasives?cm_vc=-10005

That was the substrate of your reef? Did it rinse clean? Did it just look like carbon? I've never seen or heard of that before.

 

[saturn13]

That was the substrate of your reef? Did it rinse clean? Did it just look like carbon? I've never seen or heard of that before.

Yeah had to rinse in 5 gallon buckets. Ive been meaningbto take a bucket, drill some holes on bottom and line the bottom with landscape cloth that will allow water to pass through, then as you rinse sand water will hopefully flow out bottom and over top to get major debris out.
The stuff wasnt too bad to rinse but weat thicker rubber gloves if stirring with hands
I've used in reef and freshwater tanks, a nice black and somebreflective/shinyness - to me looked real good.

 

[reeftivo]

I use CaribSea and haven't had issues with the sand, however it is magnetic and sticks to my magnet cleaners and wavemakers. It ended up scratching my glass pretty nasty. Just be careful you don't get it stuck otherwise you'll have a similar experience. Good luck!

+2

my mag picked up some particles and it scratched the heck out of one of my panes. Didn't help that i was cleaning in the a.m. before the lights came on so partly my fault. I had to be real careful not to get too close to the substrate after that. It looked really good though and worked well, but i just couldn't get over the scratch incident and was concerned that if it has particles that will stick to my magnet, then what else is in it. I've since vacuumed out most of it and put mostly reef flakes back in.

 

[Hemmdog]

+2

my mag picked up some particles and it scratched the heck out of one of my panes. Didn't help that i was cleaning in the a.m. before the lights came on so partly my fault. I had to be real careful not to get too close to the substrate after that. It looked really good though and worked well, but i just couldn't get over the scratch incident and was concerned that if it has particles that will stick to my magnet, then what else is in it. I've since vacuumed out most of it and put mostly reef flakes back in.

If it is magnetic you realize there is heavy metals in it right? Which the corrosive saltwater will deteriorate over time, thus leaching heavy metals into your reef.
I wouldn’t put black sand in my reef even if you paid me $10,000 a year

 

[Aqua Splendor]

I used black media blaster material with no issues, it's actually coal slag, looks good all creatures seemed to be ok with it. I din't think it buffers anything and needs a good rinse before use. $10 for 50 lb bag. I had corals, clown fish, fire fish, gobies, various snails and hermits, a sandsifter star and cucmbers.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/black-diamond-medium-blasting-abrasives?cm_vc=-10005

Not sure to understand what it's made of? Aragonite?

If it is magnetic you realize there is heavy metals in it right? Which the corrosive saltwater will deteriorate over time, thus leaching heavy metals into your reef.
I wouldn’t put black sand in my reef even if you paid me $10,000 a year

Iron is something corals need