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- Sep 30, 2019
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So I've seen a couple posts about this, but I felt the need to share my experience with this sand and my strong opinion towards it.
I waited about 3/4 weeks to verify if the actual problem stemmed from the sand or something else. I did no other changes with my tank in terms of flow, filtration, lighting, or anything except changing out the sand.
About 2 months ago I started noticing everything in my tank taking a turn. Zoas weren't opening up like they used to, acans were beginning to recede and losing new heads, SPS started stripping and dying very quickly, and EVERYTHING stopped growing.
There were a lot of opinions on what it could be and a lot of helpful advice. Ultimately, after really sitting down and thinking about it, it seemed like heavy metals were being leached into the tank. Nothing in my tank had metal, except the sand, which stuck to my magnets and cleaners, and that got me thinking. This sand is NOT inert.
Now, I've read posts on older versions of this sand not having this issue, but it seems like this new stuff does.
I ended up changing out the entire sandbed and can happily say everything has bounced back, and not only that, they're growing!
I have a new baby blasto head forming for the first time since getting the coral for over 6 months! Zoas, now popping up new heads that weren't showing any growth during those last two months. And even my birdsnest, that I thought was a goner, is making a come back.
I just felt the need to share so other reefers can maybe take from my experience and maybe avoid any complicated issues for their tanks. I wish I had known when I first got it, would have saved me a lot time and money losing a few corals along the way.
Sometimes you live and learn!
I waited about 3/4 weeks to verify if the actual problem stemmed from the sand or something else. I did no other changes with my tank in terms of flow, filtration, lighting, or anything except changing out the sand.
About 2 months ago I started noticing everything in my tank taking a turn. Zoas weren't opening up like they used to, acans were beginning to recede and losing new heads, SPS started stripping and dying very quickly, and EVERYTHING stopped growing.
There were a lot of opinions on what it could be and a lot of helpful advice. Ultimately, after really sitting down and thinking about it, it seemed like heavy metals were being leached into the tank. Nothing in my tank had metal, except the sand, which stuck to my magnets and cleaners, and that got me thinking. This sand is NOT inert.
Now, I've read posts on older versions of this sand not having this issue, but it seems like this new stuff does.
I ended up changing out the entire sandbed and can happily say everything has bounced back, and not only that, they're growing!
I have a new baby blasto head forming for the first time since getting the coral for over 6 months! Zoas, now popping up new heads that weren't showing any growth during those last two months. And even my birdsnest, that I thought was a goner, is making a come back.
I just felt the need to share so other reefers can maybe take from my experience and maybe avoid any complicated issues for their tanks. I wish I had known when I first got it, would have saved me a lot time and money losing a few corals along the way.
Sometimes you live and learn!