Sand that’s not love sand

[russells55]

I might… get a 70/90gal tank

Just wondering what my options are for sand or if I’m missing something

I currently have a fluval 32 gal and also some saltwater small tanks and live rock brewing.
So I’m not concerned about the cycle , bacteria, live rock etc.

I just need sand

I currently have this in my 32 gal

CaribSea 8479009203 ACS000920 Ocean Direct Natural Live Sand for Aquarium, 20-Pound https://a.co/d/9tSM5n6

Anything I can use that’s not fake live and so expensive.


Thanks

 

[Slocke]

In saltwater we generally use calcium carbonate sand as it helps maintain alkalinity for corals and as a buffer for pH. You can use sand for freshwater but you want to be careful. Many of these sands contain quartz which is silicate which may cause bad diatoms and many are painted or dyed and don't do well in saltwater tanks because the paint comes off.

Caribsea has seemingly cornered the market of saltwater sand and they have 3 different types at different grades.
Ocean direct - live sand from the ocean $$$
Arag alive - sand with saltwater and bottled bacteria added $$
Dry - dry $

If your tank is cycled or if you'd rather cycle in some other way either go dry or go with a carefully selected freshwater sand.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Idk if you can get it in Canada for this price, but Petco has a couple of varieties of 20 pound bags of Caribsea sand for $15 right now... I was going to go with dry, but this was actually cheaper!

 

[mdb_talon]

If you are asking about "love sand" then I don't even want to know

Seriously though just search for "reef substrate". Will usually be aragonite based and many options not "live"

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Idk if you can get it in Canada for this price, but Petco has a couple of varieties of 20 pound bags of Caribsea sand for $15 right now... I was going to go with dry, but this was actually cheaper!

Here are a couple more options... 40# of dry from Petco, PetSmart, and Amazon, but looks like the sales end soon...

 

[parkwaytrash]

If you are asking about "love sand" then I don't even want to know

Seriously though just search for "reef substrate". Will usually be aragonite based and many options not "live"

I really wanted to make a comment about this too. If there is any love in my sand, those snails are doing it !

 

[RedoubtReef]

I really wanted to make a comment about this too. If there is any love in my sand, those snails are doing it !

that love sand will get into places you don't want it.

 

[russells55]

Lol love sand.

Thanks for all the comments though maybe I just didn’t check Amazon enough.

However the prices in Canada online for a lot of this is still not cheap but now I know what I’m looking for. Will have to check out some chain stores around here.

Silica is the worst though, a few years back I slowly switched my 10 gal guppie tank over to saltwater . The diatoms never stopped.
Turned my sand was full of silica because it was cheap freshwater sand.

Not making that mistake again

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Lol love sand.

Thanks for all the comments though maybe I just didn’t check Amazon enough.

However the prices in Canada online for a lot of this is still not cheap but now I know what I’m looking for. Will have to check out some chain stores around here.

Silica is the worst though, a few years back I slowly switched my 10 gal guppie tank over to saltwater . The diatoms never stopped.
Turned my sand was full of silica because it was cheap freshwater sand.

Not making that mistake again

All sand will have silica... It's what it's made of.

"Silica (Quartz) is chemical compound silicon dioxide SiO2. Silica is often found in nature as sand "

 

[Slocke]

All sand will have silica... It's what it's made of.

"Silica (Quartz) is chemical compound silicon dioxide SiO2. Silica is often found in nature as sand "

It's why use aragonite which is calcium carbonate. Fiji pink has some quartz in it but only a tiny bit.