silica sand for dino control

[mook1178]

My original reef tank, 15 or so years ago, was started in Georgia. I lived near the beach and grabbed some sand for the tank from the beach. Georgia Sand is mainly silicate sand from the erosion of granite. I never had an issue with dinos in that tank.

I am now starting a new tank, used around 80lbs of dry rock and 10 lbs of love rock from KP Aquatics. I am now having a small outbreak of dinos. Instead of dosing phosphate, I have some shells with eat coast sand. I thought about dumping that sand in the tank. That wild provide a steady stream of silicates.

Anyone see any downside to this?

 

[Dan_P]

My original reef tank, 15 or so years ago, was started in Georgia. I lived near the beach and grabbed some sand for the tank from the beach. Georgia Sand is mainly silicate sand from the erosion of granite. I never had an issue with dinos in that tank.

I am now starting a new tank, used around 80lbs of dry rock and 10 lbs of love rock from KP Aquatics. I am now having a small outbreak of dinos. Instead of dosing phosphate, I have some shells with eat coast sand. I thought about dumping that sand in the tank. That wild provide a steady stream of silicates.

Anyone see any downside to this?

Not sure that much silica will dissolve.

 

[taricha]

Silica sand, at least in the version of "play sand" is a source of Si on the order of ppm. So it isn't crazy, but beach silica sand may not provide near that much (solubility as Dan said), and play sand might also introduce a lot of other things you'd have no interest in.

 

[mook1178]

I would definitely not use play sand. That is probably a good point to make in case someone sees this thread.

My evidence is anecdotal at best for sure, but as I mentioned I used beach sand heavy in silicates in my first tank and never had a problem with dinoflagellates. Though that could be because I used live sand. However, diatoms grew like wild fire. Also these are the same silicates that are the source for the silicates in the ocean. I am quite sure they are soluble, just a low solubility.

I think I will add some and report back. I know my rock is sucking up Phosphate right now so we'll see. Can't hurt might help type of thing.

 

[Subsea]

I dose silica, iodine, concentrate liquid kelp and ammonia to stay ahead on Dinoflagellates and to grow ornamental sponges along with ornamental seaweed.

Diatoms are a type of phytoplankton and a good thing in a reef.


https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts...hytoplankton are dinoflagellates and diatoms.Dinoflagellates, diatoms, and cyanobacteria constitute the three main types of phytoplankton found in the photic zones of aquatic environments. The photic zone refers to the upper layer of a body of water where sunlight penetrates.