What sand to use?

[jmorgret]

Ok, I am going to replace my sand when I move my tank this weekend. I read thru most of the Everything You wanted to Know About Southdown thread and I realize it is no longer obtainable. What are people using instead? The regular stuff at Home Depot or what?

[poppin_fresh]

I have used aragonite sand from the LFS (expensive but nice and white) and regular silica based play sand (very cheap but not as white). Both have worked fine.

[ihopss]

I use Aragonite sand,It pack's very good for me,and it look's clean.

[ttomkat1]

I am using the Argonite sand as well in my 120G. So far I like it.

---ttomkat1

[jmorgret]

Is that the sand you get from the LFS? I know the southdown is no longer available.

[mg426]

Aragonite here too.

[FishTri]

Is there a sand that isn't the expensive aragonite, but is whiter than the yellowish playsand they have at HD and Lowe's?

[coast2coast7390]

i used playsand in my pond and its grey compared to the sand from the LFS...i only did this for cost reasons because i needed 200lbs of sand and that would have cost me close to $150...it turned my water SUPER murky for 3 days...personally i like the color of that taihitan moon sand<black>...the next tim i set up a tank thats the color its gonna be...it really brings out the color of the fish and corals

[Sabreman0001]

had the black sand mixed with southdoWn...coast...just be aware that the black sand shows all the detritus and dirt very easily...I fully agree when it is clean..you cannot beat the look, but when it gets dirty...forget it....looks horrible...just an FYI

[bramjansen]

Drfistersmith dot com. Just ordered the small fine aragnoite from caribsea (.1 to 1.2 mm) Is pretty white (a litle on the beige site). I love it! Very cheap, charge by the cost not the lbs. 120 lbs was 10$ in shipping

[israelnajar]

I would definitely pay the extra for the LFS sand if you are going fo aragonite. I used the pavestone stuff when I first set up my tank due to cost restraints and I should have waited. That stuff will be ok for a DSB in a bucket or refuge but not a main display. Here are some before and after photos I took. From when I changed out my sand bed a few days ago.

Before
http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q187/israelnajar/DIY%20Reef/DSC04179.jpg

After
http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q187/israelnajar/DIY%20Reef/DSC04820.jpg

[Am4nn]

I dont see the difference in the before and after.

[israelnajar]

Sorry fixed the pictures. The thumbnail view doesnt show much difference.

[lamphere]

I'm using the kolorscape playsand from walmart, cant beat the price 3.06 for 50 lbs. It passes the fizz test. Only way i could afford 300 plus lbs for my 125.

[israelnajar]

I dont think you can find the right color scape at all the walmarts. I looked here for that as well and only found the colored silica based.

[Saltwater_Dog]

Carib live sand. Excellent

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=16764&N=2004+113554