Black vs White Live Sand

[710Reefer]

Want to find out the pros and cons of the 2, if any. I like the look of black sand, then again im hearing things about keeping it clean & how it will change color over time. White sand always looks natural imo, but again black brings out some great color on the corals.

What do you think? Keep my black sand, or take it back to my lfs & get white?

[Cloudburst2000]

There is black sand in the biocube I got from my brother-in-law. I probably wouldn't initially chosen black sanf myself but it does look good in that tank. It's been in there probaly for about three to four years and still looks black to me. The only problem with black sand is that you can't use magnetic glass cleaners as black sand has particles that are magnetic and will get on the magnet potentially scratching the tank.

[Fishy 1]

I personally think black sand looks very fake and only belongs in a gold fish tank and not a reef. But it does contrast well to the corals. I think maintaining the color won't be a problem and cleaning it should be the same as normal sand. I like my normal sand over black:thumbsup:.

[eatbreakfast]

If you get a lot of corals, I find the white chips and fragments mix with the black and it begins to look more grey and "asphalty"

[skimjim]

i did black sand years ago. it definitely darkens the tank and you lose all that overall "pop" of colors.

personally the only way i'd use black sand is if i did some kind of "volcano" theme.

[710Reefer]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I agree with the unnatural look it gives the tank. Are there any issues with keeping fish or any kind or shrimp & goby pair when running black sand? I think im going back to white. Yes guys, you can go BACK lmao..