southdown test

[scarletknight06]

I know the test as to whether or not southdown is safe to use is to pour vinegar on it or something, but what should the result be if it is safe to use? and what is the result if it is unsafe?
TIA

[AZDesertRat]

Its not really whether its safe or not, what you are trying to determine is if the sand is calcium based or silica based.
If it calcium it will bubble and dissolve, if its silica you may a slight bubbling as it may not be pure silica but nothing like calcium sand.

[chem_fun]

Where can you get southdown? Last time I went into home depot, they didn't have any.

[LtPiper]

It's now called yard right play sand and can be found at some Walmart locations.

[chem_fun]

SWEET...thanks

[scarletknight06]

i assume the calcium based sand is what you want then

[Mache62]

yes

[slothguy]

Wal-Mart sells it with the label Kolorscape Play Sand. You can look at the label and the manufacturer will be Old Castle. I think that is right. I just searched the entire county to find it. They had it at one Wal-Mart and sold a different non-aragonite sand at another. So, if one doesn't have it, keep looking at other area Wal-Marts. Good luck.

[mako199]

Kolorscape is nice white sand but its not always aragonite many people have tested it this spring from home depot and if failed every time. But I dont think it really matters if its aragonite but it would be nice if it was.

[James77]

Mine was labled Durascape- made by Old Castle and bought at Home Depot, and it turned out to be aragonite.

[slothguy]

I bought it at Wal-Mart last week and it was aragonite. But buy a bag ($2.78) and test it.

[chem_fun]

Anyone found any near Grand Rapids, MI?

[Reef_bones]

From experience with play sand:

It doesn't matter if you use silica sand or the ever elusive aragonite. The main reason people want the arago anyway is for its buffering capabilities, but once again its a misunderstood concept. Unless your running your tanks ph at 6.0 your not going to get any real benefit from that. In order for it to work the sand will dissolve, if it was really buffering in a tank you would eventually end up with no sand. Silica and silicates are not the same thing. Silica is what the glass and silicone in your tank is made from anyway. I been running it for years. As far as the vinegar test, it really proves nothing. Silica sand can and sometimes will bubble the same way. It all depends on what the sand is composed of. Grain size is key to a good sand bed.

[LtPiper]

After some research it turns out the full name of the Calcium based sand is Yard Right Tropical play sand.

[scarletknight06]

well when i tested the sand i got pouring vinegar in it did nothing, what does that mean

[James77]

That it is not aragonite based.

[scarletknight06]

it was hard to tell but it might have dissolved some of it, maybe that is just wishful thinking.

so i shouldnt use this stuff in my tank? or is it ok?

[AZDesertRat]

Lots of people use silica based sand in aquariums with no problems.

[scarletknight06]

I know a lot of people have to cure their reef ceramics rocks b/c at first they leech silicates. Is that something I need to worry about? Will it even leech silicates? If it does, does that even matter?