Black Sand, is it safe?

osi · 03/05/2011, 11:23 AM

Hello guys and girls need some expert advice with some sand i found on one of our remote shores. It’s a kind of black and purple colour sand and almost identical to "Caribsea super natural tahitian moon black sand"

Locals said its build up when sea is rough and washed away few weeks after when sea become calm again.

I want to use this stuff to build my DSB in my main display tank. I have another remote DSB which use normal sand as well. The question is can I use this in my system? Is it reef safe?

If someone can identify this plz let me know.

Thanks.

osi · 03/05/2011, 11:44 AM

hmm something wrong with the pictures. but if u click on them and open in a different window u can see it.

Cheers.

chogendoorn · 03/05/2011, 01:11 PM

I can't see them at all, can't click on them either.

cakemanPA · 03/05/2011, 03:02 PM

The Tahitian moon sand is save, but it does have metalic/magnetic properties to it. Being black it also absorbs light so the tank will look darker.

syrinx · 03/05/2011, 03:34 PM

Yeah I think he is talking the native shi lanka sand. Since it is a seasonal thing- I would wonder its composition. You could test it in a bucket with a couple snails or a damsel. I would at least run a magnet through it to see if it is metallic. My experience with dark substrates is that unless the fish are from that sort of bottom, they will not show their full colors. It also shows waste more obviously- and the commercial types also tend to scratch glass worse than lighter calcium based sands do.

HanoverFist · 03/05/2011, 05:07 PM

I am using half Black Beach Sand #2 and half Tahitian Moon.

So far the claims of magnetism, etc are unproven for me. Never had a single issue. Doesn't show dirt either because its not 100% black, but about 85% black. And my colors looks amazing against it.

Only issue you do need to concern yourself with is _most_ black sand does not buffer pH. Tahitian Moon does not buffer and is also really REALLY fine grain. Read their info on any site and it says "this non-buffering substrate.." I suggest Nature's Ocean Black Beach Sand as it buffers. I used #2 grade to get the proper mix of grain sizes with tahitian moon (gives me 0.1-1.5mm particles).

Check into the Black Beach Sand here: http://www.reefsand.com/

p.s. black sand looks amazing in the right setup.

EDIT: Some horrible, and old, pics. As you can see black sand works amazingly well in my setup.

Sk8r · 03/05/2011, 05:34 PM

pass a strong magnet over it and if it reacts, it's a problem.

Palting · 03/05/2011, 05:42 PM

Black sand, the color, by itself is not really a problem. I kinda like it myself, as I have it in my tanks.

I think the question has more to do with using "wild" sand. I personally would not use sand I am not sure of.

osi · 03/05/2011, 09:05 PM

Thanks for the input guys. I’m gona do that magnet test definitely. Since I being stupid enough not to bring a sample with me it’s another 6 hour drive.

But how can I make sure it doesn’t contain any other metals? Like copper.

Didn’t think about absorbing light part. Now I’m worried well done cakemanPA lol

Anyway let’s see someone could identify this hundred percent. I’m gona try and post pics again from a different location.

Cheers

dynomight · 03/05/2011, 11:20 PM

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1835940

That Stuff is the plauge. I fought it for 6 months and replaced my whole bed. Now my tank rocks. It has metal shavings that get caught on your magfloats, pieces of wood(!) and grew nothing but a thick algae mat for me. Look into the other sands mentioned like the 3m quartz.

osi · 03/06/2011, 01:21 AM

Just reed that tread dynomight.thanks for the input. Seems like most of the black sand u guys talking about is volcanic rock base stuff. But we don’t have volcanoes in Sri Lanka. Not in anywhere near Indian ocean. So this must be something else.

I suspect this is silica or ilmenite. If its silica, well I don’t want a green colour tank so have to forget about it. Don’t know the effects of ilmenite in reef tank except its weakly magnetic so using magnet brushes can become a problem. Have to keep digging coz this stuff is too beautiful to pass on.

Here is the zoom up pic of the sand.

gordonj1 · 03/09/2013, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by osi

Just reed that tread dynomight.thanks for the input. Seems like most of the black sand u guys talking about is volcanic rock base stuff. But we don’t have volcanoes in Sri Lanka. Not in anywhere near Indian ocean. So this must be something else.

I suspect this is silica or ilmenite. If its silica, well I don’t want a green colour tank so have to forget about it. Don’t know the effects of ilmenite in reef tank except its weakly magnetic so using magnet brushes can become a problem. Have to keep digging coz this stuff is too beautiful to pass on.

Here is the zoom up pic of the sand.

Did you end up using this sand? It is absolutely beautiful!

03/05/2011, 11:23 AM	#1
osi Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Sri Lanka Posts: 161	Black Sand, is it safe? Hello guys and girls need some expert advice with some sand i found on one of our remote shores. It’s a kind of black and purple colour sand and almost identical to "Caribsea super natural tahitian moon black sand" Locals said its build up when sea is rough and washed away few weeks after when sea become calm again. I want to use this stuff to build my DSB in my main display tank. I have another remote DSB which use normal sand as well. The question is can I use this in my system? Is it reef safe? If someone can identify this plz let me know. Thanks. __________________ My build thread - http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2112905 Last edited by osi; 03/05/2011 at 11:47 AM.

03/05/2011, 05:34 PM	#7
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	pass a strong magnet over it and if it reacts, it's a problem. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

03/05/2011, 05:42 PM	#8
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	Black sand, the color, by itself is not really a problem. I kinda like it myself, as I have it in my tanks. I think the question has more to do with using "wild" sand. I personally would not use sand I am not sure of. __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

03/05/2011, 09:05 PM	#9
osi Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Sri Lanka Posts: 161	Thanks for the input guys. I’m gona do that magnet test definitely. Since I being stupid enough not to bring a sample with me it’s another 6 hour drive. But how can I make sure it doesn’t contain any other metals? Like copper. Didn’t think about absorbing light part. Now I’m worried well done cakemanPA lol Anyway let’s see someone could identify this hundred percent. I’m gona try and post pics again from a different location. Cheers __________________ My build thread - http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2112905

03/06/2011, 01:21 AM	#11
osi Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Sri Lanka Posts: 161	Just reed that tread dynomight.thanks for the input. Seems like most of the black sand u guys talking about is volcanic rock base stuff. But we don’t have volcanoes in Sri Lanka. Not in anywhere near Indian ocean. So this must be something else. I suspect this is silica or ilmenite. If its silica, well I don’t want a green colour tank so have to forget about it. Don’t know the effects of ilmenite in reef tank except its weakly magnetic so using magnet brushes can become a problem. Have to keep digging coz this stuff is too beautiful to pass on. Here is the zoom up pic of the sand. __________________ My build thread - http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2112905 Last edited by osi; 03/06/2011 at 01:29 AM.

03/05/2011, 11:44 AM	#2
osi Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Sri Lanka Posts: 161	hmm something wrong with the pictures. but if u click on them and open in a different window u can see it. Cheers. __________________ My build thread - http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2112905

03/05/2011, 01:11 PM	#3
chogendoorn Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada Posts: 34	I can't see them at all, can't click on them either.

03/05/2011, 03:02 PM	#4
cakemanPA Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Hummelstown, PA Posts: 2,353	The Tahitian moon sand is save, but it does have metalic/magnetic properties to it. Being black it also absorbs light so the tank will look darker.

03/05/2011, 03:34 PM	#5
syrinx Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: champaign Posts: 3,160	Yeah I think he is talking the native shi lanka sand. Since it is a seasonal thing- I would wonder its composition. You could test it in a bucket with a couple snails or a damsel. I would at least run a magnet through it to see if it is metallic. My experience with dark substrates is that unless the fish are from that sort of bottom, they will not show their full colors. It also shows waste more obviously- and the commercial types also tend to scratch glass worse than lighter calcium based sands do.

03/05/2011, 05:07 PM	#6
HanoverFist Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Phoenix, Az Posts: 626	I am using half Black Beach Sand #2 and half Tahitian Moon. So far the claims of magnetism, etc are unproven for me. Never had a single issue. Doesn't show dirt either because its not 100% black, but about 85% black. And my colors looks amazing against it. Only issue you do need to concern yourself with is _most_ black sand does not buffer pH. Tahitian Moon does not buffer and is also really REALLY fine grain. Read their info on any site and it says "this non-buffering substrate.." I suggest Nature's Ocean Black Beach Sand as it buffers. I used #2 grade to get the proper mix of grain sizes with tahitian moon (gives me 0.1-1.5mm particles). Check into the Black Beach Sand here: http://www.reefsand.com/ p.s. black sand looks amazing in the right setup. EDIT: Some horrible, and old, pics. As you can see black sand works amazingly well in my setup.

03/05/2011, 11:20 PM	#10
dynomight Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: texas Posts: 105	http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1835940 That Stuff is the plauge. I fought it for 6 months and replaced my whole bed. Now my tank rocks. It has metal shavings that get caught on your magfloats, pieces of wood(!) and grew nothing but a thick algae mat for me. Look into the other sands mentioned like the 3m quartz.

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