Live Sand

[reefguy]

Does anybody know where I can get cheap sand? I screwed up by starting out with crushed coral and I hate it. Please let me know if hear or know of something.

Thanks,
Chip

[OrionN]

Any sand would be fine. i got a bunch of sand from the sand dune on the coast. It is really fine and works great. You really don't ahve to have CaCO3 base sand.
Minh

[reefguy]

I dont have a sand dune to go out and get sand from though.

[malofish]

I just bought a 50lbs. bag of southdown here on maast, well it was given to me, but I like the way it looks! I think that it was for sale for like 15$ a bag??

[reefguy]

Where can I get the southdown at?

[matt]

Good luck! Keep checking the posts, maybe put up a post in the wanted to buy forum. Someone will eventually have some for sale. You can also mail order good sand from someplace in Fl. I think it's "purecaribbean" or something like that. It comes to about $20/bag I think, for a 40lb bag.

[brewercm]

I noticed Aquatic Warehouse had some for I think $19 a bag. I was thinking it was around the 20 or 30lb bag. You could give them a call and check.

[wkopplin]

I think the stuff at Aquatic Warehouse was a 40lb bag. I used it and it was nice stuff.

[GaryP]

Correct me if I'm wrong here guys but I think CaribSea comes in a 20# bag and Southdown comes in a 40# bag. Its the same stuff (sugar fine aragonite), one is just marketed for playgrounds and the other for aquariums. You might also check at the local Home Depot type stores for it. Because CaribSea is a "specialty product" its more expensive.

Gary

[GaryP]

Just remember its going to tank a couple of days to clear up after you put it in. I usually use my Magnum to help remove the cloudiness. The "dust" can settle on the corals and harm the polyps. I use a turkey baster to blow it off them.

[reefguy]

I just put 100lbs of some sugar fine sand in the 58 gallon RR and it seems that every little movement seems to stir it up. And then it takes forever to settle back down. I have the store bought live sand in my 20 gal setup and it doesn't get stirred up like that. Should I put something else in it?

[matt]

The sugar fine sand is much finer than the "live sand" you buy at the store, and therefore more prone to dust storms. Don't worry, it'll clear up. Also, if you're putting it in an existing tank, the bacteria present in the water will colonize on the new sand shortly. This keeps it from clouding.

[reefguy]

So once the bacteria starts to grow in the sand it won't be as likely to get stirred up.

[brewercm]

You'll still get little sand storms when something blows close to it (like cleaning the glass close to sand surface) but very small and it settles pretty quick.

[fishermiguel]

IF you Want the Cheap Sand the Best price in town is 60lbs for 2 bucks... Home Depot... It works fine, but you have to rinse it off really good... :D