Beach Sand

[StephenA]

Has anyone ever tried beach sand in their tank? I was thinking about getting some sand from Padre Island National Seashore (http://www.nps.gov/pais/index.htm).

How would you clean it and what is the down side of using it?

[Xtreme]

if you use beach sand wet, it may have to much bacteria in. or unwanted pest. I dont see a problem with dry sand, as long as you wash it good.

[Bigreefer]

I wouldn't for a reef tank or refugium. Silica sand doesn't do well in deep sand bed situations. It would work great as a quarter inch bed that just covers the glass.

Jason

[brewercm]

Minh said he uses it in his aquarium, but I believe that he gets his from up in the dunes where it tends to have less junk contaminating it than the stuff in the water. Maybe he'll lsee this thread and correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that's what I've heard.

[Inno]

Usually pollution is abundant in the shallow zones; however, this can be countered by searching out a small, clean lagoonal area that shows a decent population of life (fauna and other critters). According to Dr. Ron it matters not the composition of the sand in regards to dsb's, but more importantly the particle size. Many use silica based sands with success...longterm?, well that IS the debate with any sand type and a dsb.

[adaminaustin]

Be careful collecting anything in a National Park. It might be illegal and it would be a federal crime if committed in a National park.

You could always just call to ask if it is ok.

[dan]

i remember the last time my family went to the beach there was enough sand in the floorboard of the car to do a 100 gal reef. if it was a crime we would still be in jail.

[OrionN]

I collect 1/3 of the sand from the sand dune. It is really fine. I also use about 1/3 sand on the beach. This is coarser. I also use 1/3 of the sand off of my beach in the back yard. This is really fine crushed bivale shells. So far I have no problem.
Minh

[StephenA]

Dr Ronald Shimek's Book on "Deep Sand Beds" states that silica is not an issue. Silica issues are related to breathing the dust. His book also doubts the buffer abilities of substrate.

I'll ask a ranger if they care about taking a little sand.

I'll only take about 150 lbs. The other 50-80lbs will be reef sand from my old tank and seed sand from others.

[dan]

I collect 1/3 of the sand from the sand dune. It is really fine. I also use about 1/3 sand on the beach. This is coarser. I also use 1/3 of the sand off of my beach in the back yard. This is really fine crushed bivale shells. So far I have no problem.
Minh


minh : do you ever find critters in the wet sand? i've heard that in the floating grass that there is all kinds of little critters. is that true?
wonder if it would make it back home alive?

[malofish]

After a large storm I took off to padre and colected what lppked like featherduster tubes off the beach. I found all types of little crabs and pods. in these tubes!! I took them home and put them in a twenty gal., after a day or two I took the tubes out and pods. and critters lived! I finally stuff other that cyano crawling on the glass :) One prob. though!! I also brough home a few killer crabs that ma de short work of a few softies and a damsel :(

[drehere]

I collected some 10-20 lbs of wet sand last time I was at the national seashore. About 1/4-1/2" on the bottom of my 55 gal. No ill effect noted in the tank But it did include many little mussels/clams/ whatever they were. They were enjoyable to watch for a few dates, but soon all seemed to perish.

We had also inadvertantly caught a tiny pipefish that hid in the sargassum. He seemed quite comfortable until I could no longer find him after a couple of weeks. Didn't seem like a very good swimmer as far as being able to outrun a damsel, crabs or possibly the powerhead.

I think I'd like to add some more next time if it weren't against any park regulations. But if so, there's always the public seashore accesses.

[GaryP]

Pipefish are members of the seahorse family and don't do well in a community tank. They are usually only successfully kept in species tanks.

Gary