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I wouldn't use silica because you won't get the same microfauna in it due to the grain shape.
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I would have to disagree with this based on observation of my own tanks and others that use silica sand. Dr Ron also did a classroom study at one time and the tank with the most sandbed microfauna turned out to be the one that was using silica sand. Mine is just loaded.
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Also, silica based sand will cut a sifter goby's mouth if you plan on having one.
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I don't have any first hand information on this, I have never kept a sand sifting goby due to the fact that they decimate sandbed fauna. Logic would tell me however, that since the largest percentage of the oceans sand is actually silica based, it simply cannot be true. There are sand-sifting fish and inverts the world over that have to feed and live with silica sand.
Silica is a great alternative IME.
JMO and JME!