Sand Substrate Question

jjmatti · #1 05/14/2006, 09:52 AM

I have been thinking that it would be for the best to tear down my tank and take out the crushed coral substrate and add a new sand bottom. I think the 4 year old Crushed coral is what is keeping my nitrates at impossible to manage high levels.

I have read alot about "Southdown Sand" from Home Depot as a suitable choice. Is this my only option and what is the difference between that and the 30.00 dollar bag of Arag-alive that I used to set up my 75 gallon.. ??

michaelm2431 · #2 05/14/2006, 09:57 AM

About $26 a bag difference. The southdown at HD is now called Kolor Scape white play sand. I would use that and put a few cup fulls of live sand from the 75 to seed it.

Ken-21 · #3 05/14/2006, 10:30 AM

I wouldn't use play ground sand in my reef. It makes no sense to me to spend hundreds of dollars on live rock, corals, fish and tons of water purifiring equipment only to throw in sand that wasn't meant to be in a reef. I just took out my crushed coral and replaced it with "Live Sand" about two months ago and everything looks fantastic. JMO

Ken-21 · #4 05/14/2006, 10:33 AM

Sorry..."Purifying" I hate when I type too fast and then post with out reading it first!

mikeatjac · #5 05/14/2006, 10:43 AM

Kolor Scape white play sand sounds good to me and then seed with some sand from you current base. Live sand you buy in a bag really does not have much life in it. Lots written on RC about that.