0-0.300 Particle size - only sand available for DSB - OK?

[Super Girl]

Dr. Ron -

I live in the United Arab Emirates. I have located 0 - 0.300 particle size quartz silica sand from a sand blaster to use for my DSB. The only alternative was 1.0+. Which particle size should I opt for?

Another questions - LS to diversify a new sand bed...

(Main tank is not set up yet.)

I have used LS from Gulf View that had crushed shells and large coarse sand (and full of creatures) for my fuge.

In an effort to diversify, I added another two inches of very fine LS from a vendor that I believe started out as Play Sand from Home Depot. Making four inches total sand in the fuge, all added on the same day.

Within a month there were black patches in places where there was space between large particles/material in the bottom layer (very course Gulf sand). No air bubbles visable.

Now the question... Should I order more of this coarse LS from Gulf View to seed my new sand bed? Or should I rely on devitore kits?

Thank you.

[rshimek]

Originally posted by Super Girl

Hi,

I live in the United Arab Emirates. I have located 0 - 0.300 particle size quartz silica sand from a sand blaster to use for my DSB. The only alternative was 1.0+. Which particle size should I opt for?

The smaller stuff - the fine silica sand - should be prime.

Another questions - LS to diversify a new sand bed...

I have used LS from Gulf View that had crushed shells and large coarse sand (and full of creatures) for my fuge.

In an effort to diversify, I added another two inches of very fine LS from a vendor that I believe started out as Play Sand from Home Depot. Making four inches total sand in the fuge, all added on the same day.

If you added the fine stuff on top of the coarse stuff, a lot of the animals will have smothered and the nutritient pockets that have developed will cause problems

Within a month there were black patches in places where there was space between large particles/material in the bottom layer (very course Gulf sand). No air bubbles visable.

Uh oh..... :(

Now the question... Should I order more of this coarse LS from Gulf View to seed my new sand bed? Or should I rely on devitore kits?

I would remove the coarse material from the bottom of the bed. If you don't you will have problems as long as it is there.

Use just the fine sand. If you want to add a very fine layer of coarse material to seed the bed, do that latter and add it on top.

[Super Girl]

Thank you for your fast reply.

Much appreciated.