DuffyGeos November 4, 2014 Share November 4, 2014 I will need to get sand pretty soon. Which is the best sand to get? I plan on having it about 1" deep and a lot of water movement. I know the fine stuff blows around, and the larger crushed coral does not work for Wrasses. So which is the best? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k November 4, 2014 Share November 4, 2014 CaribSea Arag-alive is what we use in all saltwater tanks. it doesn't blow around and itdoesn't clog with detritus. FWIW, I've seen wrasses bury themselves in coarse crushed coral. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epleeds November 4, 2014 Share November 4, 2014 +1 to that. If you buy in premium aquatics you get free shipping after $175 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan S November 4, 2014 Share November 4, 2014 I recommend the special grade: http://www.amazon.com/CaribSea-Arag-Alive-Special-Grade-20-Pound/dp/B0002DH0YO It's the largest grain of the arag alive, beneath the crushed coral. Mine still blows around some in spots, but much less than the fiji pink that I got last time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuffyGeos November 4, 2014 Author Share November 4, 2014 CaribSea Arag-alive is what we use in all saltwater tanks. it doesn't blow around and itdoesn't clog with detritus. FWIW, I've seen wrasses bury themselves in coarse crushed coral. Thanks +1 to that. If you buy in premium aquatics you get free shipping after $175 I could not remember which type of CaribSea you recommended- thanks I recommend the special grade: http://www.amazon.com/CaribSea-Arag-Alive-Special-Grade-20-Pound/dp/B0002DH0YO It's the largest grain of the arag alive, beneath the crushed coral. Mine still blows around some in spots, but much less than the fiji pink that I got last time. So Special grade is a larger size then Arag -alive? thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howaboutme November 4, 2014 Share November 4, 2014 I use the Caribsea Special Grade too but not the live one. You don't need the live sand as all sand will be live in no time. Plus, I remember you have live rock to help. You can also seed your tank w/ a cup from your current tank. Keep your tank clean so you know exactly what you put in. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+9805+7326&pcatid=7326 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan S November 4, 2014 Share November 4, 2014 Here is a picture of the various kinds of caribsea arag-alive sand: http://www.caribsea.com/caribsea/itempage_marine_substrates_aragalive.html The dry sand and the live sand cost the same, $20/20#, so you might as well get the benefits of sand with bacteria and what not imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezeke1 November 5, 2014 Share November 5, 2014 (edited) I use the Tropical Eden reef flakes from Caribsea. It's the whitest live sand I've ever seen and you can get the larger flakes that don't blow around. I actually use a mix of the finer grains and the larger reef flakes. Here's what the sand looks like in my tank. These are two extra bags that I still have not used. Edited November 5, 2014 by ezeke1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanked November 6, 2014 Share November 6, 2014 I have two 20 lbs bags of Fiji Pink from Caribsea I could sell you, was going to setup another tank, but I postponed the project. Just let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuffyGeos November 6, 2014 Author Share November 6, 2014 It seems like CaribSea Arag-Alive Special Grade Reef Sand - Grain Size 1.0 - 2.0 mm is the way to go. I am pretty sure I used this in my 16g 2 years ago. Reasonably priced at Premium Aquatics (one of our sponsors) $24.99 for 22lbs. and as Epleeds points out, free shipping after $175 so it will be waiting at my door step. Looks like 140lbs / 22 = 6 + so 7bags @ $24.99= $174.93!!!!!! #&@*%!!!!! 7cents short!!!!!!! I think they did this on purpose!!!!!!! Now I have to buy something else! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Ford November 6, 2014 Share November 6, 2014 http://premiumaquatics.com/products/12-filter-pads.html 3.99 It seems like CaribSea Arag-Alive Special Grade Reef Sand - Grain Size 1.0 - 2.0 mm is the way to go. I am pretty sure I used this in my 16g 2 years ago. Reasonably priced at Premium Aquatics (one of our sponsors) $24.99 for 22lbs. and as Epleeds points out, free shipping after $175 so it will be waiting at my door step. Looks like 140lbs / 22 = 6 + so 7bags @ $24.99= $174.93!!!!!! #&@*%!!!!! 7cents short!!!!!!! I think they did this on purpose!!!!!!! Now I have to buy something else! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuffyGeos November 6, 2014 Author Share November 6, 2014 (edited) http://premiumaquatics.com/products/12-filter-pads.html 3.99 Got you beat! http://premiumaquatics.com/products/rio-110-prefilter-pad-2-pk.html .99 :laugh: Edited November 6, 2014 by DuffyGeos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Ford November 6, 2014 Share November 6, 2014 Nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lutz123 November 7, 2014 Share November 7, 2014 For what it's worth, Drs Foster & Smith has 40 lb bags of the special grade (dry) for $41 each. Free shipping over $49. Remember with the live sand you are paying for water if that matters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuffyGeos November 7, 2014 Author Share November 7, 2014 For what it's worth, Drs Foster & Smith has 40 lb bags of the special grade (dry) for $41 each. Free shipping over $49. Remember with the live sand you are paying for water if that matters. Sweet! thanks for the info, have not really looked any place else yet ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howaboutme November 7, 2014 Share November 7, 2014 I got mine from DFS too. Can't beat free shipping on heavy stuff like sand. Go w/ dry Ken...Populate your sand yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuffyGeos November 7, 2014 Author Share November 7, 2014 I got mine from DFS too. Can't beat free shipping on heavy stuff like sand. Go w/ dry Ken...Populate your sand yourself. I would like to keep my tank "clean of any pests, I guess what I am not sure of would be what comes with the live sand? Good bacteria, but is it just random from the ocean or is it processed sand and added later? I am planning on killing everything on the rock I am adding, couldn't I just add live bacteria after? Anyone with a big brain out there have the answer? thx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime November 7, 2014 Share November 7, 2014 Quantum reefs also gets sand in, and keeps on hand at very comparable prices. Consider supporting a local vendor before ordering online! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuffyGeos November 7, 2014 Author Share November 7, 2014 Quantum reefs also gets sand in, and keeps on hand at very comparable prices. Consider supporting a local vendor before ordering online! I have no problem doing that, and would prefer that. That Suburban can hold a lot of sand! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howaboutme November 7, 2014 Share November 7, 2014 I would like to keep my tank "clean of any pests, I guess what I am not sure of would be what comes with the live sand? Good bacteria, but is it just random from the ocean or is it processed sand and added later? I am planning on killing everything on the rock I am adding, couldn't I just add live bacteria after? Anyone with a big brain out there have the answer? thx I don't know what's in the bags. I don't know if anyone truly knows. That's the point. I do know that Rob would probably say "snake oil"...... But seriously, sand (and rock) becomes live in no time. You have been patient so far so just continue. You don't even need to do bacteria in a bottle. Just do a fishless cycle, do it right. Drop a few shrimp in there or some fish food. Put a cup of sand from your current tank to jump start and a few weeks or less later, voila! Sand is one of the elements in our tank that gives us enormous amounts of trouble (which is why people go BB)....you just want to be ahead of the game...IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan S November 7, 2014 Share November 7, 2014 Shorter cycle time according to their website: http://www.caribsea.com/caribsea/itempage_marine_substrates_aragalive.html Then again, I also use this stuff too: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=18986 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishie November 7, 2014 Share November 7, 2014 I have carribsea arag live in one tank and special grade in the other ...if you wanna stop by and see both side by side. here are my thoughts on both 1) carribsea arag live looks fantastic but if you have fish that like to stir the sand or powerheads that may blow it around it can be messy. otherwise it looks really when the other 2 aren't an issue also due to its fine grain size I haven't had algae issues growing on it. 2)special grade. I first saw this at the display tank in marine scene and really liked it. I got myself some and it did great initially. later on I had an issue where I somehow picked up this really bad algae called turf algae from a frag I think. it was like a wire red and next to impossible to remove...ugly and invasive it even grew on my special grade sand bed because the grain size allowed it. I found that turbo snails were the only ones who ate it from LR but they didn't go out on the sand so it remained there...I went through a few months of taking sand out (drying it so the algae died) and reintroducing it again...painful annoying process but that didn't help cause over time that algae would come back again...I finally wiped it out by increasing my tank water changes, using coral snow from zeovit and increasing my magnesium to around 1500-1600.....I don't know which ones of these fixed it but it did...due to all the stirring and cleaning I had dino and algae blooms which seemed to really like the special grade sand...I went lights out for 3 days and got that a little under control... finally after being consistent with my tank maintenance (water changes) and the addition of carbon dosing I have the sand bed looking like it should. I have very little brownish film left and that is slowly going away as my pellets mature. so if you stay on top of your tank and maintain it then special grade will work great...but I wouldn't recommend it for anyone who ignores the basic maintenance tasks (which I had done with no water changes for close to a year).... I also feel that carbon dosing has helped it if I had to do it all over again I would still pick special grade because I plan to stay on top of maintenance ...oh also my wrasse sleeps well in it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuffyGeos November 7, 2014 Author Share November 7, 2014 I have carribsea arag live in one tank and special grade in the other ...if you wanna stop by and see both side by side. here are my thoughts on both 1) carribsea arag live looks fantastic but if you have fish that like to stir the sand or powerheads that may blow it around it can be messy. otherwise it looks really when the other 2 aren't an issue also due to its fine grain size I haven't had algae issues growing on it. 2)special grade. I first saw this at the display tank in marine scene and really liked it. I got myself some and it did great initially. later on I had an issue where I somehow picked up this really bad algae called turf algae from a frag I think. it was like a wire red and next to impossible to remove...ugly and invasive it even grew on my special grade sand bed because the grain size allowed it. I found that turbo snails were the only ones who ate it from LR but they didn't go out on the sand so it remained there...I went through a few months of taking sand out (drying it so the algae died) and reintroducing it again...painful annoying process but that didn't help cause over time that algae would come back again...I finally wiped it out by increasing my tank water changes, using coral snow from zeovit and increasing my magnesium to around 1500-1600.....I don't know which ones of these fixed it but it did...due to all the stirring and cleaning I had dino and algae blooms which seemed to really like the special grade sand...I went lights out for 3 days and got that a little under control... finally after being consistent with my tank maintenance (water changes) and the addition of carbon dosing I have the sand bed looking like it should. I have very little brownish film left and that is slowly going away as my pellets mature. so if you stay on top of your tank and maintain it then special grade will work great...but I wouldn't recommend it for anyone who ignores the basic maintenance tasks (which I had done with no water changes for close to a year).... I also feel that carbon dosing has helped it if I had to do it all over again I would still pick special grade because I plan to stay on top of maintenance ...oh also my wrasse sleeps well in it Thanks Nick, this is the kind of input I was looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collegeman November 7, 2014 Share November 7, 2014 Petsmart.com has the 40lb bag of reef sand for 26.99. They also have a $20 off $100 coupon and $.99 shipping. http://www.petsmart.com/fish/gravel-sand/caribsea-aragonite-aquarium-reef-sand-zid36-16742/cat-36-catid-300072?var_id=36-5082033&_t=pfm%3Dshopping_cart%26pfmvalue%3Dtitle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuffyGeos November 7, 2014 Author Share November 7, 2014 Petsmart.com has the 40lb bag of reef sand for 26.99. They also have a $20 off $100 coupon and $.99 shipping. http://www.petsmart.com/fish/gravel-sand/caribsea-aragonite-aquarium-reef-sand-zid36-16742/cat-36-catid-300072?var_id=36-5082033&_t=pfm%3Dshopping_cart%26pfmvalue%3Dtitle thanks, this looks like the dry sand....which may be the direction I head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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