Beach sand as substrate ???

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Weylin

Weylin

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Sep 15, 2007
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Mods knidly move to approate forum..

Im not sure if it has been posted before..
I wanted to know if sand from the beach can be used as substrate.. if yes how should it be treated before use ? Can it it be used for freshwater as well as marine (saltwater) ?
 
i have never try useing sand for the beach , but i have use pool filter sand before and it is much better. it is a lot cosare, it dosen't pack down like beach sand. and you can get 50lbs bags from namco pool supplys for 6.99 a bags. you might want to prewash it frist.
good luck
 
Nothing wrong with beach sand, but it does depend on the beach. Some are protected. Most beach sand is silica based so there isn't a problem with that stuff.

If you wanted you could wash it. There aren't any pathogens that move between salt and freshwater, that will will affect fish.
 
I scoop silt out the local river (clyde) for my substrate on my freshwater tanks. The water is clean and fast flowing so not too anaerobic (stinky). I usually mix in some silversand. I do this to get a good population of buggies in my tank.
 
I wouldn't do it. You don't know what kind of nasties are in there. Suy sand in a bag that has been sterilized (they do that for a reason) or even better, locate a local reef club near you & get live sand from someone's tank.

You can find clubs here: www.reefcentral.com.
 
If you are worried about bacteria and pathogens then use 100% pure chlorine bleach and rinse it. Pure chlorine bleach only contains chlorine so soaking will kill anything and rinsing will dilute the chlorine. Then let it sit and the stray chlorine will evaporate.

If the sand was toxic the beach would probably be closed so don't get sand from any contaminated beaches.
 
You cannot compare keeping sand in our enclosed syctems to beaches by the ocesn. They have a totally different way of keeping them clean & healthy. I was more speaking of parasites & those kind of nasties. Don't cut corners when it comes to this hobby--you'll be sorry...

Actually, for disinfecting--Oxyclean is much safer than bleach. It turns non-toxic, as soon as it dissolves.
 
parasites and pathogens from saltwater cannot live in freshwater. If there are any that can live in both, I don't think they would be hanging out at the beach in the sand. Toxins and chemicals is more the worry. but those can usually be rinsed out. But again, why take sand from a contaminated beach.

Also bleach kills more than Oxyclean and will evaporate, just let it sit out. If you want to kill something use bleach, if you want it to have a nice citrus smell use Oxyclean
 
Well, of course you don't use the citrus Oxyclean! It does kill all pathogens & is much safer to use. One rinse & no lehaving to dry it all out or wait fot eh toxic bleach to evaporate. I learned about this from Robert T Ricketts--long time author on aquarium keeping & fishkeeper of over 50 years. He taught me all sorts of neat tips! Of course, everyone does what they wish but NIMFT.
 
How is it safer to use? Bleach is safe to use as well just don't ingest it, because it will kill anything that ingests it, such as the nasties.

Anyway... I would use SW Beach sand in a FW tank, and I wouldn't even use bleach. I would just rinse it.
 
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