Disadvantages Of Sand

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There are many reasons why one would want to use sand as a substrate. First, sand is a natural substrate, so most inhabitants of your tank will feel right at home along the bottom of the tank. In addition, sand can play an important role in the creation of natural environments such as a Malawi or Tanganyika biotope and may be used to buffer the water. Sand is also really nice and more realistic than plain washed gravel. Plants root very well in sand. For the planted aquarium, sand may be mix with other lighter materials to give them some weight or it can be used as a top layer over some other materials that would otherwise be messy (like potting soil). Choosing the right sand The choice of sand is very important. Some sand will have no effect…show more content…
The first category of sand should have no influence on the water chemistry while the other will buffer the pH and/or GH/KH. An African cichlid tank will probably benefit from calcium based sand while American cichlid tank will do much better with a sand what won’t change the water chemistry. If unsure, the best thing to do is to test the sand before to use it. To do so, simply put some sand in a jar with water and test the water after a few days. Silica-based sand The types of silica sand typically used in aquarium are play sand, pool filter sand (sold for use in swimming pool filters), sandblasting sand, and some other sand labeled for use in freshwater aquariums. The grain size and shape may vary from one to an other but at the end, they are all silica sand. Play sand play sand aquariumCEC : Low Inert : Should be (assuming it is pure quartz). May contain calcium carbonate which may raise your pH undesirably. Organic : No Advantages:Look very natural and is cheap. The particles in play sand are usually too small and have very sharp…show more content…
Even if it gets into your filtration system, it is not nearly as destructive as other type of sand. The best part of pool filter sand is the appearance; it looks very natural and the fish seem to love it. It is heavier than play sand. Pool filter sand is generally clean so less need to wash it before to add it to the tank. Inconvenients: May be expensive. Sandblasting sand sandblasting sandCEC : Low Inert : Yes. Assuming the silica sand you obtain is pure quartz, it is no more soluble than the glass (also a silicate) that makes up your fish tank. Organic : No Advantages: Can be purchased in different grades that would allow for a large enough grain to ensure it would not be sucked into a filter. Inconvenient: The main problem with sandblasting sand is cost (50 pounds can be around $100) Calcium-based sand Unless I am wrong, most calcium-based sand on the market are actually made of crushed coral, also known as aragonite. They are usually available in various grain size, from very small to very big. Aragonite sand is commonly used to buffer the water in African cichlid tanks and saltwater

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