does anyone hear have any exp with using play sand in the aquarium I have setting up my 75 and was thinking about using some play sand for some of it.

I have a 120 and I used 200lbs. of playsand in it. I have been happy with it but I'm in the process of setting up a 150 and will not be using playsand on this tank. The problem I have with the sand is that it is not realistic looking. It works and the crabs like it but you need to be CAREFUL with it. The sand will scratch your tank!!!! If you're doing it for cost savings,,,,ok,,but if you're doing it just to do it,,,,than don't

whereabouts in Carolina are you????

Hello Tdanks! I have used both... play sand in a nano and aragonite in a 90G. My personal preference now, since I have experience with both, is to go strictly with aragonite. It may bite the big one in the beginning and hurt the pocketbook, but my friend, in the long run it will pay for itself. By the time you purchase filter mediums to offset the negative effects of using the cheaper brand to save money in the intro, it would of already paid for the sand you were trying to save the money on by not purchasing. Sometimes one has to just deal with the cost and move on to more real, urgent decisions and issues.

Hello Tdanks! I have used both... play sand in a nano and aragonite in a 90G. My personal preference now, since I have experience with both, is to go strictly with aragonite. It may bite the big one in the beginning and hurt the pocketbook, but my friend, in the long run it will pay for itself. By the time you purchase filter mediums to offset the negative effects of using the cheaper brand to save money in the intro, it would of already paid for the sand you were trying to save the money on by not purchasing. Sometimes one has to just deal with the cost and move on to more real, urgent decisions and issues.

i agree, but for one more reason ...

i do not like to take the cheap way out on an extremely important part of my filtration. it is kinda like buying a cheap skimmer ... you WILL replace it eventually. of course this is just my opinion, but i hope it helps.

Are we talking about Silica based sand? I was looking in a hardware store for play sand, and I saw the silica based play sands with the carcinogen warnings on them. Nice...I grew up on that play sand!

But there are other play sands that are supposed to be aragonite, like Southdown and Old Castle, correct?

I found this Kolorscape (http://www.idealtruevalue.com/servlet/the-31626/40-LB%2C-White-Play/Detail) sand (40 lbs, $4.19) that has "SOUTHDOWN/OLD CASTLE" attached to the description. Unfortunately, shipping it will cost you anywhere from $20-$30!

I know Amphibious was working on securing some Southdown, not sure if he is selling it, or what the shipping costs would be...

I just buy Aragamax from Drs F&S (http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=7321). They have a great shipping prices.

Are we talking about Silica based sand? I was looking in a hardware store for play sand, and I saw the silica based play sands with the carcinogen warnings on them. Nice...I grew up on that play sand!

But there are other play sands that are supposed to be aragonite, like Southdown and Old Castle, correct?

I found this Kolorscape (http://www.idealtruevalue.com/servlet/the-31626/40-LB%2C-White-Play/Detail) sand (40 lbs, $4.19) that has "SOUTHDOWN/OLD CASTLE" attached to the description. Unfortunately, shipping it will cost you anywhere from $20-$30!

I know Amphibious was working on securing some Southdown, not sure if he is selling it, or what the shipping costs would be...

I just buy Aragamax from Drs F&S (http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=7321). They have a great shipping prices.
I have been working on getting Aragonite sand in a package suitable for shipping. The problem was finding the right box. The bags I get it in are longer and narrower than Carib Sea's and finding the correct box has been problematic. However, I have found a 9" cube box I think will work. It presents a problem in it's self. In order to use this cube box, each bag of sand has to be opened and poured into the box, with a trash bag liner. That's problem #1, albeit minor. Need to find a sturdier 9" square bag as a liner. Problem #2, shipping costs!!! UPS = $19, FedEx = $20. I have accounts with both, but I ship so little I don't get a discount off those prices

Trust me (Yeah, I know, why should you trust me???), I would love to be shipping aragonite sand across the USA. Then I checked DHL and found their price, on average to be $12, yippee! I set up an account with DHL yesterday. I've never used DHL before so, I'm conducting a trial run on 30# boxes of Aragonite sand. I've ordered 25 of the cube boxes, should be here Tuesday. I'm going to cut and pour 25 bags of Aragonite sand into those boxes getting them ready for shipping. I'll program a page on my web site for the purchase and post a new thread Thursday. We'll see what the market looks like. The price will be around $26 shipped.

The Aragonite sand is from the same source as Carib Sea's. There is only one source for Aragonite sand, the Bahamas. It all comes from there.

Just so you know (Like, for your information only), I've found a supplier of Aragonite sand direct from the source BUT, I have to buy a barge load, like Carib Sea buys it. The landed cost in Ft. Pierce is $105,000. The estimated cost of transporting it to my property is $50,000. Anybody want to chip in to finance our own Aragonite sand source??? You see, I have been working on it.

Now, this is way premature, Bill (WU398) has a friend in the Bahamas that handles Aragonite there. Bill is working on finding a way to get less than a full barge load over here. Think about this, the world's source of Aragonite sand is just 50 miles across the ocean from our shore. So close, yet, so far. I took Bill over to Carib Sea's facility and he was appalled to point out to me that Carib Sea had the audacity to pave their driveway with ARAGONITE sand. :rotfl:

Happy reefing!

Dick

Dick, Im still having nightmares about that. bothered me all weekend. driving over enough sand to supply tons of TR family members is just not right

I live in Clayton NC thanks for all the replies I was thinking about using it to see how it would look but with all the negatives forget it I will stick with what works good.

Dick, Im still having nightmares about that. bothered me all weekend. driving over enough sand to supply tons of TR family members is just not right
LOL, yeah, I thought your reaction was a bit extreme. Carib Sea has two huge piles of the sand. For the price they pay, about a penny a pound, they can afford to pave their driveway in it.

I live in Clayton NC thanks for all the replies I was thinking about using it to see how it would look but with all the negatives forget it I will stick with what works good.
That's a wise decision, in my humble opinion.

Dick