Black Sand In a Nano.

[DOGMAI]

I have always heard that Tahitian Moon Sand was a no no in a reef tank. Is this true. I am gettin gready to set up a 3-4 gallon Nano and want to use the Black sand. Will it be a problem? The tank will be just for zo's and maybe a fish and some crabs.

Thanks,
Shane

 

[Apophis924]

I ran the tahitian black sand in my 20 before it all got killed by hurricaine ivan. I had no problesm at all. Loved the look of it and with a few good sand sifiters i had no prolbmes keeping the sand "clean". People will tell you that you wont get the buffering effects of argonite or cushed coral but ignore that: the buffering "myth" of such substrates is nothing more than creative advertising. By the time argonite substartes begin to buffer a solution and relase trace elements the PH would be so low your tank would already be dead. that is why You have to artifically lower your PH with CO2 in a ca reactor to get the argonite media to break down. Keep up basic maintenance and stay on top of water changes and avoid over feeding and you will have no problems. However it is a pain when you first put the sand in because it is so fine no matter how much you risne it you will get clouds and "floaties" all i did was run it thru a cheap HOB filter for a day or two and kept rising the sponge. Once the sand gets a good bactiera population it behaves just like any other substrate.

 

[Anonymous]

I am using it in a 10g nano, but I do not know if the effort is worth the result. It looks good, but the small particulate "floaters" are a real PITA! Maybe it will not be that much of a problem in a 3-4 g nano.

 

[DOGMAI]

Thanks

 

[tinyreef]

i'm switching to tahitian black. (from oolithic, too dusty-grains were just too easily moved/dustorms) i'm a little concerned about cleaning it tho.

investigator1/acoustic had a gorgeous tank with it. i'm hoping mine will look half as good (instead of my usual pile o' rocks).

 

[reefann]

People will tell you that you wont get the buffering effects of argonite or cushed coral but ignore that: the buffering "myth" of such substrates is nothing more than creative advertising. By the time argonite substartes begin to buffer a solution and relase trace elements the PH would be so low your tank would already be dead. that is why You have to artifically lower your PH with CO2 in a ca reactor to get the argonite media to break down.

I would agree that in a small tank substrate buffering does not hold that much of a bearing on tank health. BUT I just wanted to point out that I think you are wrong in the above statement. In lower areas of the sand bed because of lack of water movement you will get VERY high or low PH readings becuase it is a anaerobic zone. This does not have to be very deep either, just in the first few inches.
I think the stuff looks great BTW especially with a few clams in the sand!

 

[Apophis924]

well if your sand bed was not so deep you wouldnt need that buffering ability in those anaerobic zones, I prefer to keep my anaerobic zones where they belong, deep inside the live rock. But to each its own. Go for what works for you because when it boils down no one can know the parmaters and the chemical behavior of our tanks better than us.

 

[Anonymous]

<steering this thread back on topic>

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/ ... uarium.htm

Looks like investigator1 did well with it.

 

[Anonymous]

<steering this thread back on topic>

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/ ... uarium.htm

Looks like investigator1 did well with it.

This is the tank that inspired me to try a nano!

 

[reefann]

well if your sand bed was not so deep you wouldnt need that buffering ability in those anaerobic zones

It can and will easily happen within the first inch of the substrate.
But like I said it in a nano and most large tanks it will not hold much bearing on tank health.