Is this sand good?

my LFS is recommending this to me

Caribsea Arag-Alive Special Grade Reef Sand

i'll putting around 2 inch of it, how's it compared to those oolitic sand ( 0.2 mm to 1mm ) ?

 

Is the tank mainly for corals or fish and what kind of sand bad configuration you plan to have?
IMO - i will use at least 3 to 4 inches for a plain snad bed
- live sand can cost you more and the effectiveness is questionable to certain extend, so why not try dry sand and take your tiem to mature it?

 

As far as grain size goes, it's a personal preference. As far as your LFS recommending this, price is probably his motivator. Dry sand will become live sand over time. If it makes you happy, then buy it! Is it needed? Absolutely not. Is it nice to have? Sure!

 

2" is kind of an in between amount, not deep enough for a DSB but more than is needed for a decorative or shallow sand bed. If its for looks use whatever you want, if its for a fully functioning deep sand bed go 3-5" and err on the deeper side and use the finest grain size you can find, sugar sand is best for bacteria colonization. I wouldn't worry about bagged live sand, live rock and a cup of borrowed sand out of an established system will do 100x more than bagged sand and much quicker too.

 

AZDesertRat, for the borrowed cup of sand out of an established tank, do I just pour the whole cup in at one spot or should I spread it out to seed the dry sand? Thanks.

 

I usually spread it around so it comes into contact with more surface area. I don't know if it really matters or not though?