im gonna use play sand.

Save up your pennies! Ask for the sand as birthday gifts or holidays or something! ... IMO even if your algae bloom is longer. Why risk it longer, when you could have the tank up faster by doing alittle more work and earing the money to get the correct stuff?

 

i want a deep sand bed, and i dont have a hundred dollars to do so with base sand or live sand. this is what ive found. i know old castle is carbonate based so im gonna try and find that.

 

Well Good luck regardless. I have a 3-4 inch deep sandbed in my 46g, Only cost about 40$ to do so.

 

If you can't buy sand, do you have enough money for rock? Maybe you should just wait a little bit longer. Whichever route you take, good luck and keep us updated.

 

did I see a thread other day about using. "Old Castle or some other brand of sand from home depot" its araganite. I would really rinse that stuff, and maybe even soak it for a few days in some treated water and keep rinsing and refilling water.. then after 1 week put in tank.. or tell your parents you'll cut the grass for some reef sand.

 

Here on the West Coast, about 3 months ago I tried to find the old castle stuff. I did find a mom & pop rock/gravel place that used to carry it. I know a few people on here from the East Coast have bought it from HD but that was a few years ago.
If anyone has a lead, let us know please!!

 

my local lowes doesnt have it im gonna check home depot when i can.

 

old castle stopped making the argonite sand almost 5 yrs ago from what i understand if you can find it perfect but i doubt you will i tryed and failed. as for the silica sand the big problem with it is that it is sharp and and larger granules. if you plan on having a cuc and any globies or starfish i wouldnt do it the sand will kill them or atleast stress them. if fish only minus goby then go for it but if reef i wouldnt. you can tell if has silica by taking some and putting in a cup of vinegar and whatever is left in cup in silica or maybe the opposite of that what is gone is silica. but keep posted cuz i was thinking this route but never wanted to risk it. good luck

 

Gexx find a dealer on eBay called reefsandman. I bought 65 lbs from him for 45.00 and if I remember that included shipping.

 

oh yea I think thats where I got mine and its live sand