Sand question

I pretty much now the answer but I figured I would ask anyways. So I am a poor college student with little money but...I moved awhile back about a year ago and was not able to put my 75 gallon freshwater tank in at the time.

So my question is can I use that old sand I have (i saved it)? I know that I will need to wash it in RO water if it can be done. But the bigger question can it be done and used for a new reef set up.

Thanks in advance for any help you may give me.

This the type of sand that is in the tank...

 

are you going to use it for a freshwater set up? as the sand types are different between salt water and freshwater

but if its sand from a freshwater tank and you want to use it in a new freshwater tank
then provided you rinse it well it will be fine IME

Steve

 

I would advise against using sand for a freshwater set up in a salt water set up.

 

Yes I would using it, if I could on a salt tank.

 

Salt water tanks do best with aragonite sand. Freshwater sand will not support pH control.

 

Then why is it there are so many bare bottom tanks these days? I have to admit I bought into the aragonite sand and put it in my 125. But, I have to wonder why it is that a bare bottom 125 can be so successful without an arragonite substrate.

 

I think 2in10 means IF you're using sand in a saltwater tank, they do better with aragonite than with other types used in freshwater tanks, not that sand is required in a saltwater tank.

 

Because this is primarily a myth (albeit one that's been around a while). Once bacterial biofilms build up in the sandbed, all of the dissolving and buffering that people think they are getting from their aragonite sandbeds completely stops.

 

Here is the sand that I was using...It was for a cichlid tank

CaribSea African Cichlid Eco-Complete | Eco-Complete Cichlid Sand | Eco-Complete Cichlid Gravel | Eco-Complete Ivory Coast Sand

 

Well given what Curt stated it probably wouldn't hurt if well cleaned in RO/DI water.