A few n00b questions

[Corn-Picker]

Thanks for the help over the past day or two. I seem to have gotten my thousand questions down to two or three.

Is sand scooped off of a beach fine for a tank? I have a friend in Jacksonville this weekend and I might ask him to get me a 5 gallon bucket full of beach sand :) Is this the right type of calcium based sand, (aragonite?), is it a silica based sand, or is it geography dependent?

The guy at the LFS told me a protein skimmer is not necessary unless I plan to overload the tank. Sound true? He told me the only thing I need to get expensive with is a good heater, one like a visotherm that is fully submersible. He also said my hang on filter is fine, unless, again, I plan to overload the tank.

One final question. Is there any inexpensive alternative to lace rock? Can I go down by the local river and grab a few rocks? I have a 1/2" carbide hole saw and a diamond tipped circular saw that I can drill holes into the rock to make hiding holes for gobys and clown fish and such. I don't mind paying a few dollars for 5-10 pounds of live rock to seed other rock with, but paying $5-$6 per pound for lace rock seems too high of a price to me.

[OrionGirl]

I would not use sand from the beach. First, in many areas, collection requires a permit. Second, pollutants tend to be concentrated close to shore, so you risk introducing toxins into your tank. The risk is big enough, IMM, that it should be avoided at all costs. If your buddy can dive and legally collect sand away from the coast, it should be okay to use--otherwise, buy the bagged stuff.

Any kind of small grained sand will work. Aragonite (calcium based) sands are preferred, since they will help buffer the tank, but silica works just fine.


Skimmers help keep water quality in good shape, no matter the load. They remove organics before they can decay, as well as pulling out some of the toxins released by fish and corals. Required? Nope, but certainly a good safety net for all tanks, not just overstocked ones. I would not use media in the HOB--just a place for wastes to accumulate, meaning more work for you. Live rock and sand provide all the biological filtration you should need.

Porous rock of any kind will become biologically active. Check landscaping companies--they should have a good choice for much less cost. Non-porous rock, like granite, won't really help out, so should be avoided in preference of porous stuff. I wouldn't use limestone either--it will dissolve and may cloud the water.

[Corn-Picker]

Thanks Onion Girl :) How will I balance the pH of the tank if I use play sand? The Calcium sand will keep the pH buffered around 8 where it's in the sweet spot right? Thanks again.

[OrionGirl]

Commercial salt mixes contain buffers that will increase and stabilize pH as well. I have silica play sand in my tank, and keep a small amount of crushed coral in the sump. I've never had a problem with the pH. 8.0-8.3 is the range I prefer. Mine stay right about 8.2. I do dose for calcium, which helps buffer as well.