Coral Sand for Marine/ Reef tank setup

[lyz77]

I'm a newbies and I will like to seek advise from on whether will the introduction of coral sand increase the nitrate level in the tank?

I notice that the nitrate level in my tank increase tremendously! I did a little experiment by using a fresh mix salt water which I had tested to contain 0ppm nitrate. I add in a small portion of coral sand into the fresh mix salt water and let it soak for a day. When I test the nitrate level of the water again, the nitrate level raise up to >12.5ppm!

If coral sand increase nitrate level, then how come some pple still use it as a filter media? I know that it will help to stablize the alkalinity of the tank, but won't this pose a great threat to the inhabitants in the tank?

[terryansimon]

coral sand. from the deep sea bed I presume?

miracles don't happen overnight. DSB nitrate reduction takes more than two days mind you. minimum eight months for the DSB to develop the capability to convert nitrates to nitrite and back to harmless N2 gas.

[lyz77]

coral sand. from the deep sea bed I presume?

miracles don't happen overnight. DSB nitrate reduction takes more than two days mind you. minimum eight months for the DSB to develop the capability to convert nitrates to nitrite and back to harmless N2 gas.

I understand that it can even take up to a year for the DSB to work! But my concern is whether is coral sand an ideal media for creating a DBS since it will give out nitrate rapidly? Or is there any other forms of media for creating a DSB?

[terryansimon]

what makes you so sure that the source of nitrate is from the coral sand itself?

[Achilles Tang]

Nitrates is produced as a result of biological processes.

Coral sand does not contain nitrates to the least bit. It is not an absorbent for nitrates.

Is your tapwater nitrates-free?

[lyz77]

Nitrates is produced as a result of biological processes.

Coral sand does not contain nitrates to the least bit. It is not an absorbent for nitrates.

Is your tapwater nitrates-free?

Yap! I'm using mineral water to carry out the test and have chk the nitrate prior and after mixing the salt water! Indicate 0ppm! I'm confused too!

If coral sand doesn't give out nitrate, then is it possible for a fresh patch of coral sand to break down the ammonia & nitrite overnite using the method that I had mentioned earlier which may be the reason why the nitrate level rise?

Kindly advise!

[lyz77]

[Volitan]

Is there any increase in ammonia and/or nitrite together with nitrate, or only nitrate?

[BarraCudaTM]

you can use fine spherical glass beads

click here

[nicky30092002]

you can use fine spherical glass beads

click here

Tat's right, maybe the senior reefer here can comment abt baracuda planned acquistion ....

[blacknails]

Wow... Corl sand adding nitrates? Hey maybe there's some dead dried material mixed up together with your coral sand!! Like some small organism that died with the sand while the company collecting it!! Then it continued to rot when it had moisture. Just a theory though.. Or else coral sand cannot possibly add to nitrates lah..

[BarraCudaTM]

Wow... Corl sand adding nitrates? Hey maybe there's some dead dried material mixed up together with your coral sand!! Like some small organism that died with the sand while the company collecting it!! Then it continued to rot when it had moisture. Just a theory though.. Or else coral sand cannot possibly add to nitrates lah..

why not? The first few layers are aerobic meaning they will covert ammonia to nitrite to nitrate. If the coralsand is not fine and deep enough then all it will do is to produce nitrate.

[Morgan]

Are these the glass beads used for sandblasting purposes?

Should be useable as a sandbed as it is inert.

Nitrifying bacteria can't tell the different between coral sand or glass beads.....they just need a surface to grow.

Think you should be able to find some info on this in RC. Rememder reading about it somewhere.

[FuEl]

Won't diatoms grow on glass beads more easily since they are made up of SiO2?

[Clownfish]

Yap! I'm using mineral water to carry out the test and have chk the nitrate prior and after mixing the salt water! Indicate 0ppm! I'm confused too!

If coral sand doesn't give out nitrate, then is it possible for a fresh patch of coral sand to break down the ammonia & nitrite overnite using the method that I had mentioned earlier which may be the reason why the nitrate level rise?

Kindly advise!

maybe u shld hav test ur tap-water after leaving it overnight too, to hav a fair test

[lyz77]

maybe u shld hav test ur tap-water after leaving it overnight too, to hav a fair test

U mean that the nitrate may increase overnite even if I tested the level is 0ppm initially?

[BarraCudaTM]

Are these the glass beads used for sandblasting purposes?

Should be useable as a sandbed as it is inert.

Nitrifying bacteria can't tell the different between coral sand or glass beads.....they just need a surface to grow.

Think you should be able to find some info on this in RC. Rememder reading about it somewhere.

yap they are very fine and comes in various sizes. I plan to use the 0.18 to 0.21mm range. The best thing is they sparkle under lightings especially MH lights.

[BarraCudaTM]

Won't diatoms grow on glass beads more easily since they are made up of SiO2?

Diatoms and algae will grow on anywhere, you just need nutrients export.

[lyz77]

yap they are very fine and comes in various sizes. I plan to use the 0.18 to 0.21mm range. The best thing is they sparkle under lightings especially MH lights.

Do u hv any spare for sale? I oni looking 4 1kg cos mine is a mini tank!

[zorden]

so normal sand better or glass beads better??

well..anyone have nice picture of both in their tank to show us..

if the glass bead sparkle in the tank, dosent it look too artificial

i don mind artificial but i want it to be nice

[zorden]

can someone pls state the price of sand beads and glass...

need to see the difference in price?

how many kg is required for a 4 ft tank

[BarraCudaTM]

Do u hv any spare for sale? I oni looking 4 1kg cos mine is a mini tank!

if all you want is 1kg, no probelm ... I can give you FOC.

zorden -

The glass beads are transparent but when they are so fine and dense, they appear to be white. Glass does not absorb phosphate, heavy metals or any other compounds unlike coral sand. It is also inert meaning they wont react with any chemicals and break down to glass powder. The only disadvantage is the price .. it cost $1.4/kg. My tank of 4x2.5 will need 3 packs (75kg) to have a 4 inch sandbed.

[ai[k²]wan]

barra does a dsb with glass bead actually work since u are going to have a 4 inch sandbed? i dont think it would work very well since its spherical and bigger, remember tesselation in primary school, between circles and circles, there are gaps.(good and bad).

[BarraCudaTM]

wan,Nov 15 2003, 09:47 PM] barra does a dsb with glass bead actually work since u are going to have a 4 inch sandbed? i dont think it would work very well since its spherical and bigger, remember tesselation in primary school, between circles and circles, there are gaps.(good and bad).

You wont be able to tell that they are glass beads unless you look under the microscope. To give you a rough guide, they look like the sand used in those fancy hourglass.

[Achilles Tang]

Interesting, Barracuda! You'll be the first in SRC to try use glass beads for DSB! Just make sure you don't get sandsifting gobies... or you'll find a gruesome mess of blood later.. LOL... kidding!

Let us know how it turns out okie? Probably half a year later?