Aragamax Sand?

[aquadiva]

Does this look like a good choice of sand for a Discus Tank? http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=7321 I may consider in the future adding a shallow bed of sand to my tank and wondered if this one would be good for them.

I've looked at Silica sand at Menards store and the sales person said it is kind of dangerous for your lungs?? He didn't recommend it for that reason. I am looking for something that is already rinsed or wouldn't be super messy to rinse myself or damage my lungs in the process. Thanks for any input,

Anna :sun:

[Hattawi]

For silica sand, I think once you get it wet, the danger on airborne particles becomes much less. Its a one time thing only as compared with those who are exposed to the dust everyday.

[TankWatcher]

Hattawi is right. There is no dust once the sand is wet. If there is danger, it comes when you first open the silica sand bag & pour it into the bucket to wash it. To minimise dust, do this outside. Instead of pouring it into the bucket, place the unopened bag into your washing container, slit open the bottom of the bag & slowly/gently raise the bag up & away. This way, the sand does not bang down on the container, creating dust. Put your hose into the container & run it until the sand is completely covered. Dust is now no longer possible.

You are fairly unlikely to breath in airborne dust particles if you do it this way. I agree with Hattawi that this is a one time thing, compared with those who are exposed to the dust every day.

Now that there is no dust, you can safely clean the sand in the normal manner. You will need many, many, many rinses of water to get it clean. If it is like my silica sand, it is filthy stuff before washed.

If you wash it well, will be no dust left remaining on the sand, even any that is left over from your tank & you dry it out for storage. At least, that is what I have found. I washed the dust all away.

The sand you linked is for marine tanks & while I'm no expert on marine tanks, I think it is likely to raise your carbonate hardness and/or pH, so I wouldn't really recommend it for discus. Just my opinion & I may be wrong on the hardness & pH thing.

[bs6749]

Aragamax is aragonite and it's used to buffer the pH around 8.0 or higher. It's perfect for a saltwater tank or a freshwater African cichlid tank but it's the last thing you want in a discus tank. I'd highly recommend pool filter sand. I have it in my 100g discus tank and it's nice to use with plants too. It's inert and won't effect your water chemistry.

[Darrell Ward]

Aragamax is aragonite and it's used to buffer the pH around 8.0 or higher. It's perfect for a saltwater tank or a freshwater African cichlid tank but it's the last thing you want in a discus tank. I'd highly recommend pool filter sand. I have it in my 100g discus tank and it's nice to use with plants too. It's inert and won't effect your water chemistry.

Yes, Aragonite is made from ancient coral skeletons, full of calcium, that will send your pH through the roof. Not what you want in a discus tank.

[aquadiva]

Yikes! What a dolt I was to overlook that!:crazy: So is pool filter sand the same as silica sand? If not, I am curious as to why prefer one over the other? Thanks everyone for your input on this.

Anna :sun:

[bs6749]

Pool filter sand is a silica based sand. I'm sure there are different types of silica sand available and the larger grains are used for pool filter sand.

[TankWatcher]

Not sure about in USA, but in Australia, not all pool filter sand is silica based. I especially wanted the silica based pool filter sand, as it is almost white. There is another type in Aust that is much browner.

Silica sand is available in a fine grain too, but if you get the pool filter silica, then the grains are larger & that is the better choice.

[aquadiva]

Great! Thanks for the responses.

Anna :angel:

[bs6749]

Just as in AUS, there is variation in the color of PFS here in the US. I have the brown kind but would like a lighter and more white sand but that isn't available locally.

[tcyiu]

Just as in AUS, there is variation in the color of PFS here in the US. I have the brown kind but would like a lighter and more white sand but that isn't available locally.

I would love to find a source of white sand near me in California that will not require my getting a second mortgage.

I bought a box of "SafeSand" (google it) to try. But the product is extremely fine. After many days of rinsing, it still clouded the water whenever disturbed.

Too bad. It looks really nice under water.

Tim