so i have some sand that i have saved from a previously saltwater aquarium, and i want to use it as the bottom layer in my planted aquarium. my first question to you plant know-it-alls is that is using sand as the bottom layer a good idea? second question is, will the sand be safe and not affect chemistry as long as i rinse it really really well? back to the plant-know-it-alls, i plan on using the sand as the bottom layer, and/or eco complete as the middle/top, and/or regular fine gravel as the top. should i use just the sand and eco complete, or just the eco complete and gravel?
using old saltwater sand in new freshwater tank?
- Thread starter danepatrick
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i'm not a plant expert but from what i know... saltwater sand can have an impact on your hardness and pH level. if i remember it correctly it is only cichlids that can tolerate saltwater sands. but then again... i'm not an expert on this.
what kind of sand from your saltwater tank? i use eco complete all by its self. looks good and works great.
obsidion sand works great with plants. I use it with a bit of pure laterite mixed in. Most kinds of sand for saltwater are going to have shells or something that will raise your calcium level, pH, and hardness, which will make most plants unhappy. As far as sand in general, I like it for my planted tanks, because it is easier to get cuttings to stay anchored long enough to take root, and I have noticed better root development in those plants in my tanks with sand, vs the tanks without. It can get compacted and turn anaerobic (which is not bad for the plants, unless it is anaerobic near the roots, but it can be bad for fish). To combat this I have Malaysian Trumpet Snails in all the tanks with sand to keep it sifted, or you can poke at it every once in a while with a chopstick.
If it's aragonite sand, it will raise your PH for sure. Aragonite sand is the most common sand used in saltwater tanks. Made from the skeletons of coral, and bits of shell, it slowly dissolves in water to add calcium to the water to keep live corals happy. This causes your PH to rise. I would just use EcoComplete, or Flourite in a plant tank.