Beach sand from Destin Florida

[zilchman]

Hey guys, quick question. Im visiting Destin FL and was wondering if I could take some of the gorgeous white sand from here for my aquarium. Do u think that would be safe for my tank? Anybody who uses beach sand on this forum??

 

[zy112]

I think the beach sand would be highly polluted. You would have to go far out into he ocean to get some good stuff. Maybe you could bake it then rinse it?

 

[BigAl07]

I wouldn't do it. There's no way of knowing what all is IN that sand from a biological and from a chemical stand point. It's just not worth the risk at all.

 

[DrHank]

We locals don't use the sand. It's quartz based. Also, it's illegal to remove (with fines if you get caught) and as AL said, you don't know what's in that sand.

 

[zilchman]

Thanks guys, Thats a resounding no, i will leave the sand alone!!

 

[yungreefer2410]

yeah don't take our sand please haha, theres not enough of it here to begin with, now if you go out kinda far in a boat it would be cleaner but i still wouldn't take it

 

[MotoReef]

Hey guys, quick question. Im visiting Destin FL and was wondering if I could take some of the gorgeous white sand from here for my aquarium. Do u think that would be safe for my tank? Anybody who uses beach sand on this forum??

I guess the white sand you have there is closer to what you need than the brown silica sand here in California. But read on please...

Aside from legality issues, some decade and a half ago, I didn't know better as struggling working guy in my early 20's, I took some Beach sand from Redondo Beach, Ca.

I collected it about 20 yards into the sea, as far as I can walk, knowing I can't swim back to shore with a 5 gallon bucket of sand (LOL), and hoping it would be live sand. I proceeded to dump it and mix it with coral live sand I had already in the tank.

The result was as follows, the best I can recall:

1. The sand was live and had lots of critters, wanted and unwanted.
2. The sand was surprisingly clean of any garbage and did not cloud water.
3. There was a HUGE unending outbreak of cynobacter RED SLIME algae that smothered live rocks within a week. (Now I know this is caused by silicate in the non-reef sand)
5. Spotted Gobies in the tank developed infection on the jaw.
6. Snails all died (possibly due to slime algae winning against the diatom they feed on)
4. It called for a complete tear down of the reef and rebuild with proper live sand from the store.

My feeling on this:

DON'T Do IT. Live and learn, but not the hard way if you have good advice from the "done-that" crowd.

Unless you want to watch "coral reef destruction, the natural way" right in front of you eyes!!