This can't be good...

[JWarren]

Fort Lauderdale. I lived down there for fourteen years. They are always botching something up! The local newspapers there are always reporting something ridiculous.

Yes sand is made of silica. But what percentage of what is being called beach sand, is actually coral and shell particles which release the essential carbonates back to the reefs in that area? There is a cycle in the wild. Over loading the beach with glass could choke off the amount of those carbonates that would be returned to the reef that has already been severely damaged by other Broward government debacles.

They don’t care about the reef! This is obvious whenever the mention of how much revenue the beach brings in is mentioned.

They said they researched for years before putting out those tires and did all that dredging. The amount of coral that was out there laying on the beaches mad me sick to my stomach.

Geez, a hand full of us experienced reefers could have gone down there and told them what would have work. They are just being stupid to keep the money coming in.

 

[JoJo]

Along the NaPali coast on Kauaii, there is one of the prettiest beaches you'd ever care to stick your toes in. During the winter, it completely disappears. During the spring/summer, it reappears and builds back up again.

And I mean there isn't a speck of sand left during the winter...

what happens to the sand, does the tide come in that far? and if so what stops it from coming even further, sea wall?

 

[tbittner]

In the winter, the waves get up to 60 feet and it scours the north shore clean. There isn't any life on the side of the mountain from about 80 feet, down to the ocean.

 

[JoJo]

thats crazy!

 

[SubRosa]

While you're busy testing playsand for silicates don't forget to make sure that the glass from your tank isn't leaching any silicates!

 

[zy112]

I can see it both ways. Many reefs are in distress but I also understand the need for the economy. Pretty tough situation

 

[JWarren]

While you're busy testing playsand for silicates don't forget to make sure that the glass from your tank isn't leaching any silicates!

Thats a good point, but then again, I've never known coral to consume such a large piece of silicate!

It's the small minute particals of silicate that would be broken down by the wave action over time.

What is happening is the amount of this material certainly would be more than what is in that particular habitat naturally. The corals that are there are not there because of all the glass thats being dumped there.

 

[JWarren]

I can see it both ways. Many reefs are in distress but I also understand the need for the economy. Pretty tough situation

I can't see it both ways. Can't eat money. The reef should always come first.

 

[SubRosa]

Glass is insoluble in seawater.All the wave action in the world won't change that.It will merely erode the pieces smaller and smaller,but it won't break the chemical bonds and liberate silica in a soluble form.

 

[JWarren]

Glass is insoluble in seawater.All the wave action in the world won't change that.It will merely erode the pieces smaller and smaller,but it won't break the chemical bonds and liberate silica in a soluble form.

And what happens to all the eroded particles that are so small they are in the water column, so light the cannot settle out of it.

And what will it do to all the organisms that filter feed?

And what will happen to all the coral when this magnitude of eroded particles enters the water column?

And will it cause a choking effect on the available nutrients the coral uses to survive, if it dose settle out onto the reef?

and what happens when all this glass is washed away from the beach like all the sand and calcified particles did before the glass?

Dumping things onto the beach either by dump truck or dredge, has never worked and is not the fix. Broward county is seeking a cheap solution to an expensive problem and they don't want to pay for the concrete bunkers. to be put in place.

 

[tbittner]

Glass is insoluble in seawater.All the wave action in the world won't change that.It will merely erode the pieces smaller and smaller,but it won't break the chemical bonds and liberate silica in a soluble form.

If this is true, then why couldn't we use it as the substrate in our tanks?

 

[SubRosa]

Who says you can't?

 

[SubRosa]

And what happens to all the eroded particles that are so small they are in the water column, so light the cannot settle out of it.

And what will it do to all the organisms that filter feed?

And what will happen to all the coral when this magnitude of eroded particles enters the water column?

And will it cause a choking effect on the available nutrients the coral uses to survive, if it dose settle out onto the reef?

and what happens when all this glass is washed away from the beach like all the sand and calcified particles did before the glass?

Dumping things onto the beach either by dump truck or dredge, has never worked and is not the fix. Broward county is seeking a cheap solution to an expensive problem and they don't want to pay for the concrete bunkers. to be put in place.

I don't know.What happens everytime a wave crashes on a beach that NATURALLY consists of silica sand?Why hasn't this catastrophe already happened?In this particular case I can assure you that the sky is not falling.
The amount of silica that we are capable of generating and spreading doesn't even qualify as a drop in the bucket compared to the amount that has been lying around for millions of years eroding into the deadly particles you are so worried about.And as far as beach replacement in general goes it's just a subsidy to those who live along the coast.And a bad one at that because eventually nature wins.But we keep spending tax dollars to benefit a few people with bad luck in choosing real estate.

John