Black reef sand

[Joker79]

I want to have a black reef sand bed. I've seen many different types and want to know what everyone would recommend??? Brand? Grain size?
I want it to be heavy enough not to blow around or create mounds but light enough for for my sifters as well....
Thoughts???
Thanks!!!

 

[jasonrodreef]

Carib Sea makes a nice one..But they also make a finer kind that tends to be magnetic and loves the cleaner magnets kills glass and murders acrylic.
Hawaiian Black is good but check magnets you might get a tiny tiny rock or two. used and like it
Tahitian Moon NOT GOOD very magnetic and finer black sand..

 

[jasonrodreef]

No sifters are going to care for the hawaiian black..

 

[Joker79]

Ah man!!!! Maybe I should just do the ol special grade sand. Ugh. I like how dark the Tahitian moon is though!!! But magnetic.... Hmmmmmm.....

 

[jasonrodreef]

If you like it use it..just use a blade to clean glass.. only magnet high and check for it on magnet.

 

[Joker79]

Yeah buy I'll be using 2 wp40 in my 120. Think it'll blow around?

 

[reefingnoob]

If you vortechs you can't buy magnetic sand!!!!

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[Joker79]

If you vortechs you can't buy magnetic sand!!!!

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Why is that? And they are wp40's.

 

[buddythelion]

Reason is because vortechs and other pumps are powered by magnets. So the sand will get stuck. And trust me, that magnetic sand is really REALLY hard to get off.

 

[Joker79]

So is there a black sand anyone would recommend that isn't magnetic and won't get stuck???

 

[reefingnoob]

Wow read mp40. Those jebao names do fool you sometimes huh? In my first tank my wife created a substrate she called Oreo milkshake. A mix of oolite and Tahitian moon. I dropped my magnetic cleaner once and it was done for, dropped my mp10 wet side and as buddy said its really really difficult to clean. As for the suggestion a company called stony river has lava sand but its dry and I tried it myself from out side the package and I did not notice any magnetic reaction. Hope it helps

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[reefingnoob]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002AQVF6

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[Joker79]

Ha ha. Sweet!!! Thanks man!!! Yeah those wp and mp can be confusing!!! I'm hoping its black enough and my sifters can get down in it!!!

 

[reefingnoob]

Its grain size is similar to Fiji pink and it looked darker at my LFS yesterday then the pictures online

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[reefingnoob]

I snapped this today

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[jasonrodreef]

I only used the Hawaiian and have no problem with it blowing around its a good size. It stays put better than the fiji pink. I have only removed the Tahitian moon from others tanks.
This is Caribsea Hawaiian in an old 300 i had, it stays pretty clean because its a bigger size. Junk doesn't settle on top was running hammerhead 5200gph. Will not have problems with vortech or any other pumps all powerheads have magnets in them the brand wouldn't matter. Should not have them close to any sand unless you want it on the rocks. Also ran black in a 400 frag tank with zero problems.