Would you use silica based sand ?

[HM3105]

Didn't like the "reef" black sand options but noticed they had natural black silica sand. Would this cause any issues with reef life ?

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Didn't like the "reef" black sand options but noticed they had natural black silica sand. Would this cause any issues with reef life ?

I've used quartz and silica based pool filter sands in the past for quarantine systems for wrasses and gobies without issue, but I don't know if I would want to use them in a reef tank. When looking at the substrate, they honestly just look off, or out of place.

I even had a tank set up as half black silica sand, half crushed coral. It was ok, but I wouldn't do it again.

 

[polyppal]

Sounds like Diatom city

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Sounds like Diatom city

Honestly they don't really cause any diatoms more than what you'd see during the initial diatom bloom post cycling. And in a display, a few extra Astraea snails and Ox-Tongue nerite snails help keep it from getting out of hand.

 

[HM3105]

I've used quartz and silica based pool filter sands in the past for quarantine systems for wrasses and gobies without issue, but I don't know if I would want to use them in a reef tank. When looking at the substrate, they honestly just look off, or out of place.

I even had a tank set up as half black silica sand, half crushed coral. It was ok, but I wouldn't do it again.

Really just wanting a black substrate but I think I'm going to be out of luck

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Really just wanting a black substrate but I think I'm going to be out of luck

The black sand from caribsea looks nice, especially in a nano. Just have to keep the detritus from settling on it. Use that with a mix of smooth limestone boulders and occasional volcanic lace rock and you've basically made a volcanic reef like seen in half of St Kitts.