Reef sand

[Huynhter_Soldier]

Buy two bags to get free shipping. Too funny.

Do you know if they always carry it at this price? I'm still having to piece things together and would rather start with getting my return and rodi machine first. Sand isn't really to important right now but if it's only temporary then I might as well just get 2 bags now while it last. If you know what I mean?

 

[Huynhter_Soldier]

Buy two bags to get free shipping. Too funny.

You know what?! Nevermind, I'm about to checkout the cart lol. You pulled my arm man!

 

[bruno3047]

Do you know if they always carry it at this price? I'm still having to piece things together and would rather start with getting my return and rodi machine first. Sand isn't really to important right now but if it's only temporary then I might as well just get 2 bags now while it last. If you know what I mean?

Price fluctuates. Like I said ,I paid $19.99 a few months ago. But I also bought a 200 gallon box of Reef Crystals salt from them for $22. It’s now $63.98. Take your chances

 

[Jedi1199]

Do you know if they always carry it at this price? I'm still having to piece things together and would rather start with getting my return and rodi machine first. Sand isn't really to important right now but if it's only temporary then I might as well just get 2 bags now while it last. If you know what I mean?

Sales come and go. the RODI will likely be the same price a month from now as it is today. Take a bargain while you can get it!!

 

[bruno3047]

When I see a great price, like $22 for a 200 gallon box of reef crystals salt, I strike. I have another four boxes in my other closet. No lie.

 

[Spare time]

I'd prefer special grade or a mix. I'd also go with dry if you get that sand. Otherwise you are just likely throwing money away

 

[Jedi1199]

When I see a great price, like $22 for a 200 gallon box of reef crystals salt, I strike. I have another four boxes in my other closet. No lie.

Awesome!! I have 2 buckets of RC and 3 bags in my water change room for the same reason.. Got a deal and bought in bulk!!

 

[Jedi1199]

I'd prefer special grade or a mix. I'd also go with dry if you get that sand. Otherwise you are just likely throwing money away

????


How so?

 

[Huynhter_Soldier]

Price fluctuates. Like I said ,I paid $19.99 a few months ago. But I also bought a 200 gallon box of Reef Crystals salt from them for $22. It’s now $63.98. Take your chances

dang, for $22 bucks you should have gotten several boxes and just flipped it when the price jumps

 

[Huynhter_Soldier]

I think I should really start scrolling through the post before replying back. It so happened that you post the pictures of all the RC you purchased and stored.

 

[bruno3047]

dang, for $22 bucks you should have gotten several boxes and just flipped it when the price jumps

I did. I think I bought four boxes from them at $22 each. I also bought from Petco and Amazon in the high 20s. Best time to do shopping on this kind of stuff is at the end of the year. That’s when they look to move out inventory. Clearance-type sales and efforts to boost revenue for the year-end.

 

[Huynhter_Soldier]

I did. I think I bought four boxes from them at $22 each. I also bought from Petco and Amazon in the high 20s. Best time to do shopping on this kind of stuff is at the end of the year. That’s when they look to move out inventory. Clearance-type sales.

I didn't know that. Have to keep that in mind. Is there a limit they will allow you to purchase?

 

[bruno3047]

I didn't know that. Have to keep that in mind. Is there a limit they will allow you to purchase?

I’ve never seen that.

 

[Spare time]

????


How so?

According to Ryan at brs, it's freshwater bacteria that helps with a cycle a little but doesn't last. They add this after drying and sifting the sand for uniformity. Plus even if it was marine cycling bacteria, it would be cheaper a lot of times to simply buy that separately.

 

[Jedi1199]

I didn't know that. Have to keep that in mind. Is there a limit they will allow you to purchase?

If you buy from Amazon, yes.

If you buy direct from Petco, IDK.

 

[blaxsun]

How do you know?! Lol

How do I know? Whenever my fish fart it creates a mini sand tornado...

 

[Huynhter_Soldier]

How do I know? Whenever my fish fart it creates a mini sand tornado...

you wild bro!

 

[Huynhter_Soldier]

How do I know? Whenever my fish fart it creates a mini sand tornado...

You almost made my drink come out my nose, but instead I spit it out before it could have.

 

[Jedi1199]

According to Ryan at brs, it's freshwater bacteria that helps with a cycle a little but doesn't last. They add this after drying and sifting the sand for uniformity. Plus even if it was marine cycling bacteria, it would be cheaper a lot of times to simply buy that separately.

Interesting...

Brings up a question. And, a reason I distrust BRS as the "be all end all" source of information.

Why in the world would Carib Sea, who manufactures sand specifically for salt water application, use FRESH WATER cycling bacteria for their final product?

As it happens, I have used Carib Sea brand sand for all of my builds. Specifically the Fiji Pink grade sand.

Granted, I also used several pieces of rock from existing tanks to skip-cycle my builds, but again, the question arises, WHY?

Further, if the consensus is fact, that the sand has a minimal effect on cycling, and added to that point, that fully washing new sand is the preferred method, who cares what bacteria is added to the Carib Sea product?

When I began my 55g build, I searched high and low for "dry sand". The result was a significantly higher priced product with far less availability of grading. The Carib Sea product was hands down the best option I found.

If you have a source of dry sand that beats the product in discussion here, please post it so we can discuss. I would love to see the pros and cons.

 

[Jedi1199]

Let's get a little deeper into this subject.

I just took one of my bags of sand and placed it on my digital bathroom scale. The result is 20.2 lbs. So in essence, it IS correct, that buying this product is wasteful if you consider the water weight included in the final product.

20# of DRY sand will yield more sand than 20# of the Carib Sea sand.

How much water is included in the bag? I don't know, and frankly, I am not willing to spend the time to dry out a bagful to find out.. Perhaps 15%?

Since this product is easier to find, and far less in cost over the dry sand, I suspect that the majority of people will go this route.

This, plus the availability of differing grades at a reasonable cost is another reason to expect that this will be the preferred sand for most.

Should I take a sample from a bag and send it to a lab to test what bacteria is present in the bag as it comes off the shelf? Again, does it matter? Most people will either use a bottled bacteria to cycle or, like me, use rocks from an established tank to skip-cycle. So again, who cares what is in the bag as far as cycling bacteria? ESPECIALLY, if they wash the sand completely before adding it to the tank??