FAQs on Coral Sand
JEREMY GAY4 DAYS AGO
Coral sand is one of the first materials that new saltwater aquarium owners add to their tanks. Here we answer your most frequently asked questions on this popular reef aquarium substrate.
Do I need to wash coral sand?
If the sand isn’t live then yes, you need to rinse it in freshwater to remove as much of the fine dust and dirt as you can before you place it in your reef tank and fill the tank with water. Unwashed coral sand will make the water cloudy for a few days after being added.What is coral sand?
Coral sand is fine, white-colored sand that is made from coral skeletons and shell fragments. It is produced via natural erosion and by the grazing habits of parrotfish around coral reefs in the tropics. It’s calcium carbonate and is generally more coarse than the golden silica sand which more commonly forms beaches. Saltwater aquarium owners use it both as a decorative substrate and as a buffer.Does coral sand raise pH
Coral sand can raise the pH and hardness of soft freshwater and act as a buffer against low pH and low hardness. It slowly dissolves in water with a pH of less than 8.2. In the average mixed reef tank, many forces are working to degrade and lower pH, (like carbon dioxide,) and a layer of coral sand won’t be enough on its own to stop daily pH swings or to hold reef tank pH on a permanent basis.For the whole article including LOTS more Q&A, please go:
FAQs on Coral Sand | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog
Coral sand is one of the first materials that new saltwater aquarium owners add to their tanks. Here we answer your most frequently asked questions on this popular reef aquarium substrate.
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