Silica sand

[ingo_1978]

I have a brackish tank which I will eventually acclimatise to marine... The only problem is that the sand is a mixture of normal sand and silica sand.

From what I understand silica sand is a big no no when it comes to marine setups due to diatoms. I assume I would need to remove this and replace with normal sand? Or would it not make much difference?

 

[The-Wolf]

I don't know anything about marine tanks, but i know some about sand.
I think you are confusing silica with silcate.
it is silicate that diatoms need to reproduce not silica.
given that silica sand is ok for marine enviroments.

 

[steelhealr]

What Wolf says may be true..HOWEVER....you want to have a coral substrate if possible, eg, crushed coral or aragonite. The calcium substrate helps to buffer your marine system. I wouldn't use regular sand in a marine tank. SH

 

[Navarre]

I would never entertain the thought of silica sand for a marine setup. its size makes it very difficult for live to enter and populate it.. its also very abrasive on worms etc and can cut them so they will refuse to enter it usually.

Its also a sterile sand so it offers no buffering ability to the water and PH fluctuations might then result.

Its far better to get rid of the sand and start afresh.