Re: [APD] sand

["Bill Wichers" <billw at waveform_net>]

> > yes sand does not interact with H2O. Would not be a lot of beaches.
> >
> 
> Since when?
> 
> Sand is mostly calcium carbonate, ie the dead shells of invertebrate
> animals. Course it dissolves in water! It is what gives water GH and
KH.
> :)

Nope, most sand is composed primarily of silica (silicon dioxide).
Silica is pretty stable in water (remember it's the base material used
in glass too, and your tank probably doesn't dissolve when full of water
:-). 

Calcium carbonate and a few other impurities that are sometimes found in
"sand" are what can cause PH issues with some substrates. What you do
NOT want to use is "coral sand" which tends to be mostly calcium
carbonate from the skeletons of ancient sea critters (primarily corals)
and it most definitely *will* dissolve over time and cause problems.

  -Bill

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