Glass for DSB

[StirCrazy]

I was reading about dsb's and I know that silica is unsoluable in water so I am not worried about using that but what I found today is glass beads (used in sandblasting) I had the supplyer call the manuafactuer and find otu the composition.. 100% crushed / ground glass (recycled) now the mesh size of the stuff I was looking at is 100 to 170 so I was wondering if this is too fine and if anyone can think of other problems with this..

Steve

[reefburnaby]

Welcome to the dark side...

Just kidding...The DSB should have different types of grain size...from large grains to the fine stuff. Try mixing different grain size to your DSB. I think the 100-170 mesh size size satisfies the fine stuff of the DSB.

Sure beats buying stuff from the LFS eh. Currently, I am using domilite lime. Yupe...its the same stuff you put on your lawn images/smiles/icon_smile.gif It doesn't disolve in normal saltwater pH levels and its white. Best of all...its cheap...$2.5 per 20kg. I put a 5" DSB in my 90 gal for $15.

- Victor.

[StirCrazy]

Domilite lime.. now thats even cheeper.. how long have you been using it?

Steve

[reefburnaby]

I've been using it for 6 months in my 5.5G and 1 month on my 90G. On RC, some reefers use it too. Domolite lime comes in many grades...some are good and some are bad. I used the Revy kind...the HD kind was not as white and it had some dirt particles.

FYI, Domolite lime is mostly calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate -- the same stuff you get when you overdose calcium in a reef images/smiles/icon_smile.gif

Hope that helps.

- Victor.

[StirCrazy]

hey Victor thanks that is something I am going to have to check out. a couple questions though, how easy does it get stired up or does it act pretty much like sand? and is there anyway to tell on the bag if it is a good grade or not? ( last time I limed my lawn I thought it was a powder and not a grain) how fine is the stuff you are using?

Steve

[ 22 November 2001: Message edited by: StirCrazy ]

[reefburnaby]

No problem Steve. I have noticed that there are different types of domilite lime -- some have chemicals in them that make it easier to spread on your lawn ($10 a bag). Just look at the label and see if they add anything special to it. It should contain mostly calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate.

Basically, I look at the mesh size and if 50% is bigger than mesh size 100 and 50% is less...than its good enough for me. I also look at the guaranteed composition and make sure its mostly Magnesium Carbonate and Calcium Carbonate. Lastly, I take a sample of stuff and dunk it in saltwater. Wait 30 minutes. And measure the pH. If the pH goes up...this stuff has kalk in it. If its stay the same, then its good.

As for it being too fine. I thought that would be a problem at first. When you plunk the stuff in, its going to make your tank look like milk. After a couple of days, it will settle. After a couple of weeks, the bacteria and algae will start to grow on the fine sand, and the fine sand will always sink.

If you think it is too fine, you can add a bag of crush coral or something similar.

Hope that helps.

- Victor.

[ 22 November 2001: Message edited by: reefburnaby ]

[StirCrazy]

ok thanks for the info I will have tomake a trip to the hardware store next week and check it out.. if it turns out to be the wrong one the lawn could always use it images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

Steve

[StirCrazy]

Victor,

do you have a digital camera? if so could you take a picture of the lime bag for me, if not can you write the brand name and anything else on the bag that will help me identify it.. I would rather get a brand that is proven than take a chance with something else.

Thanks
Steve

[reefburnaby]

Hi,

Its kind of funny, but I don't have a digital camera. Maybe that will change in a week or so (Boxing Day Sales images/smiles/icon_smile.gif ). What kind of hardware stores do you usually go to ? HD ? Revy ?

As an update, the sand is doing quite well.

- Victor.

[StirCrazy]

well we have a home depot out here and I think a revy.. doesent matter whare I go to me as long as I am getting the right stuff images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

Steve

[StirCrazy]

ok I went to Canadian tire and I found some
mighty white dolomite LTD. lime.
it has a guarenteed analysis of
Calcium 30% Magnesium 17%
Calcium Carbonate55% Magnesium Carbonate37%

Nutralizing value expressed as CaCO3 equivelent 96%

size wise it stated
100% passing 10 mesh
86% passing 20 mesh
69% passing 40 mesh
62% passing 60 mesh
46% passing 100 mesh

for a final score of 80

it is a 40lb bag and it costs 3.89

content of dolomite lime by the washington goverment (http://www-app2.wa.gov/agr/prodinfo.asp?pname=31010)

well what do you think?

Steve

[ 18 December 2001: Message edited by: StirCrazy ]

[reefburnaby]

Hi,

Sounds fine...I would check if the lime desolves in water (i.e. check if this stuff is like kalk) by checking the pH when it is in water.

I would also check if the lime is relatively pure (i.e. not too much black bits and non-CaCO3).

$3.89 a bag is pretty expensive though...I got my from Revy for $2.50. I didn't like the HD kind...it was not as fine as Revy's and it was not as white, although HD was cheaper ($2.25 or so).

- Victor.

[StirCrazy]

hehe we are on the island add at least a buck for shipping hehe.. one bag was split so I am going to take a baggie ther tonight and get a sample and try it in water. althouht my PH is 6.8 so it might go up some..

the broken bag was all white.. like baby power white would look beautifull in a tank I think...

Steve

[reefburnaby]

Hi,

Ummm...really...$1 for shipping. I grew up in the pacific northwest BC (near the Skeena river) and my parents live up there. They told me that lime is about $2 up there...and its about a 1600 km road trip to get there.

But, it sounds like the right stuff.

- Victor.

[StirCrazy]

well a buck was a example.. but the do hose us on the island clamming that the ferry costs a lot to ship accross.

Steve

[reefburnaby]

Steve,
http://www.rshimek.com/reef/sediment.htm

- Victor.

[StirCrazy]

ya I have read that a few times hehe, was there a spicific part you were refering to? I didn't see anything about dolomite there..

Steve

[reefburnaby]

Hi,


http://www.rshimek.com/images/wSediment_Distn.jpg

BTW, X mesh means there are X squared openings per square inch. So, a 100 mesh has 10,000 openings per square inch (each opening is 1/100th by 1/100th of an inch).

and

1 inch = 25.4 mm.

So

1/100th inch = 254 um or 1/4 mm.

- Victor.

[ 19 December 2001: Message edited by: reefburnaby ]

[StirCrazy]

yup I know all that.. I use mesh sizes at work for various oil, water, freon, ect filters and strainers.

Steve

[Tigger]

I currently have crush coral with agraganite sand on top, and I was told that this was a big factor in why I have such a high nitrate concentration. I am thinking of switching over to domilite lime. Is there a way to easily separate the crush coral from the agraganite? Is it worth while to try and save some of this stuff? I figure if I throw everything away, I will be removing what little worms and copepods I have. Can we buy these critters in to put into the tank? Should I move all my old stuff to one side and put the domilite lime on the other side and hope the critters migrate to the domilite lime? This whole thing is getting complicated. Is it even worthwhile to switch over?

Steve

[reefburnaby]

Hi Steve,

So, how deep is your sand bed ? If it isn't very deep, I would just add some finer sand (say dolomite lime and sandblasting sand) on top of the existing sand. Try not to disturb the existing sand since that creates more problems. Over time, the sand should sink into the tiny crevaces that were formed by the crush coral.

Say Steve (Tigger), where you trying to phone me yeasterday ?

- Victor.

[ 20 December 2001: Message edited by: reefburnaby ]

[Reefmaster]

if you're throwing out crushed coral / aragonite i'll take it off your hands and give ya something in return for it...maybe some mushrooms or something. shane

[Tigger]

Shane
I have about 50lb of crush coral sitting in a bucket.
Steve

[Reefmaster]

how long has it been out of the tank? i would be able to come pick it up after work tomorrow...shane

[Tigger]

It has been out of my tank for a about a month now. Send me a personal message if you want to pick it up.

[DJ88]

I may be off in left field here but Shane, did you notice Steve is in Port Coquitlam? Are you working here for a bit or something?

[Tigger]

Steve (Stir Crazy):
Have you put in the dolomite lime yet? I'm thinking of putting it in soon and I was just wondering what you thought of it. Did it cloud of the water for a long time? I'm still a little worried about putting it in.

Victor: Would it be possible to come by and see you tank set-up?

Steve

[Reefmaster]

no darren you got it, its me out in left field. port coquitlam is more of a drive than i'm gonna make for crushed coral, i thought it was steve-in-victoria. oops.

[StirCrazy]

Steve (Tigger) sorry no reply for a bit I just got back from holladays.. no I have not put it in as I am only about 1/2 done my stand.. and still buying last minuit things like the tank images/smiles/icon_smile.gif

Steve