White White live sand needed

[fatman]

Aragonite sands typically are light beige. If you want dazzling white then use silica sand, rinse it well, it will not cause appreciable long erm diatom algae growth. If it does cause a diatom growth the growth will clear up as soon as the free silicates are used up. Silica does not readily dissolve in reef water, it is one of the most stable (resistant to chemical weathering) rock that make up the surface cust of this planet. Randy Holmes-Farley has a good write up on silica usage in a reef aquarium. He is definitely the widest published chemist in the field of marine and reef tanks and their chemistry. Randy even gave supplemental doses of silica to his tank for a long period of time and well monitored the results of his tanks system/occupants silica usage. There are many more myths than facts spread about silica used/needed in marine/reef tanks.
The Randy Holmes-Farley write up on silica:
http://advancedaquarist.com/issues/jan2003/feature.htm

[reeffreak]

All this talk about play,silica sand.

None of them have the buffering capacity of aragonite sand,either dry or live.Well worth the added cost,IMO.

[badcop804]

Thank you everyone for all your help. I decided not to go with the plays sand and I went and picked up 40 lbs of carib sea live sand from the LFS. I got it for about 80 cents a pound, tax included. My fish guy is pretty cool and loves the cash only sales. I read the artical fatman posted but i'm just too afraid of silica. Thanks again everyone.

[lightcs4]

At 80 cents a pound you got a great deal, in my opinion. It is over $2 a lb at my LFS for live sand.