One of the draw backs to Silica sand is if you have a low Ph drop due to low O2 IE lights go off or depleted calcium levels with Hi demand calcium users IE stony corals you have no buffering capacity, However If you had put aragonite sand ( Calcium based ) As the Ph drops the aragonite will In essence melt and release calcium into the water column.
If this is a Fish only tank you Would do fine. However with you stony corals do a ph check about 1 hour before your lights come on and see were its at.
Best of luck...Jeff
Am I the only one crazy enough to try Silica sand in their tank?
I've had my 65 up for 6 months with medium grain white silica sand from Home depot.. $4 for a 100lb bag.. So far no issues.. Even the Cerith snails love to dig around in it.
I dose Kalk (Ms Wangers) with the top off water. PH is stable.. Alk and Calcium are up where I want it.
No buffering problems, no massive diatom outbreaks.
Even my little SPS milliporia is growing under my little PC lights..
