aragonite or live sand??

[squirt_12]

Do you think aragonite or live sand is a better substrate??

Please state why.
Which one is easier to clean??

[cocoa_pleco]

i like aragonite, just because i know where to get it cheap and ive always used it

[squirt_12]

i like aragonite, just because i know where to get it cheap and ive always used it
how do you clean the aragonite?? The same way as the sand?? i have never seen what it looks like so I wouldn't know. lol.

[cocoa_pleco]

just a quick wash, aragonite is like a fine white sand

[Drumachine09]

You don't wash live sand. Just dump it and the water its packed with into the tank.

[squirt_12]

You don't wash live sand. Just dump it and the water its packed with into the tank.
Do you have to wash aragonite??

[cocoa_pleco]

you can but i dont. you cant wash live sand but it will harm the live stuff in it

[jbeining75]

Live sand, live rock and a good protein skimmer and you're off to the races

[gem]

...or the poorhouse.
Alot of live sands are still aragonite based. I prefer a mdium grade arag. I don't like the look of the larger pieces. I won't ever buy aragamax again. Way too fine IMO.

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

Personally I used neither in my tank. I used a non silicate based play sand. It doesn't have the buffering capacity of the aragonite but it has made an increidble deep sand bed. I also was able to get this without going to the poorhouse. :) I have 250lbs of sand in the tank and that gives me a bed that ranges in depth from 3" to 5" and it cost me less that $20. And to top it all off, it is perfectly reef safe.

[squirt_12]

anyone else??