Is this the same as taihitan?

[blabberwort]

Hi
I've been looking for the black taihitan black moon sand and have found a couple of companies that do it. However im also buying a slightly larger tank for my axies and would prefer to buy it all at the same time. So far i havent found anywhere that does the basic tank im after as well as the moon sand so I was wondering if this is the same sort of product but under a different name?
http://www.edirectory.co.uk/pf/880/mia/pid/5753060

I'd be greatful for any help as I dont want to order something that would be unsuitable to my littleys

 

[SludgeMunkey]

True black Tahitian Moon Sand is basalt/obsidian sand and is perfectly suitable for axolotl use once it has been thoroughly rinsed. Many companies sell dyed aragonite as this product, which is not suitable.White Tahitian Moon Sand is Aragonite and unsuitable for use. Generally speaking, there are hundreds of brand names world wide for both natural and artificially colored sands. Read the labels closely. IF CaCO3 or calcium is mentioned anywhere on the package, do not use it. If the label does not specify safe for freshwater use, avoid it or do the test described below.

There is an excellent article on the Axolotl Sanctuary page that covers this topic a bit more in depth.


The trick to sand is making sure it is silica sand. The easiest and safest way to do this is to take a small sample of the sand and put a few drops of pH Down (only thing this product is good for) on it. If it fizzes, it is not safe to use. No fizzing, and you have silica!

Since the product you linked to is specifically for marine tanks, it is best not to use it. The constant mention of coral and marine in the description (and this handy booklet I got from Caribsea about their products for the upcoming CC substrate article) pretty much eliminates it for caudate use. CaribSea packages two products under this name, one is safe the other is not...

To save yourself the headaches and confusion, PEAK Aquatics sells some excellent resin coated sand in tons of different colors in the UK. I recently was in contact with them for the article also. They resin coat their sands, just like aquarium gravel, to ensure it is safe for all freshwater use. I was impressed with their timely response and there willingness to share information. If I lived in a place I could get it, I suspect it is an excellent product. For about £12, you can get a 3L tub of the stuff.

 

[blabberwort]

Thats great, thankyou so much for the reply. Im not very good when it comes to this sort of thing so felt it better to ask lol. Very informative and easy to understand how you explained.

Thankyou again for your help and i'll definently look into peak aquatics

Rep given for your informative post and help

 

[Aimee]

The product link that Blabberwort put in his first post said that it was safe for fresh water and marine aquariums...so does that mean that "fresh water safe" doesn't always mean "caudate safe"?

Caribsea has a line of substrate called Super Naturals with a black moon sand. The bag doesn't specify materials but it says its for fresh or marine aquariums and won't alter pH: http://www.caribsea.com/pages/products/super_nat.html

Is this unsafe for our little ones as well?

 

[SludgeMunkey]

The product link that Blabberwort put in his first post said that it was safe for fresh water and marine aquariums...so does that mean that "fresh water safe" doesn't always mean "caudate safe"?

Correct!

Caudates are much more sensitive to things like iron and copper, commonly present in sedimentary sand and rock. They are also less tolerant of shifts in pH and hardness than fish. Neotenic species in particular can become ill very quickly in unstable water chemistry.
I like to preach "When in doubt, leave it out!" quite a bit. Some CaribSea's products create doubt. More often than not, the fault is on the retailer, but when sensitive pets are involved, it is better to be safe than sorry.