Silica greval or quartz should i use??

Hello guys! I really need your advise. I m confuze should I use silica or quartZ? Is quartz safe for aquarium? Is quartz safr for plants to grow? How to confirm it is quart or marbel?

 

Silica and quartz are the same to my knowledge. Siliciumdioxide

 

I'm pretty sure anything with silica might encourage diatoms. not very harmful but extremely unsightly in my opinion. still new at this but I have diatoms and from what I gather they need a source of silica to thrive. silica can be found in water but adding a substrate of such, the source will never leave. I'm told they will go away on there own...tick tock, tick tock...

 

I'm pretty sure anything with silica might encourage diatoms. not very harmful but extremely unsightly in my opinion. still new at this but I have diatoms and from what I gather they need a source of silica to thrive. silica can be found in water but adding a substrate of such, the source will never leave. I'm told they will go away on there own...tick tock, tick tock...

You're wrong about that. Silica sand is perfect stuff(pfs sand is silicasand).
As said silica and quartz are exactly the same to me.

Diatoms aren't encouraged by silicasand.

 

You're wrong about that. Silica sand is perfect stuff(pfs sand is silicasand).
As said silica and quartz are exactly the same to me.

Diatoms aren't encouraged by silicasand.

is that not true about diatoms thrive with a source of silica?

 

is that not true about diatoms thrive with a source of silica?

True but SiO2 isn't such a source!

 

You're wrong about that. Silica sand is perfect stuff(pfs sand is silicasand).
As said silica and quartz are exactly the same to me.

Diatoms aren't encouraged by silicasand.

In aquariums where sandy or other forms of substrate are used, silicate can leach “out” of these compounds, and enter the tank's water very quickly. It usually only takes a few weeks for this to happen (at the maximum). Often it happens much sooner. The latter is especially the case if silica sand is used as the substrate in the aquarium (this is too often the case,unfortunately). Although less common now than a year or so ago, hobbyists were adding “play sand” to their tanks to build up a substrate. Play sand and so-called Blasting sand are very high in silicate and should be avoided if you wish to keep silicates low.
this is just one article where I got some of my info. it is similar on all sites. I'm not arguing with you but this is what info is out there. if you know how the diatoms get there and stay or how to rid of them I would love to know. they are in my 10 gal with white sand and is getting terrible to look at. I may switch to a darker sub

 

I afraid the main part of that info isn't correct. SiO2 dissolves very difficult in water. Would be quite supprisingly if sand would disappear cause of dissolving.
Even the glass of tanks contain silicates. Quite happy those don't dissolve hahaha.
Beside of that most aquariumgravel contains silicate as well.

The problem with playsand does have another cause. Playsand (and several other kinds) contains different sized and shaped grains that can make it close down.
Anaerobic bacteria thrive, causing anaerobic gass pockets and/or and will give that sand it's dirty color. PFS-grains are rounded and more or less the same size / shape. Oxygenated water can get in and out, so doesn't show these issues.

Besides of that playsand could be Aragonite (= calcium). Calcium dissolves easier and can cause other issues in our tanks !

Silica- and quartssand are in fact the same.

Diatoms often occure in new set ups or point towards an lighting issue.

Kind regards, Aad

 

I afraid the main part of that info isn't correct. SiO2 dissolves very difficult in water. Would be quite supprisingly if sand would disappear cause of dissolving.
Even the glass of tanks contain silicates. Quite happy those don't dissolve hahaha.
Beside of that most aquariumgravel contains silicate as well.

The problem with playsand does have another cause. Playsand (and several other kinds) contains different sized and shaped grains that can make it close down.
Anaerobic bacteria thrive, causing anaerobic gass pockets and/or and will give that sand it's dirty color. PFS-grains are rounded and more or less the same size / shape. Oxygenated water can get in and out, so doesn't show these issues.

Besides of that playsand could be Aragonite (= calcium). Calcium dissolves easier and can cause other issues in our tanks !

Silica- and quartssand are in fact the same.

Diatoms often occure in new set ups or point towards an lighting issue.

Kind regards, Aad

what type of lighting issue? I have regular LED lights. nothing special, I think its 32 lights, no moons or anything else. on/off that's it. should I change to something else?

 

I didn't specific mean your case.
Diatoms CAN mean low light.