What the difference between Ocean sand and River sand

[Pixar]

What the difference between Ocean sand and River sand . Ocean sand was collected from a sand dune and the River sand was collected from a fresh water river
Sand dune was at least 100 metres away from the actual sea water ?

 

[Lorax7]

River sand is primarily silica. Ocean sand has significant limestone content in it.

 

[Pixar]

So what wrong with using Ocean sand ?

 

[Lorax7]

So what wrong with using Ocean sand ?

Most plants like the pH a bit on the low side. Limestone bits will raise the pH.

 

[hemmy]

What the difference between Ocean sand and River sand . Ocean sand was collected from a sand dune and the River sand was collected from a fresh water river
Sand dune was at least 100 metres away from the actual sea water ?

I’d be more concerned with salt content. Maybe you get enough rainfall to leach through the dunes, but in general ocean sands are going to have a higher chloride content. All sand compositions are highly dependent on their source material. Based on your location, you may have more volcanic minerals than other areas.

 

[Pixar]

I really can’t tell the differences between the River sand and the Ocean sand . These only
20 miles apart and they seem to be the same apart from the mud content in the River sand . The ocean dune sand is completely dry and easy to collect , so being a lazy man I’ll collect the easy one . For the small amount I use in each pot I don’t think these too much difference

 

[Shibui]

Beach sand tends to have much finer particles because it gets ground up more from constant wave action but that can change from one beach to the next and some river sands are also really fine particles.
Also check roundness of individual particles. Beach sands tend to be ground down to rounded particles. River sand is usually more angular which is considered better for soil mix.
Salt content is definitely something to be wary of so I would wash beach sand well before using with plants.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I wonder what the sand from Tenerife acts like. It's freaking black volcanic stuff!

 

[Potawatomi13]

Why ask? Is lousy substrate.

 

[penumbra]

Beach sand tends to have much finer particles because it gets ground up more from constant wave action but that can change from one beach to the next and some river sands are also really fine particles.
Also check roundness of individual particles. Beach sands tend to be ground down to rounded particles. River sand is usually more angular which is considered better for soil mix.
Salt content is definitely something to be wary of so I would wash beach sand well before using with plants.

Yes^^^^^
That has been my experience.

Why ask? Is lousy substrate.

What do you have in your sandbox?

 

[HorseloverFat]

Sand from the lake dunes around here varies from brown, Standard-looking sand, composed of silicas, magnetic metals, tiny particles of sun-baked fire clay..

To white, mostly silica

To black, mostly magnetic rock..

Kind of depends on the angle and relation to nearby geographical features.

But Ocean sand will always have varied limestone. (As has been said)
And other factors/components that alter PH.

Sand and a substrate ratio, definitely has it's uses..
As @Pitoon

It seems like anyone who says OTHERWISE (like discrediting sand), just doesn't grow their own plants...

And for me, growing my own plants is MORE THAN half the "fun"...

I'd rather enjoy myself... Some folks need to "un-clench"

 

[BrightsideB]

I’ve been using sand from the creek in the backyard. Mixed results. Primarily in my rooting/cutting mixes. I haven’t noticed a difference but I do like using it if I am going to use sand in any mix. With ferns and moss that we grow it seems to be really good. And it’s free if you have access to a creek.

 

[HorseloverFat]

. Primarily in my rooting/cutting mixes..

Absolutely. This is how I utilize sand, as well.

 

[Paradox]

River sand is primarily silica. Ocean sand has significant limestone content in it.

I dont know what ocean you are near in Michigan, but around here on the Atlantic coast, beach sand is predominately quartz which is silica based.
In the tropics where there are a lot of coral reefs there will be sand with a much higher calcium carbonate content from the fact that there is a lot of coral (eaten then pooped out by fish) or other types of shellfish nearby. However, in temperate areas where there is no coral reefs, its mostly quartz or silica on sandy beaches. Parts of areas with high volcanic activity will have sand with high amounts of lava particles (ie black sand beaches in Hawaii) which is also predominately silicates.

@Pixar The biggest problem with using beach sand from the ocean is the amount of salt in it.
Most trees will not appreciate a high salt content in the sand and it could kill them.

 

[Pixar]

I'm only using a small amount ( 5 % ) in each pot ( once when I'm potting ) . Still don't think there's too much of a problem with salt content as the sand collected has already been washed down with rain water .
Within say 10 times of complete watering the pot ( I think the salt contain will be wash away )

 

[Smoke]

A person would be better to buy a bag of "play sand" from Home Depot which is rather coarse and crushed, opposed to rounded from a river or beach.

sand from a beach should not be salty if at least rinsed. It's rock, last time I checked most sand was not very pourus. Possible but not very likely.

 

[Paradox]

The other thing about using any kind of sand is that it will make the pots heavy.
When I was new and didnt want to "pay for dirt", I tried to use a mix of gravel and sand that I dug up from a sand and gravel quarry here.

It was very heavy which made moving large training pots around difficult. In addition, while it drained, it didnt dry out as well as you would expect.
It stayed too wet for too long and it compacted, the combination of which retarded root growth on my trees.

 

[penumbra]

"play sand"

Play sand is intentionally very smooth and fine, almost soft to the touch. Construction sand, like that mixed in concrete, is coarser and sharp. In fact, it is often referred to as sharp sand.

 

[Lorax7]

I dont know what ocean you are near in Michigan, but around here on the Atlantic coast, beach sand is predominately quartz which is silica based.

I used to have a saltwater aquarium. I had to buy ocean sand for it when I originally set it up: coarse aragonite sand for the bottom with a thinner layer of oolitic sand on top.

Regarding what ocean is near to Michigan, there’s an ancient ocean around here, but I don’t know its name. It’s the reason why the Petoskey stone is the state rock of Michigan.

 

[Paradox]

I used to have a saltwater aquarium. I had to buy ocean sand for it when I originally set it up: coarse aragonite sand for the bottom with a thinner layer of oolitic sand on top.

Regarding what ocean is near to Michigan, there’s an ancient ocean around here, but I don’t know its name. It’s the reason why the Petoskey stone is the state rock of Michigan.

Yes that sand used in marine aquaria is mined from underwater areas in the Bahamas and a few other tropical places and even some inland places (ancient inland seas) with large calcium carbonate deposits/geology. It is from the local corals eaten and pooped out by fish and the shells shellfish and foraminifera, a tiny shellfish which is amazing that they occur in such numbers to make up a large component of the sand in those areas. In fact there has been a debate about whether the practice of mining it is sustainable.

In most of the world, beach sand is mostly quartz or other silica based minerals derived from weathering of rocks.
The black sand beaches in Hawaii and other areas with high volcanic activity is pretty cool too. Then there are a four places with green sand that has a mineral called olivine makes it green. Ive never seen that but it looks really cool in the pictures and kind of weird if youre used to the iconic white sand beaches.

Ive always found beaches and the things that effect sand color on beaches is pretty fascinating.

What is Oolitic Aragonite? — Calcean Minerals & Materials LLC

Oolitic Aragonite: Nature’s Renewable Sand from the Ocean Beneath the gin clear waters of The Bahamian banks lies a unique mineral that looks much like sand but is unlike the san

www.calcean.com

How is beach sand created? - Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Where does beach sand come from? The sand found on a specific beach is created by its surroundings. It’s unique to that beach—like a fingerprint.

www.whoi.edu

Where Does The Sand On Our Beaches Come From?

Sands covering our beaches across the world can teach us a lot about Earth’s history.

www.sciencefriday.com

Sand Color Palette - Coastal Care

Most beach sand color ranges from pale cream to golden to caramel, but in select places around the world, sand can be red, pink, orange, chocolate, gold, purple, green, or black.

coastalcare.org