All you EVER wanted to know about Southdown - Page 4

MFish · #76 11/19/2002, 05:53 PM

I have a question.

I found a bag of SouthDown in my Grandmother's back yard. She said I could have it. But, its been outside for like..hmm...a few years maybe.. the bag is unopened from what I can see but it was wet inside..think its any good?

SW Beginner · #77 11/20/2002, 10:51 AM

I wouldn't trust it. Would spend the $5 - $20 for a new bag (depending upon what type of sand you buy). The peace of mind makes the cost worthwhile.

griss · #78 11/21/2002, 09:34 AM

I agree, it the sand got wet inside the bag you never know what lawn chemicals or bacteria could have gotten inside the bag.

Griss

sage · #79 11/22/2002, 08:00 PM

I know this is a stupid question after everything I read but I guess I'm narotic.....I bought 4 bags of the right stuff(southdown carribian play sand, blue w/ red type). But on the bag it say's:

"not recomended for traction and aquarium use".

Is this just because of the business dealings?? Or did I get the wrong stuff?

SW Beginner · #80 11/26/2002, 11:38 AM

Primarily because of the business dealings. It should be fine for use in your aquarium.

griss · #81 11/26/2002, 11:40 AM

Sage,

You got the right sand. That is just legal mumbo jumbo because of legal dealings and to keep SD from being liable for any problems the sand might cause in the aquarium.

Griss-

DrMilhouse · #82 11/27/2002, 09:11 PM

Who ever thought that people would go so insane over some sand at a home improvement store???

I actually work P/T at a home depot in the rocky mountain area. To help out the local reef club, I worked to get two pallets of it here in CO. It took some work... actually, it took a lot of work... But it happened.

The store I dealt with was in Mechanicsburg, PA (717)795-9602

It was not the easiest deal I've ever done...

Anyway, after much work and payment via money order (this place will not accept a credit card over the phone), they did send two pallets. I paid for shipping and paid full retail for the sand.

Total of two pallets shipped from Home Depot in mechanicsburg to me at my door here in the Denver metro area was $1014.xx

This was NOT a store transfer, the entire transaction was placed through the other store. As a FAVOR to me the home depot here RECEIVED the sand pallets and held it until I could have a local delivery company drop it off with a lift at my house. (there was no way in hell I was moving 6000 pounds of sand manually).

It made for a pretty good deal after it was all said and done, but I did end up getting stuck with some of it since all those that were interested have not picked up what they said they wanted...

It's okay though, I needed some anyway

BTW: For UPCs, there are two different UPCs that are packaged like the picture someone else posted above. One bag is sealed at the top by melting the plastic together, the other bag is stitched at the top with thread. The stuff I got was the melted stuff, it seems "moist" whereas the other stuff seemed completely dry. not sure what that matters...

TillThen · #83 11/29/2002, 11:15 PM

It's day 10 of wrangling with various HomeDepots, With the sku number I was finally able to find some bags 30 minutes away! Before Leaving I called, and an employee said they don't have it, and never have carried it! Hmmmm! But a neighboring home depot said they actually had some in the store. I am weary from arguing with H.D. employees so I waited a awhile and called back.

I got another employee who with the sku # said we have it! So I asked it he could verify it visually since I was coming from a little distance away. He did this and said "We have got it!"

I get there and wouldn't you know that there is No Tropical sand! I could feel my blood pressure creeping up a lil, as I went to the service desk. I told the them my problem, and the conversation I just had via phone.

THe man at the counter wanted to know the employee name I spoke with. I told him I didn't know. He wanted to know the SKu #. And dumb me didn't bring it since I'd had the confirmation by the employee on the phone.

I begin to insist that they carry this sand. Now there are three employees around the counter staring at me as if I'm a martian saying "We don't carry that" "We don't sell tropical sand" ............

The blood pressure continued to rise, (lets just say I'm mad now, lol) At this point I said, "I'm sorry but YOU DO CARRY THIS! MOST OF YOU EMPLOYEES JUST DON"T HAVE A CLUE! Give me 10 minutes I will find the local library, with a internet connection, I will come back with a Sku# and TELL YOU WHAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR STORE! And then I'll tell you how much you charge for it!! No wait I'll tell you that now. You charge 4.81 per 50lb bag!

The main guy that I was talking to didn't like this, at all, and responded. That HE was the Store Manager..., and that HE has NEVER, NEVER had the stuff in his store and does not deal any south down stuff,, NEVER!

I look to one of the ladies for directions to the local library. Just as she's finished giving the directions, THe store manger said hold - up!!

Did you say South Down inc? Yes we do sell a a a UUHHhh tropical sand by them, and we have a active sku for it. And it is 4.81 per bag. Another one of the assitant managers couldn't beleive his ears at this point and he looked at the screen. The assistant manager said "pull up the last time this was sold in our store." He was hoping that it was something sold in years past or maybe just one bag.

After a few computer clicks there was the answer.... "We sold over 100 bags of this just two weeks ago".

I went from GOAT to KING in about a minute!! And the crow eating began! lolll For all the frustration I have had in tracking this stuff down. THis moment made it worth it all.

ANyway, the manager was now more than apologetic, and was more than willing to work with me. It turned out they didn't have any in the store. But a neighboring store had 197 bags and he was going to do a transfer, and order some more for his store.

He apologized that them employee said that they had some. He said the employee probably went to the aisle and saw "play sand" and didn't take note of brand.

THanks guys for all of you posts in the past on South Down
I would have never have gotten this far with out Ya!

I gave this tip to my LFS, and he said that for giving him the SKU# he was going to make it more than worth my while once I start needing Fish and rock!

TillThen · #84 11/29/2002, 11:17 PM

I posted episode one about 8 weeks ago. Needless to say I was feel farely triumphant in my war on Home Depot in the effort to acquire some of this precious commodity.
I thought that It was all in the bag. UNTIL.....

Some one dropped the ball... and then some one dropped the ball again,.... and then again...and then again! And that is absolutely no exaggeration!

I went to the point of being on a threeway call with the guy in shipping from the the store that they were transferring it from, as he was putting it on the truck.

After that point in the trip all the bag mysteriously would dissappear.

Every two or three day I was promised that it would be in in three days, and so on. This for 6 weeks!!!

They kept mistaking me for this other guy. I finally got the impression that as soon as the sand came into the store. The people in shipping immediatedly called him (He has to have some deal in place).

Here's what I did. I was given shipping information, like when the truck would come in, from the store that they were transfering it from. I call that afternoon, The store said that they got the truck and the sand was on it but it was the wrong sand so the put it back on the truck and shipped it back. (YEAH RIGHT, I bet )

In the process I found out from another Home Depot, that as soon as they get it, they scan it and it's in the system.

So here's what I did I called back, and the regular cashier to see if they had the SKU# in stock. SHe pulled it up and said yes! They just got some the day before and they got it was the amount that I had ordered! I said are you sure, and she reiterated that if it was in the system it means they had to scan the actuall bag and they wouldn't scan a bag they were sending back!

I went to a homedepot in a neighboring town, and found ANOTHER sympathatic managers, I related my saga from beggining to end and implored her assistance, if she could at all help.

She got on thephone to the store that was doing the transfers. She put in a order, when she did the person over there said, That's odd we've been shipping orders out that same size all month. She related a little of my struggles and had him take every precaution.

From this I gathered that the problem wasn't on his end he was shipping the right sand to the Ho De. They were getting it and purposefully trying to keep it from me, or keep it exclusiviely for this other guy.

Needless to say I got the sand from the neighboring homdepot in 4 days, and I put it in my Tank yesterday. Twas a day for exultation, and rejoicing!!

BTW-- The funniest reason the renegade ho De. gave me, was "this is a seasonal item so even tho they may have it they can't transfer it because it's seasonal"

Dipal · #85 12/02/2002, 04:07 PM

Just curious as to if the sand needs to be washed before puting it into the tank. I am converting a 90 gal from a FOWLR to a Reef and removed the Crushed coral and will replace it with the downsouth sand that I found at the H.D. in saugus MA. If the sand needs to be washed, how do you do it?

griss · #86 12/03/2002, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dipal
Just curious as to if the sand needs to be washed before puting it into the tank. I am converting a 90 gal from a FOWLR to a Reef and removed the Crushed coral and will replace it with the downsouth sand that I found at the H.D. in saugus MA. If the sand needs to be washed, how do you do it?

Dipal,

You do NOT want to wash Southdown. Washing it will remove the small particles that are necessary for a DSB to functions properly.

Grioss

mikeande · #87 12/08/2002, 01:23 PM

Anyone seen or heard of any SD avalible here in Canada ?

ande

the_shindogg · #88 12/08/2002, 02:44 PM

Bought 4 bags of SD ~4.50 bag in Edison NJ Home Depot on Rt. 1 yesterday. They had a full pallet.

-dogg

Alienjr · #89 12/09/2002, 04:24 PM

After reading the posts I am very interested. However no mention of a SD sand spotting in So. Cali, am I just out of luck or is there any hope for us Left Coast Reefers.

Alienjr

griss · #90 12/09/2002, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Alienjr
After reading the posts I am very interested. However no mention of a SD sand spotting in So. Cali, am I just out of luck or is there any hope for us Left Coast Reefers.

Alienjr

Alien,

The only times I have ever heard of SD west of the Mississippi is when someone got their local HD to ship it or they went out east and brought some back with them.

Griss

ASaj · #91 12/10/2002, 07:55 PM

My wife works at a garden center here in Ohio. She thinks they may be able to order the Southdown play sand, but she needs to know the manufacturer's name and address. Does anybody have this information? Is Southdown still the manufacturer, or is that "Cemex" place the manufacturer now? Just trying to take Home Depot out of the loop.

If anyone has this info, please let me know. My wife said she will check on it tomorrow, and I can post an update to let you know what I found.

Thanks,
Andy

ASaj · #92 12/10/2002, 08:10 PM

I think I found the number for Southdown earlier in this post. I called it and got a message saying to call back during business hours, and it was Southdown. I will have my wife check into it tomorrow and I will post back with the results. Hopefully they can order some for those of us in or around Columbus, OH.

Thanks.

colemanitis · #93 12/12/2002, 02:17 PM

You might already be aware of this, but SouthDown and YardRight are the same thing. See picture below.

BoomerD · #94 12/15/2002, 04:53 PM

After a bit of searching, I have made contact with a fellow in San Ramon Ca. who brings in Southdown sand. $15.00 per bag, you pick it up. I'll post his info in the classifieds section to keep out of trouble with the moderators. ;-)

austinc · #95 12/22/2002, 09:59 PM

I think this might be of interest to all of you . I think southdown get their sand from a company from souther Florida , I bought some sand a month ago from my local fish store it was called caribean aragonite sand and on the bag was address and phone number to this company.I never called them but my friend whent down their some time ago and the place was very large,tons of trucks from all over country. If anyone is interested let me know i will go and get the number as soon as i can?

XDrewX · #96 12/23/2002, 11:41 PM

Never mind I went to HD today and answered my own question.

The HD near my house has a pallette and a half available.

It is $ 4.99 a bag, I guess it is more because they now stock Fantasy Land Play Sand, which is not Carib. and is not white, but I beleive has the same sku #.

I grabbed some for my African Cichlid tank I am about to start.

I may go back and get a whole pallette for the day I start my 180 reef.

Anyways, this has been a very informative thread, thanks to all who provided info.

Happy Holidays

jbolin · #97 12/25/2002, 01:33 AM

After reading every post of this thread I just had to comment.

I totally agree with everything written or said about this sand, but being fairly new to salt water (meaning everything has changed since I had my last salt tank) and being an old pro at rare freshwater fish, I have never seen so much attention paid to one particular NON LIVESTOCK ITEM. Heck, I have barely seen this attention paid to very rare livestock costing thousands of dollars. Anyway, I am in Columbus Ohio and have had the same experiences trying to find this stuff. For those of you in and around Columbus, a friend of mine (also a member here) located several HD in Cleveland and the surrounding areas that have an abundance of SouthDown. There is also a store in Mansfield that has 3 pallets of SouthDown, but please don't go buy ALL of it because I haven't gotten mine yet either

Anyway, just wanted to give you some heads up. And good hunting!
Jason

jbolin · #98 12/27/2002, 11:55 AM

An update:
I bought 30 bags of Southdown at the Mansfield Home Depot yesterday. The employees were very helpful after about 15minutes of debating that they actually had the stuff or not

Anyway, they have about 5 full skids left, which is over 300 bags, so any of you guys/gals in Columubus, or Cleveland should be able to get what you need.
J.

mixalis · #99 12/30/2002, 03:44 PM

Have there been any Southdown sightings in Missouri that anyone here is aware of?

Drowning_Fish · #**100** 12/30/2002, 10:43 PM

Ok, here is a new one. I live in NYC and wanted to get 200#'s of this stuff, soI called the HD's in the surrounding area. They gave me the SKU#, UPC# and MODEL#'s that are listed on this thread. I too asked them to visualy confirm whether it was SD or not. They told me it was. So I flew to the HD.

When I get there, I inspect the bags, and what to my wondering eyes do I see? I bag that has LIME CREST written on it!!!! However the bag looks identical to the SD bag except that is says Lime Crest on it. Whats the deal?? Anyone know??