help with sand selection?

enemec1 · #1 02/04/2007, 04:17 PM

can someone tell me what type of sand I can get from HD or Lowes, Quickcreet or play sand? a discription of the bag would help also. I need to go cheep because its going to be a 12 inch bed in a 100 gallon rubbermaid fuge. Who has used what and how has your experance been?
Thanks, Eric

reefshadow · #2 02/04/2007, 04:39 PM

I use Quickrete Medium industrial silica sand. Used it for years on multiple tanks with no problems. It is fine, and very white. My sandbed is crawling with life.

Here's a pic of my tank with this sand:

I do run a pretty shallow SB though, so not sure what the result would be when used for filtration applications like you are planning. I like this stuff though.

virginiadiver69 · #3 02/04/2007, 05:06 PM

I think you would be better off sticking with a brand called SouthDown. I beleive you can get it at Home Depot. Find WaterKeeper and ask him What he would suggest.

kau_cinta_ku · #4 02/04/2007, 05:09 PM

southdown is a great choice however it is no longer made or it is prepackaged under a name that no one knows. AFAIK

rodgod20 · #5 02/04/2007, 07:13 PM

I have been wondering the same....been to both lowes and home depot looking. If anybody knows the brand for some agranite that can be bought at either lowes or HD please let us know.

btw....reefshadow...like the tank

enemec1 · #6 02/04/2007, 08:08 PM

there is no southdown in the philly area, looking for an alternitive.

enemec1 · #7 02/04/2007, 10:30 PM

up

masterswimmer · #8 02/04/2007, 10:32 PM

Southdown is no longer in business. They became Old Castle. Then OC became Yardright. In any case, it has become increasingly difficult to get any of the 'original' SD sand, anywhere.

swimmer

junxu95 · #9 02/04/2007, 11:54 PM

Hi Reefshadow,

In my local LOWES, I only find Quickrete sand with "fine" grade. Any idea if it will be ok as substrate? What the difference between "fine" and "medium"?

Thanks,
Ed.

reefshadow · #10 02/05/2007, 01:59 AM

Hey, Ed-

I have heard of at least one person who was not happy with the fine grade in a DSB (because of the grain size and density, not the material itself). I think others have used it in shallow bed applications though and been very happy. The material is essentially the same, I would wonder about the possibility of more free silica though because of the fine grade, which could contribute to more diatom growth than you would want. I have never had the diatom problem with Quickrete myself, rinsed or not.

Anyhoo, the price is right on this stuff, and price aside I think it's great sand.

As stated above, hardware store aragonite is getting increasingly hard to find, alot of folks are using silica now. I have a caveat though, and that is to only buy commercial industrial grade with the warning on the bag. (unless multiple people have used a "new" brand with success). Personally I am distrustful of alot of the untried playsand silicas, they may contain varying ratios of other minerals.

RyanM · #11 02/05/2007, 09:29 AM

My HD sells Kolorscape white play sand. Comes in a blue and clear bag. I tested the bags I got with the fizz test and all bags past. I am using it in my newest tank 4" bed and so far have had no problems. You have to ask for it, it isnt or at least at my HD wasnt kept inside. was outside.

enemec1 · #12 02/05/2007, 04:17 PM

do you have a link for the fizz test

rcgates · #13 02/05/2007, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by enemec1
do you have a link for the fizz test

no link needed, put some in vinegar and see if it fizzes.

enemec1 · #14 02/05/2007, 04:29 PM

is fizz good or bad?

mjm1969 · #15 02/05/2007, 06:02 PM

Fizz = Aragonite

enemec1 · #16 02/05/2007, 06:37 PM

Kolorscape white play sand, I found this at my local HD on the front of the bag it says not for aquarium use. For what reason?

RyanM · #17 02/05/2007, 07:37 PM

Disclaimer, they all say/said that. They dont want to be sued for you using it. The risk isnt worth the weight of the product sold for that use.

enemec1 · #18 02/05/2007, 08:26 PM

ryan do you think it would work for around a 12" sand bed in my fuge? I was thinking of using this sand a than just seeding it with some live sand

RyanM · #19 02/05/2007, 09:25 PM

I actually started my fuge with a very deep sand bed using this sand and desided I didnt want to lose all that room in it and desided to keep it open for macro so I took it down to a shallow bed 2". But so far Its been fine.
So many people have posted no problems with so many different types of sand that I really didnt worry about it to much. From what Ive seen its as good as any store bought play sand that i could find. Its clean and I didnt wash it first. Some say wash it some say dont. I didnt. Doubt I would if I had to do it again.

enemec1 · #20 02/05/2007, 09:40 PM

thanks ryanM