does anyone know where to get southdown around here?

[rylin]

my home depot doesnt have it, does anyone know if the home depots in Orlando have it?

[Fuzzy]

I haven't seen it at any of the stores in Orlando......
Let me know if you find any. We just got a 90 gal tank and I'm going to need around 300 pounds of sand. I hope to have everything together after the holidays so we can set it up in early Feb.

[Pikelet]

If my memory serves me correctly someone on this board picked up some sand from the same source that Southdown uses down in Port St. Lucie? Check back on the board.

[RicksReefs]

ft. pierce:D

[rylin]

already got the info! thanks! :D

[reef90]

rylin,
I live in the Daytona area and if you get sand and have some left I would like to buy some from you. I need about 80-100#.
Thanks, Mark

[rylin]

no problem, ill be getting some in a couple weeks. ill let you know :)

[Fuzzy]

Are you going to do a truck load from Marcona Ocean Industries in Jacksonville or Fort Pierce?
If so let me know, I'd like to go in on it with you as I will need around 250 pounds plus another 20 pounds of live sand.

Thanks,

Fuzz

[rylin]

i didnt know there was one in Jax.. thatd be much much closer, ill go there if i can find it. i was planning on Ft pierce. Ill grab as much sand as i can. i need some containers. but i'll grab some for you guys too.

[Fuzzy]

Following is the info I found in a very long post on Reef Central.
If this info is correct, they have a yard in Jacksonville.
My schedule is really nuts for the next 2 months, otherwise I'd rent a truck and go get a load........

Hope it helps!

Fuzz

_____________________________________


What is listed below comes from goby on the ReefCentral boards over a year ago. When you see first person - it is him speaking - not Grumpy. I just cut and pasted a bunch of threads together so it made sense even out of context. Then I just looked up a few addresses....and you now have the information of the company that sells the sand to Southdown who sells it to HomeDepot who sells it to Northeastern Reefers.

_____________________________

This sand is shipped to southdown from Marcona Ocean Industries which is out of Ft. Pierce Florida. They sell to both Southdown, AND Carib-Sea. (they also sell to Martin Marrieta in jacksonville, among others). Marcona Ocean Industries, the company that mines the stuff, does so in the carribean, and has a special agreement with carib-sea. They have a sort of "noncompete" agreement that says that they will not sell sand to anyone doing reefs. Kinda like panasonic selling its 36" pc bulbs only to custom sealife. Same type deal. anyways, marcona sells to Southdown, Inc. and I am sure that they have told Southdown what the scoop is. (and Southdown probably told HD).

How do I know this? I spent ALOT of time researching it last year, and actually talked to the plant manager at Marcona. Nice guy, I talked to him for a while, and he eventually asked what it was for.,.. I said...."uh.... not for fishtanks???" and he said "right answer" and then proceded to tell me all this stuff. The one thing that he did warn about was to NEVER EVER mention that you would be using it for aquarium use. Glad I had been thru this already with panasonic trying to get cheap PCs.
Thread


I contacted Marcona, and the deal is that they usually only sell in bulk. What is bulk you may ask? 100tons. I have worked out a deal with the plant supervisor at marcona to get a truckload (pickup truck - about 1 ton) of oolithic sand (washed dried and sifted) for about $20.00 I have also worked it out to get a truckload from jacksonville of the non strained variety (full of shells and stuff).

All of this comes from a cay in the bahamas where Marcona has a 24/7 mining operation and fills a boat that has a 3000ton/hr conveyer! (big boat) anyways, they WILL NOT SELL IT TO YOU if you even mention the words: fish, aquarium, tank, reef, saltwater, etc. They WILL sell it to you if you tell them its for your shrubs in your front yard and that you have used it before lots of times and that you are sure that this what you want. The key here is that you have to make a trip to either Ft. Pierce or Jacksonville, FL Monday - Friday 7am-4pm. Thats it, no alternatives. I am thinking about doing it soon, but have to take time off work... i will try and post here if i do get it, just to fill everyone in.

Give them a call - tell them you want it for your bushes. They will sell it to you.. but you have to shovel it yourself.. (the smallest front end loader they have carries 5 yards )

________________

Thanks to goby for all that work a year ago! Here is how to get in touch w/ Marcona

Marcona Ocean Industries
20 Avenue M
Fort Pierce, FL 34952
561-464-1836

4018 Retford Dr
Jacksonville, FL 32225
904-646-3595

There you go Southern Reefers - have at it. Appreciation for my dilligence, hardwork & effort can be sent in the form of frags.

GV


__________________

[flemingljr]

just an update to the marcona post, it's now called AES atlantis and from talking to them on the phone, you can still do the 1 ton for $20.00 deal, as long as you shovel it yourself.

[goby]

IMPORTANT!!!!!

if you are going to go there YOU MUST NOT tell them its for your fish tank.

the BEST thing to tell them is that you have a kid that wants a sandbox, or that you are doing some landscaping and need to use aragonite to raise the ph of the soil (as its calicum based and it will!)

DO NOT tell them ANYTHING about fish tanks.

DO NOT wear a reef related shirt

trust me. iwas there, they kinda grilled us on it. but Jon had a business card for a landscaping company that we used as a "front" to get the sand ;)

good luck!

g

[flemingljr]

ok, thanks. i'll see how good i can lie, maybe i'll throw some lawn equipment in the back of my truck.

[archangel1onu]

I need any where from 300-500 lbs myself If someone wants to go down to Ft. Pierce and get some with me . I would be more than happy to take the day off and go , PM me or E-mail me . I have a full size Truck so we could pick up enough for everyone more than likely . Just Need to pick a day.

[Mr Bojangles]

sounds like your gana need a dump truck now:lol:

[Thorsx]

If anyone is making this trip to pick up sand, I will be glad to help out. I need 360 lbs myself, and I got a shovel!

[Aquaman]

heh, Here is the story!

Mount Aragonite (http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=67021&highlight=aragonite)

[Nray203]

I don't see a taker! Who's going? I've got a Miata, so the ton of sand is out of the question....
But really - is anybody seriously going to get a truckload?
I'm working like crazy but you can charge me for your labor-
I'm just trying to help out

Thanks,
Nicole

[Surfcaster]

I am planning on picking up a truck load on Monday. It will be for my yard ;) I am in the Melbourne area if anyone else is interested in some.

thanks to Goby

[Bacalhau]

Not sure if anybody has gone down yet, but I'd be interested in joining in.
Don't have a truck, but would be willing to assist in the effort. I'm looking for about 100lbs. Usually have 3-5days of from work each week, so my schedule is pretty flexible.

[YodaHart]

Did anyone get the sand or are you still going? If you haven't gone yet or if you have extra, I'll buy 200 lbs off of you. I un-knowingly put the wrong (silicate) sand in my tank and these diatoms are driving me crazy!!!
(I don't mean to sound desperate...hehe)

Please let me know

--Jonathan