Desert Sand

[don]

I went to the superpets on Merivale a few days ago and notice that they had a brackish tank with a nice looking desert sand in it. I found a link to the exact stuff, http://www.thatpetplace.com/Products/KW/R04/Class/Reptile+Supplies+Sand/T1/R04+0171+1197/Itemdy00.aspx. I was wondering if anyone knew a place that had this sand as well. SP was selling it for $12 for 10 lbs, which I think is somewhat cheap.

-Don

[cichlid_girl]

i know its not the desert look at all, but sand blasting sand comes in either white or black for 6 bucks for 50lbs.

[don]

but is it as fine or finer? I have playground said and find it not very fine, and want something finer.

[StylinT]

i know the stuff ya are talkin about at sp
why not try beach sand the stuff on the shore in the water is usally pretty fine

[don]

Actually, the colour is secondary to me, I'd go with black any day, but I more concerned about the fineness of the grain. Is sandblasting sand along the lines of the desert sand I am talking about in fineness? If so, I'll pick up sandblasting sand instead.

[luvfishies]

With fine sand you run the risk of compaction and possible anearobic pockets. Playsand is notorious for this.

I prefer silica, or "all purpose" sand from Home Depot.

[don]

I don't plan on put much sand in, maybe 1/2" at most. I have corys so I 'm assuming they'll sift through the sand, making sure that it doesn't get compact.

I've read that sand-blasting sand is really coarse that it can be hell on corys.

How is pool sand? Is that better and jsut as fine?

[luvfishies]

Sand-blasting sand and pool sand are both silica. You can get different grain sizes if you really look around. I just use the Home Depot stuff, and the cories' barbels are fine here.

[Anubias]

Black sandblasting sand is usually a slag from (copper?) smelting. Check to make sure that it is not magnetic, or it will get stuck in your AquaClears and ruin the "turbine." I tried it once -not a great idea.

Regards,

[luvfishies]

Good catch Anubias, I had heard that before.

[james]

HI
Pool filtering sand I find is better than any of the other sands people have mentioned in their postings. Its a nice reddish colour and its not as fine as the other sands, so that things such as fish poop, and uneaten food does not build up on top of it.
Plants seem to like it as well And cheap 50 lb for $7.95
James

[don]

I went to the Rona on Hunt Club and the Home Depot on Baseline. Can anyone tell me where to find this fine black silica sand? Home Depot said they don't carry it, and Rona had a quartz sand that hand a warning along the line of inhalation is potentially fatal.

How is pool sand? I was wondering about this, is there a very fine type?

I assume pool sand has been washed and doesn't need a rinse?

[Stevie]

I have pool sand in my 150.  I bought it at Mermaid pool for $7.95 a 50 lb. bag.  It's a mixture of brown/beige/red grains but looks really nice.  It's not as fine as playsand, but not as coarse as gravel.  It definitely needs to be rinsed though!  I had brown rinse water coming out but it didn't seem to be as much as regular aquarium gravel.
Stevie

[cichlid_girl]

you can get the black sand blasting sand from Max Auto, next to the canadian tire, at bank and heron.