southdown in austin

[eleyan]

Is there a place in austin where I can buy southdown or other playground sand that is suitable for aquarium use? I remember reading another post where someone mentioned playground sand from Home Depot. anyone knows what is the Silica content in that?

[susannew]

I know there is a pool place on burnet that sells fine sand that I used for my freshwater tank that is really nice.. If your coming from 183 headed towards aquatek its on the right after trudy's somewhere. Think they come in like 50 pound bags or so.. Hope that helps..

[Yano]

I don't know what the silica content is, but thats what I used in my 10 gallon nano.

[eleyan]

thanks susan, I'll check them out. Do you remeber how much was the 50lb bag?

[StephenA]

I've used the Play Sand from HD. Silica content of sand has as much to do with anything as the silica content of the glass!

The play sand looks nice.

[susannew]

think it may have been around 10 but not sure, was a long time ago.

[eleyan]

OK, I took a little ride at lunch and checked out both types:
the sand at the pool place is "Silica sand" and is $8.50 / 50lb bag
the sand at lowes is Quickrete brand play ground sand and is $2.5 / 50lb bag

I asked the guys at aquatek and they said that silica sand is not good because it will promote algae blooms. did you have any problems like that with it. I'm not sure what is the silica content of the playground sand though, Stephen, is that the one you used?

[brewercm]

Never ask someone at an LFS if sand that you can get cheaper elsewhere is good for aquarium. This has been debated so many times and people have been using play sand without a problem.
If you asked them about Southdown specifically they'd give you a line about it not being as clean and up to standard as what they sell, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

OK, done ranting.

[eleyan]

Funny you should say that. I asked about southdown and they said there is nothing bad about it but they don't like it because its too messy :)

So what is the difference between the playground sand at lowes and southdown? I thought southdown was a type of playground sand?

[btacker]

It is playground sand or I think it says "Play Sand". Southdown is white aragonite and the other is brown something or other.

Not that this helps you a lot, but I used the Quickcrete stuff in my freshwater tank. It has been up for 8 months with no problems.

[brewercm]

btacker is on the right track. Southdown is pure aragonite that is just packaged under the name Southdown and what I believe is now Newcastle or something like that. The quickrete stuff is just a silica based sand and not quite as white. The only difference I've seen proven to any extent is that the aragonite helps with the stablility of PH or something to that affect, could be wrong on that part but someone else might chime in that knows a little more.

[StephenA]

Ditto, the play sand is a silica based product. the only thing to watch for is breathing it! It does not promote algae. check dr ron's book about sand or RC under his forum. He's the one who advised me to use it in my tank. Yes I do have algae but it grows on all 3 kinds of sand in my tank. I used the play sand in the back to build up the depth and pure aragonite to do the rest. Southdown is produced in the same place that the aqurium sand is done.