sand

[txstateunivreefer]

is there anywhere local were sand can be obtained at a resonable price ive heard of some people getting sand from lowes however only sand i know of there is silica sand which would cause problems i already have about an inch deep bed of agroliveand would like to make it about 3in-5in deep also do my rocks need to rest on the bottom if it is that deep?

[txstateunivreefer]

ok ill have to see if i can find some to put in the tank someone on rc told me to see if it would dissolve in vinegar for some reason...i guess that is to ck it for carbonate? ill also see if i can find sand that isnt sharp because i do have lots of critters that like the sand

[erick]

yeah the vinegar test is for carbonate based sand, should foam. I would stay away from lowes/home depot sand, they might have other additives that may leach into your tank. Usually that sand is not rinsed real well, and can contain some pollutants. Play sand, for a sandbox, is a better choice than the quickcrete stuff, although the most common is silicate based. Calcium based sand helps to keep/buffer calcium levels , silica sand does nothing. some say that silica sand can cause an outbreak of diatoms, but this has been a controversial issue..... i would recommend buying some sand from a fellow maastard, post in the wanted section...

[prof]

Silica sand won't dissolve, it is silica/glass. It should be well rinsed. There is often a fair amount of dust and dirt in the mix. For the most part the dirt won't hurt anything but can create issues getting it to settle and stay settled.

Yes, vinegar to check for calcium carbonate. Also a fun trick with a piece of limestone.

My favorite, cheap, sand is play sand. It can be hard to find but it is crushed coral and usually white or pinkish in color. Southdown is the name it is commonly sold under.

[5.0Stang]

Man good luck finding south-down! I wouldn't touch Quickrete's Play Sand either! I called Quickrete to ask what was all in it and they said its 100% silica and there is nothing UN-NATURAL. So there i go dumpin the crap in by the 50 lb. bag thinkin i was smart by saving money on sand! IMO I hate the dark brown color,Its way too fine,Made a diatom bloom in less than 2 weeks,and started to turn black in the corners and smelled gross :sick

[taldrich13]

http://www.kellermaterial.com/sand.htm
I wonder if the white washed sand is silica based?

[taldrich13]

That limestone sand sounds like it might work too.

I was wondering about that one too.

[jroescher]

I think your best bet is to be patient and buy someones sandbed out of the Sale/Trade section when they take their tank down.

[erick]

I think your best bet is to be patient and buy someones sandbed out of the Sale/Trade section when they take their tank down.

I second that!

[txstateunivreefer]

i got a 30lb bag of aragomax and that gave me the depth i needed so now im off to get more sand stirers so that i dont have a brick in the bottom of my tank in the near future