# Black Sand



## ElectricBlue (Jun 29, 2011)

Havent been able to find Black Sand locally as it isnt too natural in my part of the hood. 


Anyone have a good lead to some online? 
Does not need to be plant friendly, This is for a non planted tank. 



roud:


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## VeeSe (Apr 16, 2011)

Caribsea Tahitian Moon Sand


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## cybercat (Jun 25, 2011)

Try Big Al's online best price I have found.


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## DaveK (Jul 10, 2010)

Does it have to be extremely black substrata, or can it just be kind of black?

If it just has to be kind of black, you could consider EcoComplete black. 

While there is nothing wrong with getting sand online, it can be extremely expensive, since the shipping can eat you alive. Shop around carefully. Sometimes you can find a deal on free shipping.


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## aa79606 (Sep 22, 2010)

I'm about to set up another planted tank and I was thinking of using black sand on top of black ecocomplete... I've never used sand before in a tank and don't know much about it. Why would sand not be plant friendly?

Amy



ElectricBlue said:


> Does not need to be plant friendly, This is for a non planted tank.


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## psalm18.2 (Oct 16, 2010)

aa79606 said:


> I'm about to set up another planted tank and I was thinking of using black sand on top of black ecocomplete... I've never used sand before in a tank and don't know much about it. Why would sand not be plant friendly?
> 
> Amy


It doesn't have built in nutrients like plant substrate. It can be used w/ plants as long as you add nutrients to the tank.


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## demonr6 (Mar 14, 2011)

aa79606 said:


> I'm about to set up another planted tank and I was thinking of using black sand on top of black ecocomplete... I've never used sand before in a tank and don't know much about it. Why would sand not be plant friendly?
> 
> Amy


For example beach sand would be bad for a fresh water planted tank because it contains salt and other potentially harmful organisms. Not all sand is inert so it may alter your water chemistry.


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## psalm18.2 (Oct 16, 2010)

Are there pool supply shops near you? See if they sell black filter sand.


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## ElectricBlue (Jun 29, 2011)

Ah this thread has done given me a headache. 


Ive found my substrate, its not black as i could not find anything black besides expensive aquarium specific sand. 


Ive got $6.43 invested in 100lbs of substrate, i am good to go now.


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## silentdave (Mar 16, 2008)

So what did you find?


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## jhunt (May 7, 2010)

For future reference, most hardware stores sell something called black slag or black beauty, it's an iron based sand used for sandblasting. The only drawback is it has really sharp edges.


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## ElectricBlue (Jun 29, 2011)

silentdave said:


> So what did you find?



Grey paving sand for laying brick. 





jhunt said:


> For future reference, most hardware stores sell something called black slag or black beauty, it's an iron based sand used for sandblasting. The only drawback is it has really sharp edges.



You didnt happen to read anything above did ya? :icon_wink


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## jhunt (May 7, 2010)

I read that you found something you were satisfied with but I thought my post might be helpful for anyone else looking for a black sand. It will show up on Google now.


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## ElectricBlue (Jun 29, 2011)

Ah yeah, makes sense. 

I looked everywhere, called just about ever hobby shop, landscaping buisness, garden center, farm store, and auto parts store for black sand and black media blasting material. 

Nothing. Everyone has play sand, white sand or white media blasting beads.


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## RandomMan (May 31, 2011)

Check out Substrate Source. Their shipping is reasonable and they have some black substrate with 2mm granuals.


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## BlazednSleepy (Aug 21, 2010)

Tahitan is expensive but super black.


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## JasonG75 (Mar 1, 2011)

I bought mine at Tractor Supply. 8.99 for 50LBS


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## ElectricBlue (Jun 29, 2011)

You bought black sand at tractor supply? 


Done have a TS local, but i do know of one about 40miles away.


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## SBPyro (Dec 15, 2009)

*Do you have a part number*

Part number or anything that can help to order it



JasonG75 said:


> I bought mine at Tractor Supply. 8.99 for 50LBS


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## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

It is just black beauty or black diamand blasting media. It is sharp as hell and takes forever to rinse. 

it is found next to the sand blasters and welding supplies.


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## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

but ask and you shall receive: http://www.tractorsupply.com/tools/...k-diamond-20-40-blasting-media-50-lb--3905403


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## wkndracer (Mar 14, 2009)

OverStocked said:


> It is just black beauty or black diamand blasting media. It is sharp as hell and takes forever to rinse.
> 
> it is found next to the sand blasters and welding supplies.


don't know about black diamond but have black beauty and dust is not an issue.
not too sharp for cory either, at least not in the first three months.
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/low-tech-forum/143352-another-npt-ds-dirt-tank.html


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## secuono (Nov 19, 2009)

Go to a farm store or place that has sand blasting supplies.
I got a 50lbs bag of black sand for $8. No need to rinse it, I just tossed it in and was ready to go. But every bag is different. All my tanks have this sand, totally fish, plants and invert safe. Also doesn't fade, not painted. =)


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## Joe S (Aug 2, 2011)

wkndracer said:


> don't know about black diamond but have black beauty and dust is not an issue.
> not too sharp for cory either, at least not in the first three months.
> http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/low-tech-forum/143352-another-npt-ds-dirt-tank.html


So you have had no issues with the sharpness harming the corries?


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## wkndracer (Mar 14, 2009)

Just saw the reply sorry. None that I can see. The fish are pictured in the linked thread in close up.
(short thread :smile: of three posts)


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## aquascapechicago (Oct 1, 2010)

i have the black slag that i get every now and then working great with palnts also it does not seam to be to rough on stingrays either


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## Joe S (Aug 2, 2011)

Thank you both for that posts. I went to check it out, it almost seems glassy, and it is pretty sharp. =\ I might need to find something else for turtles.


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## Nubster (Aug 9, 2011)

Petco has a store brand black sand that is nice. It's actually what I would consider very small gravel. $17 for 20 pounds so it's not as cheap as some option but certainly not as expensive as others. Petco online as well as Dr. Foster and Smith has Tahitian Moon on sale right now...20 pounds for $15-16 and shipping is not increased due to weight. I just got 40pounds from Petco online for $42 shipped. Just another option for anyone else that reads this thread looking for info.


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## topfrog007 (Dec 30, 2007)

I've got 3M color quartz S grade in my 240G tank. It comes in multiple grades. The grade I have is S grade and is very fine, like sand. Usually people use T grade as substrate in planted tanks because it holds slope better than S grade and is easier to plant.

I bought it for 10.00 per 50lb bag. I did mineralized top soil with S grade as the cap. So far things are doing ok, at first I was really regretting my choice because it's just too light. Any movement on it and it blows all over the place with the MTS peeking through in some parts. 

If I had to do it over again I think I'd go without MTS and just use S grade and root tabs. Or maybe MTS and T grade.

Hope that helps.

Here's a link so you can see what it looks like:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/tank-journals-photo-album/91981-240g-woodscape-drilled-medium-tech-update-8.html


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## JasonG75 (Mar 1, 2011)

Joe S said:


> So you have had no issues with the sharpness harming the corries?


There are 2 grit options. 1 is sharper than the other, but you want the FINE grit.


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## Complexity (Jan 30, 2008)

aa79606 said:


> and I was thinking of using black sand on top of black ecocomplete...


It's probably too late now, but to offer the info anyway. The sand will not stay on top. It will filter down below the eco-complete because it's smaller grain size can slip through the gaps of the larger eco-complete grains. So eventually you'll end up with sand on the bottom and eco-complete on top. Because planted tanks have a natural cycle of planting, uprooting, and replanting, the sand will migrate to the bottom rather quickly.

If the goal was purely aesthetics, you'll lose that. And as has already been mentioned, you'll also lose the nutrient benefits for plants. Moreover, sand compacts (small grain means small gaps), making it harder to plant new plants and for plant roots to penetrate.

For all those reasons, I honestly would suggest rethinking the idea.


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## JasonG75 (Mar 1, 2011)

Agreed...Sand on top of gravel (eco) isnt a very wise decision.


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