# flourite black sand, hate it so much.



## Monster Fish

Try black diamond blasting sand. It's denser and jet black.


----------



## gbhil

Black sand from Petco. Cost me $20 for 20 pounds shipped (local Petco had none in stock, order from Amazon) and is inert, smooth, and my C. sterbai love it.


----------



## Imaginary1226

Ohh. I like it. What is the brand called so I may search for it.


----------



## GuppyGuppyGuppyGuppyGuppy

Dang, I wish I would have gotten it. I like the look of the above picture over my Flourite Black regular.


----------



## gbhil

Not sure what the policy is on Amazon links, but just go to Amazon and search for "Petco Black Aquarium Sand"


----------



## Imaginary1226

ohh ok thanks! Also black blasting sand is that cheaper i'm assuming? also where do you even buy that?


----------



## Monster Fish

Imaginary1226 said:


> ohh ok thanks! Also black blasting sand is that cheaper i'm assuming? also where do you even buy that?


$8 or so for a 50lb bag. Check out Northern Tool or Tractor Supply.


----------



## Imaginary1226

That's more in my price range! Great thanks, never heard of the first store but I live right near a tractor supply.


----------



## im2smart4u

I use the black diamond blasting sand in all my tanks. I used to have a tank with Flourite black sand, too, and I hated it. As you said it was more grey than black, and it would get everywhere. The floating sand particles ruined my aquaclear filter. The black diamond sand it MUCH better.


----------



## Imaginary1226

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!! Yes I have an aquaclear I have been worrying about. I try not to turn it on until the dust settles a bit more.....but still. It looks stupid, I have flourite black in a 5 gallon that sits under the 10 gallon with the sand, doesn't match at all, makes it look more grey!
I also have what i think is eco complete (black with some random not black pieces) in my other tank in the room and I hate that also, its so light is doesn't hold down the plants, don't like the random flecks of color in it either! If I have a 50 lb bag of black blasting sand though...i could fix all the problems.


----------



## FishStix

Imaginary1226 said:


> Recently changed out black gravel for flourite black sand. I wanted to provide sand for some pygmy corydoras I got. I hate this stuff! I really like regular flourite.....but the sand kind it awful. It's not even black it's grey. When i change water or mess with the tank at all it gets cloudy and lays on everything like a dusting of snow. Hate it. So I still want to provide sand for the corys.....what else is out there that is black and sand and does ok with plants? I got some pool filter sand recently but that doesn't come in black.....thanks!


Sorry you don't like it, but this good info for me, as I have been torn on what to buy for my new tank. I need 25 bags. I think the more I read about the fluorite black sand, not being a true black and the fact it gets on everything I am going to avoid it. Thanks for sharing info, even though it was not good result.


----------



## Imaginary1226

haha! Your welcome glad someone wins. I'm out $20 however. Well...more like $28 since I gotta buy black blasting sand too. At least I will literally never have to buy substrate again!


----------



## NanoDave

Be carefully with the black diamond blasted sand. I've recently gotten a hold of some and compared it to aquarium specific substrates and it does differ. It was very sharp and rough to the touch compared to Petco sand or ActivFlora. So sharp it actually cut itself into the silicone on one of my tanks and I had to take a spoon and run it up the sides and bottom to get it all out. The stuff is made for blasting and made to be sharp so doesn't surprise me. Their might be different brands of BDBS so do yourself a favor and really check it before you buy it. ESPECIALLY since you have cory's in there and their barbels can get chewed up from the stuff which results in death I've heard (found out from doing search on this forum). For $8 a bag though it really is a good deal. Provided you find some thats not sharp and won't hurt your cory's


----------



## Monster Fish

What's sharp to us is perfectly fine with something a lot smaller than us. It's not even that sharp. I've used it with shrimp, corydoras, and loaches and they were fine. It's a common misconception that rough substrates will mess up the barbels of corydoras and other fish that like to dig. In actuality, poor water conditions were the cause of corydoras barbel erosion.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=228122

Lot's of people with happy cories and black diamond blasting sand.


----------



## NanoDave

Read 90% of that thread. Seems like a lot of happy customers. I might consider it for my non planted marmorkreb tanks now. Will still be purchasing ActivFlora for my planted tanks as I enjoy more rounded edges when planting, just my personal opinion though.


----------



## Mcar585

I have cories and yoyo loaches in with bdbs and they're perfectly fine. No issues at all


----------



## LionelC

I have used Black Diamond blasting sand also. I liked the look, but if you use a magnetic scrubber be carfull, it will scratch an acrilic tank like a warm knife through butter!

For that reason, I dont use it anymore.


LionelC


----------



## Stone454

All of my cories are fine, it seems the myth of "big" or "sharp" substrate killing cories is never going to die...


----------

