# Does your black diamond have that needle like pieces?



## Bubba_Shrimp (Jun 16, 2009)

I got some black 20/40 diamond blasting abrasive and it looks good except it has quite a few pieces that look like a thin piece of wire/needle. 
Is it normal for black diamond?


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## rrastro (Jun 14, 2012)

mine also has them. doesn't seem to be a problem, though.


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## Monster Fish (Mar 15, 2011)

I have them as well. If they bother you, just pick them out. Otherwise, they aren't really a problem.


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## Bubba_Shrimp (Jun 16, 2009)

Picking them out of 4 bags would be a problem 
If you say they are fine then I'm ok with it. Thanks!


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## rrastro (Jun 14, 2012)

Could be different depending on what you have stocked in your tank. I have shrimp and corydoras hastatus. Doesn't seem to affect the shrimp or the corys but these corys aren't the most aggressive substrate diggers. I can see where something that really liked to dig in could potentially injure itself.


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## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

hmmm...wire/needle like pieces you say? I'd be a little concerned with cories and loaches with that.


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## Monster Fish (Mar 15, 2011)

james0816 said:


> hmmm...wire/needle like pieces you say? I'd be a little concerned with cories and loaches with that.


They look like this:










I picked out whatever I could find but eventually I was like, "to hell with it!" and just left them mixed in the sand.


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## Bubba_Shrimp (Jun 16, 2009)

Hmmm, yours must be 30/60 grit. Mine is 20/40 and has much more of those "needles" and they are thin... Still feels OK in my palm but I did poke my finger once when I squeezed hard.













Monster Fish said:


> They look like this:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Monster Fish (Mar 15, 2011)

Ah, yeah I picked out the medium grade bag since it was said to be easier to work with than the finer grained stuff.


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## Bubba_Shrimp (Jun 16, 2009)

I wanted to have dwarf loaches but probably will stay with smaller corydoras only for now.


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## wheatiesl337 (Mar 30, 2011)

The last bag of 20/40 I picked up also looked similiar. Don't remember this issue with the first bag I used. I wonder if it varies by batch.

I really like the grain size, weight and color on this stuff, but I am not sure I would use it with any vigourous substrate diggers, which is too bad.

Anyone have suggestions for alternative capping materials that are about the same in grain-size and color range?


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## microw (Jun 30, 2012)

Yep.

All I know is my assassin snails love the stuff. I have about 20 and it's kinda rare to see them because they're buried deep in it. Also recently spotted a couple of babies so that's awesome!

I also have 3 oto cats that don't mind it, though I do see them resting on my plants quite a bit.


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## dprais1 (Sep 12, 2012)

I've always heard about people being really carefull with substrate choices and loaches/corys. I think it has been pretty well decided that lost barbs is a result of poor water quality.

Barbs are extremely sensitive and should be able to determine what is safe and what isn't before they cut them selves. 

I have never actually heard of corys being harmed by any substrate.
I would love to hear at least one story!


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## beginragnarok (Dec 19, 2011)

My Blasting grit has them (thin strands of glass). Smaller diameter than what is seen in that picture. Be aware of them while you rinse it so as to not stick yourself too much. I have only had a few penetrate my skin and I rinsed mine really well for quite a while before placing it in my tanks.

That being said, my Oto cats rest on the blasting grit often and my cories (pygmaeus, paleatus) have no issues rooting aound in it all day long along with Malaysian Trumpet snails.roud:


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## beginragnarok (Dec 19, 2011)

dprais1 said:


> I have never actually heard of corys being harmed by any substrate.
> I would love to hear at least one story!


Please no stories about Corydoras being hamed. They are my favorite type of fish. I also think that poor health is the cause of catfish barbels being in a sad state. Healthy aquarium = healthy inhabitants. Right? My co-workers laughed at me recently when I told them about the nitrogen cycle and the absolute nessessity of water changes with large bioloads like they were boasting about. My co-workers don't have aquariums anymore...

"I'm Wilfred Brimley, check your nitrates, check them often." (Disclaimer: I am not in actuality Wilfred Brimley.)

Sorry for the mini-rant, back to the OP.


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## Edub (Mar 23, 2011)

Are those wire looking things actually wires? If so, they might be magnetic. If they are it might be easier to get a big magnet and just hover it over a small ammount of the sand and get them out that way. 

If they are something other than metal or not magnetic you might get away with using a strainer or something, but I don't have any experience with this material and don't know if a properly sized strainer is available.

Just my two cents.


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## Ozone (Sep 30, 2009)

Monster Fish said:


> Ah, yeah I picked out the medium grade bag since it was said to be easier to work with than the finer grained stuff.



Hi Monster Fish where in NY you get your black diamond from ?


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## Monster Fish (Mar 15, 2011)

Ozone said:


> Hi Monster Fish where in NY you get your black diamond from ?


GT Rentals in Brooklyn.


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## Beer (Feb 1, 2012)

It's almost a glass like material. It is extruded in strands and then ground up and sifted through shaker tables. Some of those wire like pieces just didn't get ground up enough and make it through the screens.
I've got a ramshorn snail and ottos with no issues. I've seen them go right over the points. I thought they were going to get stuck, but they were fine.


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## infamouz23 (Dec 28, 2008)

I just bought a few bags today and I also have the needle like pieces. Not too bad to handle though.


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## Akira (May 21, 2008)

Do you think this substrate would affect whisker shrimps?


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## rodcuda (Jul 25, 2012)

While those pieces may seem tiny and sharp to us, to small fish and shrimp they are like a 2x4 or a fence post to them and unlikely to ever hurt them. Those pices are just related to the batch and the quality of the material.


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