# pool store sand



## ScottyDont (Mar 9, 2005)

Theres a bag of sand at my local pool store tan in colour for 6.99 is this stuff ok to use in planted tanks?


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## hoffboy (Feb 20, 2005)

I'm using it in two tanks. I think as long as it says 'silica sand' and doesn't contain anything else you should be fine. It's great for planting (really grabs the roots) but it's pretty dusty so I recommend LOTS of cleaning and then be real careful when you fill your tank not to disturb it too much. I use a saucer. Also, I have potting soil as substrate in one of my 'natural' tanks since the sand is basically inert and won't provide any nutrition to the plants. By the way, it looks really beautiful!


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## ScottyDont (Mar 9, 2005)

well I bought some BOMIX sand cause the pool store had none left, its brown in colour and is pretty muddy

i cleaned it out, is this stuff safe?


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## ScottyDont (Mar 9, 2005)

this is it http://www.bomix.ca/produits.php?lang=en&cat=sable&prod=sable_jeu_bla

A white silica-free, washed and graded sand. Ideal for children’s sand boxes and flowerbed decorations.

hmmmmmm is it safe?


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## AaronT (Apr 11, 2004)

That sandbox sand is too fine. It will cloud the water and ruin filter impellers and such. I suggest you find another pool store or wait until they get more in. The pool filter sand is inert because people don't want the pH altered in their swimming pools either and the grains are courser and more suited for use in an aquarium.


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## ScottyDont (Mar 9, 2005)

yeah iut did cloud my water for a day or 2 but has since gone clear my filter seems fine


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## bigpow (May 24, 2004)

The silica free one sounds more appealing. (Silica = glass)
So it might hurt your bottom feeders' gill/barbels.

Just make sure you rinse it until the water is clear.


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## AaronT (Apr 11, 2004)

It will clear, but the second you mess with plants to trim or replant you'll have a mess for a couple days again. That sand is just too fine to rinse. I have used it before and am speaking from experience. I have also used the silica sand with no problems to fish and not nearly as much turbidity when messing with plants.


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## ScottyDont (Mar 9, 2005)

I agreee with you 100% I stired some up today, but it looks like alittle mud that is still trapped. im doing a 10G water change todayand probly everyday till the mudd is gone


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## Not Mister Green (Feb 15, 2005)

*GARNET 8/100 LB BaG*

At a local supply house, picked up a 100 LB bag of size 8 mesh GARNET. Comes in a maroon color, very cool. 

This stuff is heacy and a 100 LB bag will fill a 29G a little less than 3". 

I searched the site under "garnet" and didnt' come up with anything. Anyone use this stuff? Is it "Cory safe"?

GARNET 
Physical characteristics: 
Color: reddish black
Density: 120 – 149 pounds/cubic foot
Effective size: .21 – 2.45 millimeter
UC (D 60): < 1.6
Specific gravity: > 4.0
Acid solubility: < 1.0%

Almandite garnet is a chemically inert non-metallic mineral that is quite common in the natural environment. Garnet is well known for its hardness and durability. It has a high specific gravity as well as its chemical and abrasive resistance makes garnet an ideal filter media. Its another type of pool store sand. 

have a good one!


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## sawallace (Jan 24, 2005)

Don't silicates = silica = algae? Just wondering... I've always wanted to use sand but I've been afraid to try it.


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## Oqsy (Jul 3, 2004)

i've read the silica sand = silicates suggestion on a few threads on other sites before, and it always ends up with someone versed in chemistry chiming in and saying that the free silicates in silica sand are minimal, and are far less likely to cause diatom (brown algae) problems than a water source that contains silicates. keep in mind this is 2nd hand info, but I am very sure that silica sand is used commonly in aquaria and diatoms seem to be less of a problem than either the true algaes or BGA. Short answer, no, silica is fine.

Oqsy


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## Oqsy (Jul 3, 2004)

how much was the 100lb bag of garnet? i've actually been looking for a dark (but not black) sand for my tank. sounds like a nice find. it would perfectly suit your needs, and in my opinion is much prettier than pool filter sand.

Oqsy


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## Not Mister Green (Feb 15, 2005)

Ogsy, the 100 lb garnet (bend those legs and keep that back straight!  lol ) was $28 usd. Its maroon color looks lovely at the bottom of the tank. 

Garnet is a rare gemston with high gravity and high hardness. Its heavy like lead and hard like diamond. It may be too heavy for plant substrate so I've removed it from my 29G. It would be fun to try an experirment with a 10G planted tank with a garnet substrate to see how garnet performs as a plant substrate. 

for a 29G, 100 lbs of garnet provides a depth of 2.75". 

for a 29G 60 lbs of 1/8 x 10 mesh pool filter sand provides a depth of 3"

I bet the 8 mesh garnet would be the bomb for a canister filter media (it would never wear out!), but at this point I've decided not to use it as a plant substrate.

So now I've got 3'" of "1/8 x 10" mesh size tan pool filter sand. I'm planning on mixing the bottom 1/3 layer with laterite and fine vermiculite. Is some form of calcium carbonate also a good idea? Should I use reef sand? limestone? oyster shell? lil' help please  

thanks!


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## Oqsy (Jul 3, 2004)

i don't think it would be too heavy... in fact, it would probably make a great cap for lighter substrates like profile, peat, loam, etc. If I can find some locally, I'll probably use it over profile in my pending 20 apisto tank.

Oqsy


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## Not Mister Green (Feb 15, 2005)

Oqsy, Emerald Creek Garnet's customer service number is 1-888-5GARNET. They may be able to help you find a source locally.


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## Oqsy (Jul 3, 2004)

Well, I decided against the garnet and went with black T-grade 3M Coloquartz. I'm getting it shipped from dallas... 100lbs shipped for about $50. not bad at all. I should have more than enough for my apisto tank, probably won't even use a whole 50 lb bag, but shipping for 2 bags at once was so much cheaper than shipping them one at a time that I went for it for future tanks. This stuff is recommended all over the place on cichlid-forum.com as a cheap, inert, dark substrate. the T-grade is supposed to be similar in size to pool filter sand, and they also make an S-grade that is more like oolite or very fine play sand(highly recommended for sand-sifting species as its spherical and gentler on their gills) I'll post pictures of it both dry and wet, in the tank and close up for those that are interested. 

Oqsy


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## Not Mister Green (Feb 15, 2005)

interesting, "ceramic coated crystals". Here's the product's uniform resource locater:

http://cms.3m.com/cms/US/en/2-125/cFikeFS/view.jhtml

BTW, I really like the light tan color of the pool filter sand. It looks much nicer than the recycled asphalt look of eco-complete.


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## Rex Grigg (Dec 10, 2002)

> The silica free one sounds more appealing. (Silica = glass)
> So it might hurt your bottom feeders' gill/barbels.


I almost spewed a beer when I read this. Glass is made from silica. But that doesn't mean that silica sand is sharp. Give me a break. 



> Don't silicates = silica = algae? Just wondering... I've always wanted to use sand but I've been afraid to try it.


Well since glass is basically silica won't having a glass tank cause algae? As explained the silica in sand is pretty locked up and not freely available. As is the silica in glass.


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