# Anyone tried Zoo Med Reptisand?



## NickS (Oct 9, 2009)

Not sure about this, but doesn't reptile sand have calcium added into it?


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## williamsonaaron (Jan 27, 2010)

yes I have it in two tanks. 

Wash it really really really well..... or your tank will turn blue for about ten water changes.

just when you think your done washing it... wash it some more 

but it looks good underwater and as a substrate... and I have corries in both tanks and all have full barbels... so its safe for them too..

I bury root tabs in mine and that works well for swords and other rooted plants.


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## Baadboy11 (Oct 28, 2009)

williamsonaaron said:


> yes I have it in two tanks.
> 
> Wash it really really really well..... or your tank will turn blue for about ten water changes.
> 
> ...


That sir is what I wanted to hear! Is it super fine? Or does it stay on the bottom pretty well.


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## RipariumGuy (Aug 6, 2009)

I don't think you should use it. Dr. Foster and Smith had this in the description, and it makes it sound as though there is calcium in the Reptisand. Which, is obviously bad for most fish.

•Offer a dish of vitamin/calcium powder to prevent over-consumption of sand in substrate-consuming reptiles.


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## Baadboy11 (Oct 28, 2009)

JakeJ said:


> I don't think you should use it. Dr. Foster and Smith had this in the description, and it makes it sound as though there is calcium in the Reptisand. Which, is obviously bad for most fish.
> 
> •Offer a dish of vitamin/calcium powder to prevent over-consumption of sand in substrate-consuming reptiles.


I was worried about that too, but some other sources say its just quartz with no calcium...so not sure?


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## lnstevens (Aug 9, 2010)

JakeJ said:


> I don't think you should use it. Dr. Foster and Smith had this in the description, and it makes it sound as though there is calcium in the Reptisand. Which, is obviously bad for most fish.
> 
> •Offer a dish of vitamin/calcium powder to prevent over-consumption of sand in substrate-consuming reptiles.


The word "over consumption" is the give away here. The sand probably has nothing in it, so substrate-consuming reptiles will eat and eat looking for what is missing. Which is why offering the vitamina/calcium powder to fill that gap.


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## Baadboy11 (Oct 28, 2009)

lnstevens said:


> The word "over consumption" is the give away here. The sand probably has nothing in it, so substrate-consuming reptiles will eat and eat looking for what is missing. Which is why offering the vitamina/calcium powder to fill that gap.


Yeah thats a good point.


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## williamsonaaron (Jan 27, 2010)

Baadboy11 said:


> That sir is what I wanted to hear! Is it super fine? Or does it stay on the bottom pretty well.


 
it stays on the bottom pretty well and I wouldn't call it super fine.. I would say its medium grit but closer to corse than fine. For the first couple weeks you will likely see some sand on your plant leaves etc and a little bit moving around but once it settles its all good - unless you plan on having the filter out take flowing directly at the sand.

Also plants seem to like it... if I have trouble with a plant in the gravel side of the tank I move it to the sand side and it almost always does better.


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## kal_daka87 (Dec 21, 2012)

I know this is an old thread, but I wanted to give some clarification regarding calcium in the sand. ZooMed makes 2 kinds of sand. Reptisand which comes in White, Black and Red, and Vitasand wich comes in an assortment of colours. 

Reptisand is pure natural quartz sand. There are no colours or vitamins (calcium) added. It is inert, if a bit dusty. It is the Vitasand that has all the calcium in it. It also has dyes added.

There are a few other substrates made by zoomed for reptiles, but only the reptisand is aquarium safe.


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