# Black Diamond Sand



## Daniel12490 (Jul 30, 2014)

Hello All,

I am setting up a newly planted 50 gallon tank and I want to try a new substrate out instead of plain old gravel. I want to use Black Diamond Sand to in the tank but am unsure as to what I should use as the main substrate. I want to use soil but do not know which one is best or should I go with an eco complete substrate or something else you guys can suggest.

Also for those of you who have used black diamond sand or something similar, please share your thoughts and experiences!

Thank you and looking forward to some responses!


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## brooksie321 (Jul 19, 2014)

I've used the petco black sand, i like it alot! I use it as a cap over flourite..


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## FewestKitten896 (Dec 13, 2013)

Currently I use soil and so far I really like it. I think the only downside to using soil as a substrate is it can be a little messy if you move stuff around a lot, especially your heavy root feeders like crypts and swords. However, having a dark substrate will help hide the dirt as it settles. If you pull the plants up slow and careful, you won't disrupt much of the soil. I plan on using the Black Diamond cap on my next tank with a mineralized top soil substrate.


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## wheatiesl337 (Mar 30, 2011)

If you spend some time searching around on this forum, you will see that many use black blasting sand with success. It can be used in various ways, but it is very popular for capping dirt. I have personally used it as a cap for organic potting soil.

The only reason to use Eco Complete with black blasting sand would be aesthetic and to add some larger grain size.


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## RimX (Jan 19, 2013)

I'm using ~300lbs of Black Diamond in my 210G tank as the only substrate, I like it. My only recommendation is to put it in a bucket and soak it overnight while periodically sifting it around in the water. I found that for the longest time I would have bits of the stuff floating around in my tank especially after planting or anything that churned up the substrate.


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## Dx3Bash (Jan 9, 2013)

Black Diamond blasting sand works great as a substrate. At a cost of around $7 for a 50 pound bag, it is much more economical than buying "aquarium" sand at a pet store. You can use Black Diamond by itself, but would need to use root tabs for root feeding plants. Many use a couple inches of an organic potting soil and then cap the soil with at least 1" of blasting sand. There are many posts and youtube videos on how to best do this. As someone already stated, dirted tanks can be messy if you constantly move plants around. Black diamond can be found at Tractor Supply stores and other home improvement retailers. It comes in different sizes. Be sure to get the medium size or larger. The smaller sizes can get stirred up quite easily and get into your filters, powerheads, etc.


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## GoodOldDays (Mar 24, 2014)

I use Black Diamond in all my tanks. On the first I started the rinsing routine. On the last two I filled the tanks (40Bs) 3/4 full of water and then poured in the sand. Let it settle for 10 minutes. Hit some of the floaters with your hand and they wil sink. Contour the sand to your liking. Wait a few hours and all dust will have settled. Then carefully vacuum the surface without disturbing the sand. Run an HOB and the tank will be clear.
Why do people use dirt or costly sand? The nutrients run out in a few months and you have to use root tabs in the future.


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## burr740 (Feb 19, 2014)

Big fan of BDbs. I have it 100% in three different tanks.


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## perlguy (Mar 26, 2014)

I set up my new 10g Walstad tank today using Scotts topsoil and Black Diamond blasting sand (medium 20/40). It looks like the Black Diamond blasting sand seems superior to the expensive Petco black sand I bought for my earlier tank. 

The only downside to Black Diamond sand is the oily layer floating on the surface, even after cleaning the sand before putting it in. However, I took care of the oil slick by soaking it with a few paper towels. The surface is clear now.


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## italiangal (Oct 2, 2017)

i have a 6x2x2 tank and want to use black diamond sand, but on its own. I need around 50 kilos of it. Any idea who sell it at a good price?
I'm in Sydney


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## StevieD (Jun 17, 2017)

italiangal said:


> i have a 6x2x2 tank and want to use black diamond sand, but on its own. I need around 50 kilos of it. Any idea who sell it at a good price?
> I'm in Sydney



Try contacting these guys  https://www.abasco.com.au/?gclid=Cj...Vj674dv1Z4QXLbgiPrlt26VYvlbiDznwaAqYUEALw_wcB

While I am not in Australia I contacted another Scotsman of my acquaintance, we are a canny lot and cost is always of the essence. 

He said it likes it but for one reason, it is not free. I am known to be careful with my pennies but he makes me look a real amatuer.

The conversation went somewhere along the lines of. 

Him "oh aye its no bad at aw'. It could be better though." 

Me "how is that, is there something wrong with it?"

Him "Aye lad, I had to pay for it!" 

Me "How much did you pay for it Jimmy?"

Him "Well suppers ready lad, talk soon, bye"


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## klibs (May 1, 2014)

this thread shows up all the time and my answer is always the same...

either go cheap sand (cap over some dirt if you want) (black diamond, pool filter sand, etc) or go for expensive soil-based substrate (ADA aquasoil, etc)

all the stuff in between is waste of $$$ (eco complete, etc)

and no, you do not NEED anything to supplement plain sand. dirt helps and root tabs help but they are not required by any means.



italiangal said:


> i have a 6x2x2 tank and want to use black diamond sand, but on its own. I need around 50 kilos of it. Any idea who sell it at a good price?
> I'm in Sydney


stores like Tractor Supply Co sell it for $7-8 per 50lbs. would be interested if you can find it somewhere at 'bulk pricing'


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## Bananableps (Nov 6, 2013)

klibs said:


> and no, you do not NEED anything to supplement plain sand. dirt helps and root tabs help but they are not required by any means.


I understand what you mean here, but seeing as newbies potentially use these threads as a resource when first starting out, it's probably worth clarifying that inert substrates like black diamond sand _do_ need to supplemented with _something_.

[Note: the following is not directed at you, klibs.]

Supplement options include chemical ferts, an established supply of fish mulm, dirt, and root tabs. Using at least one of these options is a must: plants need nutrients like nitrogen and potassium to survive. Inert sand only provides plants with a place to anchor their roots.

*Chemical ferts* are great for people who like to dial in exactly the right parameters for their plants, but require some attention to detail, possibly with a steep learning curve. Must be refreshed on a weekly basis. Typically used for high tech setups.

*Root tabs* are generally used for low light setups. These are longer-term nutrient supplies, lasting about a month.

*Dirt* supplies nutrients as well as a bit of carbon, but can be a little messy if used carelessly. Lasts a couple of years.


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## drgarbanzo (Oct 1, 2017)

italiangal said:


> i have a 6x2x2 tank and want to use black diamond sand, but on its own. I need around 50 kilos of it. Any idea who sell it at a good price?
> I'm in Sydney


I recently looked into this while setting up my tank. The closest I could find to Black Diamond sand was one that is made from copper slag which isn't any good if you want to keep shrimp in the tank I'd think. I'm also from not that far out of Sydney and it doesn't seem to be a thing that's available. I ended up going with a fairly small sized gravel that has a dark base but has a bunch of other colours mixed into it. I think it'll look good once its all set up and running.


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## natemcnutty (May 26, 2016)

drgarbanzo said:


> I recently looked into this while setting up my tank. The closest I could find to Black Diamond sand was one that is made from copper slag which isn't any good if you want to keep shrimp in the tank I'd think. I'm also from not that far out of Sydney and it doesn't seem to be a thing that's available. I ended up going with a fairly small sized gravel that has a dark base but has a bunch of other colours mixed into it. I think it'll look good once its all set up and running.


Try to find a place that does sand blasting. They use coal slag as a media for sand blasting, and that may get you closer to what you are looking for.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk


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