Black Sand

[gonefishing]

Anyone know where to get some black sand other than the LFS?

I have heard that silica used for sandblasting can be used. Any experience out there with this?

[guppymax]

Re: Black Sand

I have not used sandblasting sand but I would expect it to have sharp edges that might injure some fish. I am thinking about my Melanochromis auratus who sift algae out of the sand. If it is used it would contain a lot of metal and perhaps lead paint. Maybe someone with more experience will offer a second opinion.

max

[SCOTT]

Re: Black Sand

I use blasting grit in several of my tanks. This stuff is fantastic. It has just the right corseness to hold plants securely, yet is small enough for your diggers to remain happy. At roughly $10 a bag, the only thing cheaper is play sand. By far one of the best all purpose substrates I have used.

[gonefishing]

Re: Black Sand

Thanks Scott. A couple more questions if you don't mind.

Where do you purchase blasting grit?

Are there more than one levels of corseness  (i.e. xfine, fine, medium, corse, etc.)?

If so, which do you recommend?

And finally, do you know  if it is available in black?

[SCOTT]

Re: Black Sand

Blasting grit is commonly available in most of the fish stores now. Petco and Petsmart don't carry it, but the true fish stores do. I won't endorse 1 store over any other as I don't want this site turning into another local forum for the touting of local stores. Check with your favorite store, ask for blasting grit, and if they don't have it, their competitor surely will. This is a very common substrate now. As for color, it comes in 1 flavor only, and that is the earth tone mixed brown. It is possible to get other types of blasting grit that do come in black, but these aren't inert like the silica grit is. The black grit contains slag and coal, while potentially safe, why risk it? If you want black go with India or Moon sand. This is a silca basd sand and as such is inert with none of the slag or coal dust associated with the dark grit.
The corseness that most stores carry has a grain size of roughly 3 mm-5 mm, which is perfect for most applications. The grain size is large enough to get good circulation to your plant roots, and yet small enough for diggers to easily move it around.

[HFBfounder]

Re: Black Sand

Scott, you're a wealth of knowledge and I'm glad you're here.  

[SCOTT]

Re: Black Sand

Ah man, now you went n made my head swell. Like it needed the help.

[gonefishing]

Re: Black Sand

Here is an update on some other possible materials.

I got this lead from a member of africancichlidforum.com who says he is currently using it in several tanks.

The product is.......

3M™ Colorquartz™ Crystals - used as a finish in swimming pool construction. Available in black (and other colors) and in 2 differnt grades (particle size). S grade is finer and T grade is more corse. Here is a link to the product info I found online

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/!ut/p/kcxml/04_Sj9SPykssy0xPLMnMz0vM0Q9KzYsPDdaP0I8yizeINzUz1C _IcFQEAHTt83Y!


It is available in 50 lb bags from:

National Pool Tile
4300 Pine Timbers, #116
Houston, TX 77041
ph: (713) 460-8794

I was quoted $16.39 for the S grade and $19.46 for the T grade.

It looks like there is another 3M product called "3M™ Colorquartz™ Accent Stones" - which looks like it may be similar to the above execpt with a slightly larger particle size (#6 mesh).

National Pool Tile also carries a product called "StoneScapes" which comes in a regular pebble size and a "mini pebble" size as well. Not sure of the cost of this product.

The National Pool Tile rep said that he would be happy to show me the different grades (particle sizes) of all of these products so that I could choose which size to use.

For what it is worth..............

[SCOTT]

Re: Black Sand

Well there you go then, an alternative other than the ones I put out. Let me know if you go with the quartz, and any side effects, if any. The price is about double that of blasting grit, but still not bad at all.

[wvgdiscus]

Re: Black Sand

I had a discussion on another board about the 3M Color Quarts awhile back maybe 2 years ago now. From what I remember is that it will work in fish tanks. You do not wont to get the course kind as it will put cuts or scrapes on your bottom dwellers.
If you are going to put live plants in your tank you will wont the finer & smoother kind. The roots set better in the smaller ones.
When you go to clean it out the smaller ones are more easily to get sucked out with a python.

Walter

[szidlon]

Re: Black Sand

Figured I'd just tag onto the black sand thread with a few questions.  I now have the 20 gal long to fill the empty space in my two tank stand.  I've never used sand before and have a couple of more questions.  The basic plan for the tank is to be planted with black color quartz and a black background.  I have a Penguin 200 that's still sitting in a box that I would like to use. I'm assuming that I will need a sponge prefilter if I want the filter to work for more than a day or so.  Will the 200 be too much flow for a 20?  I believe it's rated for a 50 gal and I have a vision of black sand swirling in a whirlpool, not exactly what I wanted   .  Also along the same lines on the filter, I would like to have about 20 neon/cardinal tetras and maybe three or four Blue Rams or Gouramis.  Would the 200 be too much current for the fish?  I guess a 30lb bag of sand would be sufficient?

[gonefishing]

Re: Black Sand

Well,

I ended up getting 2 - 50# bags of black 3M Colorquarts crystals from National Pool Tile. Washed 1 bag (it took lots of washing) and ended up using only the 1 bag because I got tired of washing sand. The one bag filled my 55 gallon tank about 2" deep and I felt that that would be enough.

Finished the tank off today with about 80 lbs of lava boulders from a rock company on FM1488 and stocked it with 30 juvenile Mbunas. So far, so good. The setup looks very good IMHO. Will post some pics once my cabinet doors come in, are painted and installed.

For what it is worth.

[szidlon]

Re: Black Sand

Well, this is the weekend I finally set up the 105.  As I've never had sand or similar for a substrate I have a couple of questions.  I'm using the ColorQuartz S grade and obviously from what I've read it needs about the same amount of washing as play sand.  I will have two Eheim Classics running.  Should I wait until the fog/sand has settled before starting them and should I put a prefilter on the intakes?  This should be a busy weekend for me with Easter.  I don't usually have Fridays off so what better way to spend it than messing with fish.  My plants are riding around on the UPS truck as I write, so it should be pretty complete by the end of the holiday, except for adding fish.  Anyone have a suggestion for cycle fish for a Discus tank?  And I think I read that the common pleco is not a good choice for Discus, how about a Bristlenose or one of those black with white spots ones (forgot the name   )

[SCOTT]

Re: Black Sand

Last question first, for a discus tank I believe were it me I would go with O-cats for algae removal. These are small, non-aggressive, don't flit around alot and do well in a discus tank. As for the sand, let it completely settle before turning on the pumps, you can decrease the ammount of time it takes for the water to clear by running a siphon to waste and continous filling the tank. By running water non stop into the tank and running a siphon to waste you will rapidly remove the free floating dust and residue from the water. What would normally take 3 or 4 days can be accomplished in a few hours this way. Once the water begins to clear you can stop the siphon, top off the tank, and let it stand overnight. By the next morning the tank "should" be settled enough to turn on your filters. A prefilter should not be neccessary unless you are running a high current in a bottom scrubbing pattern.

[szidlon]

Re: Black Sand

Thanks Scott,

I will try the continous fill and drain, provided I can find a syphon that will reach to the front yard.  Think I have one around here somewhere.  Otherwise it will just have to sit till it settles down.  I have promised myself to not get in a hurry this time and get it set up just right.  As the tank is so tall, once it's set up I don't plan on fiddling with it with the exception of water changes.  

I think I saw some O cats at the LFS last weekend.  Maybe they still have some.