Types (or brands) of Sand in Freshwater aquarium

[Jimmy]

I am setting up a new tank and want to use a type of white or black sand for
my substrate. I am filling the tank with rain water from my cistern and am
wanting a soft water tank (since soft water can hold more CO2).

1. Can anyone give me the brand name of sand they have used safely in a
freshwater aquarium?

2. The owner of a LFS (in New Albany, IN) told me there was a brand of "Play
Sand" made by Seachem or at least it was the same product sold for aquarium
use, but much cheaper and used as children's play sand. Does anyone know the
brand name of this sand?

3. According to the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), The "Play Sand" sold
by Quikcrete may contain silica sand and/or lime stone. After reading the
MSDS and the dangers of inhaling silica dust causing permanent lung damage,
why would anyone let their children play with it? Can silica dust be
dangerous to any fish?

Any low cost sources of substrate would be of interest.......except Profile.
I have that one already.

Thanks,
Jim

[Moontanman]

Jim all sand contains silica dust, silica is what sand is made of. I use
regular building sand either from Lowes or Home Depot but if you need a lot of
it you might have a local outlet where they sell rocks and gravel, if so they
should also have building sand in larger quanities. the dust in sand settle out
in water and is only dangerous when the sand is dry and being sprayed like for
sand blasting.You would have to breath sand blasting dust for years to have a
probelm. Play sand is good too and usually the same as building sand but
cleaner.


remove nospam from e-mail to send to me, I grow trees in aquariums like bonsai.
I breed dwarf crayfish, great for planted community tanks. If you can get me a
shovelnose sturgeon fingerling (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus) no wild caught
please, contact me

[Nsty N8]

>1. Can anyone give me the brand name of sand they have used safely in a
>freshwater aquarium?

I use pool filter sand (white) with kitty litter in my 10gal. It was about $5.
for 50lbs.


N8

[Jimmy]

What brand of kitty litter? What brand of Pool filter sand?

Thanks,
Jim

"Nsty N8" > wrote in message
...
> >1. Can anyone give me the brand name of sand they have used safely in a
> >freshwater aquarium?
>
> I use pool filter sand (white) with kitty litter in my 10gal. It was about
$5.
> for 50lbs.
>
>
> N8
>

[Nsty N8]

I'm uncertain about the brand of pool filter sand. I purchased it at a
swimming pool supply store. If you plant densly enough you'll never see the
sand.
The kitty litter is the WalMart brand "Special Kitty" in the red bag,
unscented.

The bottom layer of kitty litter is great as long as you don't disturb it by
uprooting plants constantly.

I'm rather keen on the Flourite.

N8 Goetz

[Jim]

I thought I'd post a note about what I got for sand. I ended up
purchasing two types. One is white silica sand and the other is "Black
Beauty" sand. I think I'll set up 2 tanks. I am thinking of using the
"Black Beauty" sand with either kitty litter clay or potting soil under
it. When I read about "Black Beauty" sand I thought it would be as good
as fluorite since both are high in iron.

Could anyone with experience give me their opinion as to the use of
these materials kitty litter clay vs.potting soil and white silica sand
vs. "Black Beauty" sand?

Jim


Cannibul wrote:
> On Sun, 04 Jan 2004 08:38:19 GMT, "Jimmy" >
> wrote:
>
>
>>I am setting up a new tank and want to use a type of white or black sand for
>>my substrate. I am filling the tank with rain water from my cistern and am
>>wanting a soft water tank (since soft water can hold more CO2).
>>
>>1. Can anyone give me the brand name of sand they have used safely in a
>>freshwater aquarium?
>
>
> Brands of sand differ from one area of the country to another. Even
> though they are in the same bag.
>
>
>>2. The owner of a LFS (in New Albany, IN) told me there was a brand of "Play
>>Sand" made by Seachem or at least it was the same product sold for aquarium
>>use, but much cheaper and used as children's play sand. Does anyone know the
>>brand name of this sand?
>
>
> That's news to me. Seachem makes several freshwater and sal****er
> substrates but I can't see them selling plain old sand.
>
>
>>3. According to the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), The "Play Sand" sold
>>by Quikcrete may contain silica sand and/or lime stone. After reading the
>>MSDS and the dangers of inhaling silica dust causing permanent lung damage,
>>why would anyone let their children play with it? Can silica dust be
>>dangerous to any fish?
>
>
> Ahh... the old MSDS. If that worries you then you really should check
> out this web site. http://www.dhmo.org/facts.html
>
>
>>Any low cost sources of substrate would be of interest.......except Profile.
>>I have that one already.
>>
>>Thanks,
>>Jim
>>
>>
>
>