3M Colorquartz question

[stuckinthemiddle]

What grade are you guys using? Probably going to get some, but don't know which grade to buy.

Thanks all

 

[teqvet]

It honestly does not matter. I use both S and T grade. it really comes down to personal preference. The S-Grade is very fine and smoother when compared to T-grade. T-grade is larger and much more coarse. If you stroke your fingers through S-grade it feels like you're in beach sand; do the same thing to T-grade and it feels like gritty playbox/backyard sand.

They both sink just as quickly as the other one does though the S-grade is much easier to move around because the particles are smaller. If you have a high current in your tank, over a few days time you will see the current pattern show up in the sand. The T-grade doesn't do this since it may be a bit heavier to lift/move. if you're going with eartheaters/substrate diggers/spawners I'd recommend the S-grade and it's easier on the fish. If you're anal about your filters T-grade may be the better option, however when it comes to cichlids, they're gonna be digging their pits and spitting this stuff in the tank no matter what so putting a pre-filter sponge on your filter intakes would do you a much better job than anything else.

if you can't tell, I am very biased towards the S-grade. have it in my 75gallon. I have the T-grade in my 55gallon and have come to hate it compared to how my 75gallon looks. S-grade just looks much more natural.. as natural as a dyed sand can be at least. Don't get me wrong, T-grade still looks awesome and I am glad I have it.. it's just when you compare it to S-grade, it does not hold a candle to it.

HtH.

 

[cichlid fiend]

I just ordered a 50lb bag for my 90g,if it isnt enough ill probaly order another bag but this time get s-grade and mix it in with the t-grade

 

[stuckinthemiddle]

I think im gonna go finer. S-grade it is then! How much did yours cost you? I found a distributor in Atlanta close to where I live so Im gonna call them tomorrow.

 

[terd ferguson]

It honestly does not matter. I use both S and T grade. it really comes down to personal preference. The S-Grade is very fine and smoother when compared to T-grade. T-grade is larger and much more coarse. If you stroke your fingers through S-grade it feels like you're in beach sand; do the same thing to T-grade and it feels like gritty playbox/backyard sand.

They both sink just as quickly as the other one does though the S-grade is much easier to move around because the particles are smaller. If you have a high current in your tank, over a few days time you will see the current pattern show up in the sand. The T-grade doesn't do this since it may be a bit heavier to lift/move. if you're going with eartheaters/substrate diggers/spawners I'd recommend the S-grade and it's easier on the fish. If you're anal about your filters T-grade may be the better option, however when it comes to cichlids, they're gonna be digging their pits and spitting this stuff in the tank no matter what so putting a pre-filter sponge on your filter intakes would do you a much better job than anything else.

if you can't tell, I am very biased towards the S-grade. have it in my 75gallon. I have the T-grade in my 55gallon and have come to hate it compared to how my 75gallon looks. S-grade just looks much more natural.. as natural as a dyed sand can be at least. Don't get me wrong, T-grade still looks awesome and I am glad I have it.. it's just when you compare it to S-grade, it does not hold a candle to it.

HtH.

I've had both and have and prefer the Sgrade currently. And there's nothing I could possibly add to the above post. I really don't think it could be said better than that.

I paid $23 per 50 pounds last year, but it's gone up to around $30 in my area. This is a local distributer, by the way, where I can pick it up.

 

[stuckinthemiddle]

Would 50lbs cover my 75g? Is there a rule of thumb to use as far as lbs per gal? At 30 bucks it sounds like a pretty good deal.

 

[teqvet]

Would 50lbs cover my 75g? Is there a rule of thumb to use as far as lbs per gal? At 30 bucks it sounds like a pretty good deal.

No. you're going to want 2 50lb bags at least. One bag isn;t enough.. 2 might be a little more than you want... either way you'll want 2 bags worth and save whatever you don't use/ I used all 100 in mine. Basically figure out 1 lb per gallon of tank This will give you a little over an inch sand bottom. going with 100lbs in a 75g tank gives you about 1.3" or so of substrate.. not a whole lot when you actually look at it in the tank

After tax for 1 bag, it costs about 26.88 give or take a few cents. Well worth the money when compared to playsand and still far cheaper than all that other fancy crap like black Tahitian moon sand. I pick my stuff up locally from a flooring contractor/distributor here in town.

 

[Camphilophus]

S-grade sucks. I've had about 100lbs. of it in my tanks for a year now and let's just say those tanks always look dirty. S-grade goes up the python and out the sink every time I do a water change. I used to like it, now it's just dirty looking.

 

[teqvet]

S-grade sucks. I've had about 100lbs. of it in my tanks for a year now and let's just say those tanks always look dirty. S-grade goes up the python and out the sink every time I do a water change. I used to like it, now it's just dirty looking.

Wow, really? How do you manage that? I have just as much issue with S-grade as I do T-grade siphoning out, and that is no issue at all.

How do the tanks look dirty? I mean is the water dirty? walls dirty? how's the sand cause the rest of the tank do be dirty? Maybe I am misunderstanding what you're saying? What color are you using?

 

[capefeartarheel]

This is a local distributer, by the way, where I can pick it up.

Hey Terd...where did you pick it up in NC? Is it a statewide store or just local to Concord?

S-Grade works good for me. It looks great and I dont have any problems cleaning it. I prefer it over the Tahitian, playbox sand and pool filter sand.