Want to Buy Anyone have any natural color gravel or black/natural color/white sand?
- Thread starter arodiscus
- Start date
Order the pool filter sand from ace hardware. The brand is HTH 50lbs for $13.99.
Actually this a better buy. Home Depot sand I had wash it over and over to make sure it was super clean. I have 12 55 gallon tanks going to start setting them up 2-3 weeks. Thx for letting us know about the pool sand. Picture is not my setup but that's how I am going set it up.
A good, inexpensive substitute for what is marketed as aquarium gravel is to use Turface. Turface is a high fired clay product about 1/16 inch in size. I am a new user so can't post a link to their site but if you do a Google search you should be able to find a dealer in your area.
You should check your local rock yard. They have many types of gravel. They are much cheaper that the pet shops. I use to get the Monterey lapis gravel for $19 for a 100 bag. That’s a few years ago. The company that had the quarry was Cemex and they are not allowed to harvest the Monterey lapis gravel anymore. Maybe there are some left over stock available. But the rock yards have other rocks including the lace rocks. They are less than half the price of the pet shops.
Very important to consider what type of aquarium one wants to have (i.e., tank not containing rooting plants; a low hardness, low-to-neutral(ish) pH tank; a hard water, higher pH tank). Unless one is interested in a harder water setup, the rock yard sand is not the best bet.
In addition, the larger the grain, the less rooting plants will like it (although many can survive), and the more poop will go through the gravel and accumulate beyond sight. Sand generally don't let poop go through, whereas gravel does..
B Bootie08 said- "Order the pool filter sand from ace hardware. The brand is HTH 50lbs for $13.99." -
I have been using this sand for years with very good results. It is silica sand, thus chemically inert. It comes fairly clean, just a quick swirl to further clean it is enough. Plants like it, particularly in conjunction with root tabs. Over time (just after 2-3 months) it becomes less white and more attractive (at first it may appear too light in color). Good luck!
In addition, the larger the grain, the less rooting plants will like it (although many can survive), and the more poop will go through the gravel and accumulate beyond sight. Sand generally don't let poop go through, whereas gravel does..
B Bootie08 said- "Order the pool filter sand from ace hardware. The brand is HTH 50lbs for $13.99." -
I have been using this sand for years with very good results. It is silica sand, thus chemically inert. It comes fairly clean, just a quick swirl to further clean it is enough. Plants like it, particularly in conjunction with root tabs. Over time (just after 2-3 months) it becomes less white and more attractive (at first it may appear too light in color). Good luck!
there is a landscape supply place where i live that sells all different kinds of gravels for good prices, and larger rocks for $1 each