best aquarium sand?

[id10t]

I get my pool filter sand from the home depot. Kept in the pool/garden area, not in the sand area.

 

[mike dunagan]

I love Leslie's Pool Filter Sand out of everything I can find in the natural color shades. Perfect size and weight...

 

[pcfriedrich]

pool filter sand in Florida Home depots is only $5 per 50 lb bag. I guess it varies from place to place.

 

[jizon82]

3m color quartz isn't bad. 16-20 bucks for 50lbs. plenty of colors too.

 

[Hdeuce]

cheap black sandlike substrate any suggestions?

 

[Bubbles0815]

Oh Take it from me. DO NOT BUY the sand from Home Depot. It was a NIGHTMARE to rinse. I couldn't even stir it to rinse it. Now that I'm getting ANOTHER 55gal I want to try sand AGAIN. Thinking about using the Quartz or Pool Filter sand. What is the easiest way to rinse this stuff????

 

[Ransom]

here in the uk i goto a builders merchant and buy SILICA sand which is just play sand,

get a large tub or bucket and run a hose into the sand and swirl it around and keep emptying the dusty water out and eventually it will go clear then you can put it into your fish tank

it costs me £2.50 ($5) for 25kg per bag and half a bag is enough for a 4foot tank

 

[Frostyone]

Oh Take it from me. DO NOT BUY the sand from Home Depot. It was a NIGHTMARE to rinse. I couldn't even stir it to rinse it. Now that I'm getting ANOTHER 55gal I want to try sand AGAIN. Thinking about using the Quartz or Pool Filter sand. What is the easiest way to rinse this stuff????

Get yourself a 5 gallon bucket and fill it about 1/3 way, rinse it well, until it runs almost clear, dump that in your tank and then repeat until you've done it all. If you put too much in the bucket at a time it'll be really hard to stir it around, and rinse it all.

 

[wonword]

I use Red Flint natural color pool filter sand in every tank! Never had a problem with it! Its heavy and big to not get too much siphoned up, and it stays a little looser then the home depot silica sand, that stuff is almost like concrete when its wet.

 

[Bubbles0815]

Ay! Did that! Bought a 5 gallon bucket from Home Depot AND a dowel rod to mix..I guess I put too much sand in the bucket tho, about 25 pounds..lo l I was sweating and my arms hurt I pitch the sand in the dumpster along with da 5 gallon bucket!

Get yourself a 5 gallon bucket and fill it about 1/3 way, rinse it well, until it runs almost clear, dump that in your tank and then repeat until you've done it all. If you put too much in the bucket at a time it'll be really hard to stir it around, and rinse it all.