Best Sand ever!!

FINWIN

Potamotrygon
MFK Member
Dec 21, 2018
4,862
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Washington DC
Bored with the regular black or white options for sand? Did some research last year and found the pefect sand for aquariums. A Canadian company called SANDTASTIK sells floral and play sand. The sand comes in 31 colors including earth tones, neutrals, brights, and flourescents. I ordered the floral sand since it's for plant root drainage. Amazing stuff...it is whistle clean and sinks like gravel. It needs no rinsing...a few grains will coat bubbles but it disperses quickly. Sparkles when dry. A mere 80lbs gave me a 1 1/2 inch layer on my 225. So I have plenty left over for other tanks. You can clean this sand like gravel with a tube. It doen't fly around at all, just sinks right back. It comes in 1 pound packs or smaller for plant crafts, up to 25lb boxes each. Order directly from the Sandtastik website and save money. Costs more but will go further than regular sand. All my tanks have the Caribbean Blue color. I plan to order the mustard gold color for a kamfka flowerhorn. RECOMMEND.
You want the floral sand, NOT the play sand. Just google and go...
 

CarpCharacin

Probation Member
Probation Member
Sep 20, 2014
1,521
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Salt Lake City
Does the sand fall back down to the bottom of the tank quickly? That's the most important characteristic of sand, IMO. If it takes too long to fall back down to the bottom of the tank after being disturbed, it will get into the filters and stop the impellers.
 

FINWIN

Potamotrygon
MFK Member
Dec 21, 2018
4,862
7,811
164
Washington DC
Does the sand fall back down to the bottom of the tank quickly? That's the most important characteristic of sand, IMO. If it takes too long to fall back down to the bottom of the tank after being disturbed, it will get into the filters and stop the impellers.
Mentioned in the information above. I have 3 hob with sponge pre filters near the bottom with no problem. The sand falls like gravel.
 
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phreeflow

Goliath Tigerfish
MFK Member
Nov 19, 2007
1,511
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SoCal
Yes, please share pics. Also, how did you know this stuff was safe to use? What did they use to color the sand?
 

twentyleagues

Bronze Tier VIP
MFK Member
Apr 5, 2017
6,674
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Flint town!
There is a faq page on the website but it only seems to cover the white play sand. Also its pretty expensive there is a calculator, I used it to see how much of their floral sand was needed for a 2" depth on a standard 180 it said 190lbs. 25lb bag is $33.00 + $15 shipping/bag $48.00×8 (8×25=200) $384.
Cant find anything about what is used to color the sand or the colorfastness of it.
Ive emailed them in the past and I dont believe I got a response. It coulda gone to spam. In the mean time while waiting I did the math and decided it was to expensive to persue.
Would like to see pics as well and if anyone has used it for a while.
 

Fishflyer

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Nov 23, 2018
588
231
51
Bored with the regular black or white options for sand? Did some research last year and found the pefect sand for aquariums. A Canadian company called SANDTASTIK sells floral and play sand. The sand comes in 31 colors including earth tones, neutrals, brights, and flourescents. I ordered the floral sand since it's for plant root drainage. Amazing stuff...it is whistle clean and sinks like gravel. It needs no rinsing...a few grains will coat bubbles but it disperses quickly. Sparkles when dry. A mere 80lbs gave me a 1 1/2 inch layer on my 225. So I have plenty left over for other tanks. You can clean this sand like gravel with a tube. It doen't fly around at all, just sinks right back. It comes in 1 pound packs or smaller for plant crafts, up to 25lb boxes each. Order directly from the Sandtastik website and save money. Costs more but will go further than regular sand. All my tanks have the Caribbean Blue color. I plan to order the mustard gold color for a kamfka flowerhorn. RECOMMEND.
You want the floral sand, NOT the play sand. Just google and go...
Hello Finwin, I recently posted a little information about your sand. On the thread "To Sand or Not Sand" page 7. I posted where to find your thread. I currently am doing a trial with CaribSea Torpedo Beach Sand which has the no cloud, flyaway properties of Sandtastic but does not have the color variations that your sand does. Sandtastic sounds like a good product.
 

Fishflyer

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Nov 23, 2018
588
231
51
Hello Finwin, I recently posted a little information about your sand. On the thread "To Sand or Not Sand" page 7. I posted where to find your thread. I currently am doing a trial with CaribSea Torpedo Beach Sand which has the no cloud, flyaway properties of Sandtastic but does not have the color variations that your sand does. Sandtastic sounds like a good product.
I would be interested in Sandtastic maintenance further in. Another member may be also as he is putting in a new tank soon and is interested in a sand substrate with minimal maintainance. So far Torpedo Beach is filling out to it's makers claim in staying put at the bottom and requiring little maintenance. In a 1½ month very slight amount of deitrus on the surface only. I sifted through and found no drek deeper in. White surface still has a sheen as when new. Not available in colors like your product--to my knowledge. I will contact CaribSea and see if colors are on the horizon.
 
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