Can you dye sand?

[BassetsForBrown]

Hi,
I want to add pool filter sand as my substrate, but it tends to only be available in a bright white color. Does anyone have an idea how I could safely dye it to be more beige/clay/orangy-red/earth toned? Obviously it would need to be non-toxic, and not leech the coloring into the water.

I know they sell various colored sands at LFSs, but those are outrageously expensive.

Thanks!

 

[Oddball]

I'm unaware of any easy or permanent home method to dye sand for aquarium use. I've only heard of dying sand for craft projects by using food coloring.

 

[Drstrangelove]

My first thought is that you might want paint (pigments or certain inks) not dyes. Dyes are generally soluble in water and work much better with fabrics than impervious materials like rocks (sand.) Dyes generally can appear to dry on an impervious surface (like a rock, table counter, metal spoon), but can then be removed by washing with plain water and a little elbow grease. Sunlight can also cause dyes to fade.

Instead, certain inks and many paints are designed to adhere to those types of surfaces even when wet and to maintain this contact and stay color for years.


http://www.wikihow.com/Color-Sand

Here's some ideas for how to dye sand, but none look appealing (to me) for something I'd want to place in a fish tank due to 1) leaching 2) toxicity 3) free floating particles.

However, there are other options: I'd look for naturally colored sand of which there are many varieties that might work better and still be perfectly inert. It might not be PFS, but it will be naturally colored sand that will be attractive and safe for your tank.

 

[PYRU]

I don't think dyeing sand will be safe. Play sand looks more natural but its fine so any disturbance will have sand in your filters. I haven't tried the concrete variety that's safe yet so that might work. I mixed pfs with play sand in my jags tank and it worked great. All the natural colored sand seems to be really fine and ends up eating up an impeller after a while

 

[duanes]

You could try mixing this industrial sand with the PFS

 

[HumanBean]

Why not use colored sand available in pet stores or garnet may be.
Dyeing if that's a possibility won't be safe for eco system within aquarium.

 

[Southjerseycichlidz]

I'm sure you could dye it but if it would stay the color and not change your water a different color may be tough