Sand, Sand, Sand, Sand, Sand, Sand & Sand

[uselessmidget]

SAND!!!
First off I've always just used gravel as a substrate.
Want to get into sand but at LFS its $29.99 for enough sand to cover 20 gallons (according to bag). I need sand for my 120gallon! Thats $180!!!!

So I did some searching on here, came up with Colorquartz, pool filter sand, Spectraquartz.

Well colorquartz is discontinued so forget that.
Spectraquartz aka the mythical griffin: I cant find the stuff.
Pool filter sand: Any specific kind? Do I just need to rinse the stuff?

Spectra & PFS: best place to get it?

Thanks.

 

[Pharaoh]

Go to Leslie's Pool Supply and get the 50lb bags. This stuff is the perfect consistency for aquariums.

 

[LittleMonsterFun]

Leslies works for PFS, mine was like $10 a bag.

 

[jcardona1]

play sand is another option

 

[Pyramid_Party]

I got a 50 lb bag of play sand (quickcrete), for like $2.83 at home depot.

 

[Experiment397]

thats what i am gonna use for my 125

 

[uselessmidget]

(quickcrete)

!!!
I call this my brick tank! lol

So if I get this PFS alls I have to do is rinse it a little and its perfectly safe?

 

[smpage]

!!!
I call this my brick tank! lol

So if I get this PFS alls I have to do is rinse it a little and its perfectly safe?

yeah, but you might want to rinse it more than just a little. Just to be on the safe side.

 

[JK47]

I got a 50 lb bag of play sand (quickcrete), for like $2.83 at home depot.

OP be careful with just any type of quickrete. There are multiple products from this company and some are not at all safe for fish/turn you tank into a concrete block.. I used the quickrete "media" sand. (brown bag with green writing) and hated it after a couple weeks. Fish safe, very pretty white but too fine. If you get the leslies brand they sell on the east coast, it will likely be white anyway.

If you were on the west coast you could get something soo much better than pool filter sand but your not. Wash your PFS over and over again, it's worth the effort. Some sands cloud tanks so badly you can't see through it for a few days and can even risk damaging the impellers on your filters. Try using the search function in this forum for and you get 1,000,000 threads of advice.

 

[_Jessica_]

I didn't rinse Leslie's PFS :x and it was fine...really didn't even cloud. It has a very nice consistency as said above...I have sand from the LFS in a 10 and if you even touch the stuff it clouds and clogs the HOB filter. The PFS is totally fine, I can stir it up without causing a cloud.