Silica sand

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
^^ that i not really an option b/c i have no where else to put the fish at i hope i don't need to take them out if i put in play sand
 
Run the tank bare bottom and let the sand sit in a bucket...

Or, with playsand, make sure you rinse it many many times first, it tends to be very dirty.
 
Just to be clear obviously the sand that is in a home depot bag came from outside.

Do I think that if he goes out and digs some sand out of the ground he is going to be able to get silica sand? Yeah some of what he digs up will be silica sand but will all of it be? No probably not.

The stuff in the home depot bag is processed irregularities are removed and it has a high content of silica sand. He has a very high likely hood of getting mostly silica sand when he buys a bag vs going out with a shovel in a pit. Who knows what he is going to get probably some dirt, clay as well as some sand.

He will probably be fine with whatever he digs up but odds are it wont look as nice and may have other minerals that are not inert in it and could affect his water chemistry.

If you like the look of the sand in the pit be my guest and go for it. But its really about 5 dollars max for a 50 LB bag of sand that has a known content so its not exactly a huge expense to buy the bag at home depot.
A clockwork orange is definitely right about the rinsing though I would be really thorough with it and rinse it very well whether or not you buy the sand or dig it up.
 
i planed on buyin from home depot b/c on there sit it's like 3 or 4 $
 
I used Quikcrete play sand in my 75 gallon tank. It was about 3.50 for a 50 LB bag. It's not bad but you have to wash it alot to make sure you get the clay and finer sediments out otherwise you will have some pretty serious clouding at first. It has a kind of nice earthy brownish white color to it but if I had to do it over again I would probably go with something like pool filter sand or a substrate specifically designed for plants simply for looks alone.

I have eco complete in another tank and I really like the look of it but its all personal choice. Find something that you think looks good and is a color you like and go with that in my opinion.
 
I just have to share, last night a freakin train derailed right in front of my house! Guess what the 5 cars had in them when it crashed? Of Course, Silica Sand.
Think I am fibbin? Look it up, Yorkville, IL, Train derail. Sept 13th, maybe the article will say the 14th, who knows.
 
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