Black Sand In New Tank?

[Aqua Tom]

Hi, I am going to upgrade to a much bigger tank, 350 litres or so. I would like to use sand as a substrate & was thinking of going for Black sand. Unfortunatly I have worked out I will need roughly 44kg of the stuff & that is looking expensive.

Any cheaper options that you fishy folk are aware of. My current tank has playsand in it so maybe I am just spoilt as you can get that for next to nothing.


Tom

 

[KkAaNnEe]

Black sand is expensive, i dont know any cheap options unfortunately

 

[minnnt]

2 bags of Unipac Limpopo should do it quite nicely. £20 a bag, and i reckon they're 20kg's too.

£40 ain't too bad i don't think.

 

[KkAaNnEe]

But like op says, compare that to 2.99 for 15kgs hehe

 

[KISSfn]

It's worth it.

 

[Aqua Tom]

2 bags of Unipac Limpopo should do it quite nicely. £20 a bag, and i reckon they're 20kg's too.

£40 ain't too bad i don't think.

Do you mean This Stuff?

 

[Essjay22 137]

Just to warn you, I got some limpopo sand and tested it with vinegar before I used it - it fizzed.


So I tested it in a tub of water for a week. I also had a tub of plain water standing alongside it. The differences after the week were

pH - plain water 7.3, water with sand 7.6
GH - plain water 9, water with sand 11
KH - plain water 3, water with sand 5

Of course changes as small as this may not worry you but I didn't want my tankwater to increase for pH and GH (though the KH increase on its own would have been useful )



So I now have a bag of black limpopo sand just sitting round in the shed. You don't live near Teesside do you?

 

[scentless]

Go to the Canary Islands and get a few suitacases full

 

[ellejay]

Just to warn you, I got some limpopo sand and tested it with vinegar before I used it - it fizzed.


So I tested it in a tub of water for a week. I also had a tub of plain water standing alongside it. The differences after the week were

pH - plain water 7.3, water with sand 7.6
GH - plain water 9, water with sand 11
KH - plain water 3, water with sand 5

Of course changes as small as this may not worry you but I didn't want my tankwater to increase for pH and GH (though the KH increase on its own would have been useful )



So I now have a bag of black limpopo sand just sitting round in the shed. You don't live near Teesside do you?

Where in teesside? I'm close(ish), been contemplating a move to sand!

 

[Essjay22 137]

Yarm. Is that close enough?

 

[ellejay]

Ah sorry no, just checked on maps and I'm an hour away petrol would cost more than sand! Never mind

 

[minnnt]

Wish I was in teeside! I have plenty of bogwood in my tank so I'm not worried about any rise in ph.

Thanks for the info though!

 

[minnnt]

Sorry double post.

 

[BigbruiserAl]

I didt even use 30KG to cover my rio 350L

 

[Aqua Tom]

I didt even use 30KG to cover my rio 350L

That is the tank I plan on getting.

How deep did you lay the sand? Just wondering coz mine will be planted.


Tom