From Sand To Sand

[onidrase]

Good morning, way back when I started setting up my 75 gallon aquarium, my dad got me pave stone paving sand as opposed to pave stone play sand. I liked the look of the paving sand more, at least, in the bag it had a rustic red look to it, but after looking around, there were a lot of mixed reviews on if paving sand was safe, as some people thought it had adhesive values that cause the grains to glue together after getting wet.

I myself after doing a tiny test sample came to my own conclusion that the sand locked together due to the lack of consistent grain size, but contacted the company just to make sure my conclusions were correct, and the stuff wouldn't turn into a rock in my fish tank.

They confirmed that the only difference between the play sand and paving sand was the grain size consistency, but unfortunately by the time I got this response, I had already gone with the play sand under better safe than sorry measures.

I would just leave it alone at that, but I am not satisfied with the play sand. While it retained a dark brown color in the bag, in the tank it is very, very white. And while that may be nice for some people, I hate it. That aside, it is also kinda stale on the bottom of the tank, it doesn't move as easily as the quikrete sand does, and when it does get kicked up (which it will with an aggressive pleco) it leaves a mushroom cloud of fine grained sand that takes forever to settle again.

That said, today, since I have nothing better to do, I am going to give the paving sand a run. Many pictures will be taken (though I'm on cellphone again due to the fan on my laptop breaking) I may not get them up till Wednesday or so, unless I can figure out how to photobucket on my silly phone.

I'm off to wash sand, brb

 

[onidrase]

On a side note, since I have a strange feeling the question is going to pop up of "if you think the play sand is stale, why do you think paving sand will be different?" well, the play sand, though consistent in grain size, is only the grain size of "really freaking tiny" to "really really freaking tiny" whereas the paving sand its "dirt like particles" to "gravel like particles"

Therefore, if I wash out the dirt and dust and really really freaking tiny grains, I think the rest of it will be a bit looser than the play sand. Not to mention the inconsistency would look a lot more natural. And in a tank with nothing but sand, wood, and a few rocks, improving one of these aspects IMO would make for a better tank.

 

[FishFanatic04]

To each his own This is for your tank that you can't have plants in right? I would want the substrate to look as good as possible as well, when you can see most of it.

 

[onidrase]

To each his own This is for your tank that you can't have plants in right? I would want the substrate to look as good as possible as well, when you can see most of it.

It had plants, but my severum was dragging them around chewing them up happier than a puppy with a dirty old boot. So I'm going plantless

 

[onidrase]

Sand washing complete, actually didn't take as long as I thought it would. Now for the hard part, getting a bunch of stubborn fish into a plastic container while I change out the old stuff.

 

[shelaghfishface]

sand for sand... rather you than me

summat to do on a bank hol i guess

 

[onidrase]

Well, I finished up, and I seem to have found a problem...

As good as the sand looks, it seems to have some magnetic properties to it. I'm worried it might be iron or something. Its black and it sticks to magnets. Thats all I know.

Regardless, I think I'm just gonna go get black aquarium sand, just to play it safe. Though I am curious on if this sand will become harmful long term or not.