Sand Blasting Sand....

[Aquamaniac]

I love the pool sand I found. easy to rinse out, cost just $10 for 50#. Is pretty white though. I love the look but fish may object with dull coloring.. I'll just have to see

Tmiller are you sure that is pool filter sand?
That looks more like just plains silica to me.
Pool filter sand or play sand are less white and more yellow.The sand you got there is completely white and i would bet it is sillica because i used it in the past.
Its just as good,just more trouble to clean and any dirt no matter small is visible.
As far as i know sillica was more used for tanks before,but since pool filter and play sand had the price advantage,and the benefit of not being so white it started being used more.
I used sillica in the past because i had an extraction just 15 minute drive from my house and i could get it for free from there.
Pool sand and play sand look more like the one in comocrayfish5's pics.

 

[comocrayfish5]

the only kind of bottom feeders i have in there are ghost shrimp. for now i will keep the play sand (it would be a pain in the butt for get the sand out, just to put more in... i have done that sooooo many times )

 

[FishBlast]

the only kind of bottom feeders i have in there are ghost shrimp. for now i will keep the play sand (it would be a pain in the butt for get the sand out, just to put more in... i have done that sooooo many times )

Any grazers in there? Because mine grazes the sand like it's candy...

 

[thereverendturtle]

The blast media you are showing is coal, similar albeit on a much smaller level, to the charcoal that was used for chemical filtration in the past. The MSDS is for humans not fish, although most chemicals are tested on minnows so you know what levels are safe or if its toxic at all. To the point though, the mechanical irritation it speaks of, would be to your skin or respiratory system if not using proper protection while blasting.
Now is it safe for your fish, don't know. Personally I wouldn't risk it, since black sand is available through most pet stores.

 

[tmiller]

Was from pool supply store. It is"aqua quartz" by name.#20 graded filter sand.
And yes I'm fairly certain it is silica sand.
I tried play sand and didn't care for it.

 

[thereverendturtle]

Was from pool supply store. It is"aqua quartz" by name.#20 graded filter sand.
And yes I'm fairly certain it is silica sand.
I tried play sand and didn't care for it.

Looks like quartz sand to me.

 

[Aquamaniac]

Oh ok so some shops use silica for pool filters.makes since. For tanks is basically taste,some people like more white, others like more yellow.

 

[thereverendturtle]

Its seems to be very regional here in the states. It's almost all silica sand here in California, but a couple of states over its quartz and back east its a lot of aragonite.

 

[tmiller]

Not meaning to Hijack the thread, sorry. I do agree it is up to preference so long as the media is safe for the fish.
There were several other brands all ranging in color from dark brown on up to a bit brighter than this.
I was not the first person in the store looking to use it in this manner so the sales people were quite patiant when I wanted to compare colors

some closer picks, there are NO fish in this tank yet mind you. All the off color specks came along with the rest.

I do see how it may be a chore to keep it clean. no harder to "hoover" up than any other sand, just possibly quicker to show the mess.
My main reason for preferring is that it is much heavier than play sand and settles extremely quickly and is much harder to stir up in the first place,

 

[comocrayfish5]

the only kind of bottom feeders i have in there are ghost shrimp. for now i will keep the play sand (it would be a pain in the butt for get the sand out, just to put more in... i have done that sooooo many times )

Any grazers in there? Because mine grazes the sand like it's candy...

the shrimp do not eat the sand

The blast media you are showing is coal, similar albeit on a much smaller level, to the charcoal that was used for chemical filtration in the past. The MSDS is for humans not fish, although most chemicals are tested on minnows so you know what levels are safe or if its toxic at all. To the point though, the mechanical irritation it speaks of, would be to your skin or respiratory system if not using proper protection while blasting.
Now is it safe for your fish, don't know. Personally I wouldn't risk it, since black sand is available through most pet stores.

i am just going to keep the sand i have in there now. i do not want to take it out because that is a long and annoying process.

 

[FishBlast]

the only kind of bottom feeders i have in there are ghost shrimp. for now i will keep the play sand (it would be a pain in the butt for get the sand out, just to put more in... i have done that sooooo many times )

Any grazers in there? Because mine grazes the sand like it's candy...

the shrimp do not eat the sand

The blast media you are showing is coal, similar albeit on a much smaller level, to the charcoal that was used for chemical filtration in the past. The MSDS is for humans not fish, although most chemicals are tested on minnows so you know what levels are safe or if its toxic at all. To the point though, the mechanical irritation it speaks of, would be to your skin or respiratory system if not using proper protection while blasting.
Now is it safe for your fish, don't know. Personally I wouldn't risk it, since black sand is available through most pet stores.

i am just going to keep the sand i have in there now. i do not want to take it out because that is a long and annoying process.

Grazers as in guppies, swordtails or mollies (not sure about this latter one).

 

[comocrayfish5]

shrimp are the only thing in there. i have been wanting to put small guppies in there but i am breeding them in a bigger tank instead. so the shrimps will probably be the only one for a while. i am not going to take the sand out anyway.

 

[FishBlast]

shrimp are the only thing in there. i have been wanting to put small guppies in there but i am breeding them in a bigger tank instead. so the shrimps will probably be the only one for a while. i am not going to take the sand out anyway.

Ah, ok. Good luck with them. I think they'll like the sand under their feet.