Black gravel/sand [Archive]

Fresh04

01-08-2009, 11:44 AM

I am going ahead with starting up a new 30g and moving my plants and fish from my existing 36. I am using Flourite in my current tank, but my fiance and I decided that we want to try black gravel or sand. I see that Eco-complete comes in black, as does Flourite, and they seem to have a sand as well. I know we could just buy black painted stone at the LFS.

Anybody have a good recommendation? Cost is a consideration, but is not completely driving this selection.

KuchDaddy

01-08-2009, 12:34 PM

tennesseemom

01-08-2009, 12:50 PM

I love Tahatian Moonsand. is that colorquartz s grade or t grade, it's beautiful!

KuchDaddy

01-08-2009, 12:58 PM

I love Tahatian Moonsand. is that colorquartz s grade or t grade, it's beautiful!

It is s-grade. Thanks!

Fresh04

01-08-2009, 1:17 PM

That substrate looks great, Kuch!
Colorquartz black, and this would be something a stone dealer would have? Is it meant for coloring concrete? I'll have to ask around and see if I can acquire it locally.

KuchDaddy

01-08-2009, 1:21 PM

Yes, I think it is used for coloring concrete.
It's made by 3M.
I think that the 3M website has a dealer locator you could try.

Fresh04

01-08-2009, 2:20 PM

KuchDaddy

01-08-2009, 2:23 PM

Awesome, thanks for this info. There are some distributors in CT here, although they are out of the way a bit. However, there is an applicator right in town, so I'm going to give them a call and I'm hoping they can get me a bag of this.
Now that I've seen the colorquartz I'm really hoping I can get my hands on it...

Cool!
It is really important to clean it well before using it.
Rinse it in a bucket about a million times until the water almost pours off clear. It will turn your water black otherwise.
I have had it for a year with no problems. The cories love digging their faces in it.

tennesseemom

01-08-2009, 2:31 PM

I think you can also pick up at pool stores, the ones that will install a pool at your house.

KuchDaddy

01-08-2009, 2:42 PM

Awesome, thanks for this info. There are some distributors in CT here, although they are out of the way a bit. However, there is an applicator right in town, so I'm going to give them a call and I'm hoping they can get me a bag of this.
Now that I've seen the colorquartz I'm really hoping I can get my hands on it...

Oh, also, it comes in two grades. S-Grade and T-Grade. T-Grade is larger pieces, but I have heard that they can be sharp and angular. Some folks think this may result in injury to digging fish and critters, so I went with S-Grade which is smaller rounder granules.

fishorama

01-08-2009, 6:29 PM

Kuch, that S grade looks great! How is the vacuuming?

Mr.Midas

01-08-2009, 7:03 PM

Awesome, thanks for this info. There are some distributors in CT here, although they are out of the way a bit. However, there is an applicator right in town, so I'm going to give them a call and I'm hoping they can get me a bag of this.
Now that I've seen the colorquartz I'm really hoping I can get my hands on it...

Could you post the link to the store locator you used? I've been looking for black sand for a reasonable price and this stuff looks sweet.

KuchDaddy

01-08-2009, 7:09 PM

Could you post the link to the store locator you used? I've been looking for black sand for a reasonable price and this stuff looks sweet.

Here you go:
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/ColorQuartz/HomePage/Products/Buy/

I just found a company in the Northern VA/ DC/ MD area that has about 100 bags of black S-Grade that they are trying to get rid of becuase they don't use it anymore. They said they'd give me 2 bags for $35. If you are in that area let me know and I'll tell where you can get it.

KuchDaddy

01-08-2009, 7:12 PM

Kuch, that S grade looks great! How is the vacuuming?

It's actually a little heavier than sand, so I think it is easier. I just hold the siphon about a quarter inch above the surface and suck up the debris. If I do suck up some if the substrate, it rarely makes it up through the tube, it usually just falls back down. Also, it doesn't seem to trap gases like sand does, so I don't need to rake out the "rotten egg bubbles" you get with sand. I have a lot of Malaysian trumpet snails which also probably helps.

Mr.Midas

01-08-2009, 7:15 PM

Here you go:
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/ColorQuartz/HomePage/Products/Buy/

I just found a company in the Northern VA/ DC/ MD area that has about 100 bags of black S-Grade that they are trying to get rid of becuase they don't use it anymore. They said they'd give me 2 bags for $35. If you are in that area let me know and I'll tell where you can get it.

thanks for the link. And that would be a great deal, except I'm not in that area, im in atlantic canada:thumbsdown:. Too bad too, because 2 bags is what I would need.

Mr.Midas

01-08-2009, 7:24 PM

the Canadian 3M site doesnt even have the "Construction& Architecture" link or the "color quartz" product. Thats upsetting

Fresh04

01-12-2009, 10:43 AM

I made some calls on Friday and had some success. At the moment there doesn't seem to be someone close enough for me to drive to that will sell it to me... however, there was a company in NJ that I am in contact with that was willing. It had to be shipped in a bucket(s) to make it through UPS safely, which was an added fee. If anyone would like more information, just send me a PM about it.

firstlight10

01-13-2009, 5:01 PM

A word of warning, when rinsing black sand do it outside on a surface thats not white. I rinsed my moon sand in the shower stall and had to spend over an hour scrubbing it.

KuchDaddy

01-13-2009, 5:54 PM

A word of warning, when rinsing black sand do it outside on a surface thats not white. I rinsed my moon sand in the shower stall and had to spend over an hour scrubbing it.

I'll second that!

Fresh04

01-25-2009, 10:38 AM

I use black Colorquartz. I love it. It is not an aquarium specific product, it is a construction product, so you need to get it at pool/construction/concrete wholesalers usually.
Usually around $20 - $30 for a 50 pound bag. A 50 lb bag was the exact amount needed for my 55 gal.

Here are some pics of my tanks:
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=177799

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=177612

Thanks so much for the info, Kuch... I ordered a 50lb bag for my new 30g setup that I am working on.
However, I got the pail, and it's only a 3.5g bucket. By my [rough] calculation that's going to give me about an average depth of 1.5". How deep is the layer of colorquartz on your 55?

247Plants

01-25-2009, 1:26 PM

I use the t grade in my 180 gallon tank and I wouldnt say that it was angular or sharp at all. Granted the grains of it arent rounded, but when I was washing it I could plunge my hand into it and it was no different than any other sand I have washed and used.

I can deep gravel vac the t grade too just like as if it were pea gravel. I do however have a solid 3 inch layer of it, so the s grade was out of the question as I felt it would probably compact over time worse than the t grade. No malaysian trumpet snails here, only gravel vacs to disturb the substrate.

KuchDaddy

01-25-2009, 4:05 PM

I just measured the depth of the substrate in my 55 gallon in it varies from 1" to 1.5" throughout the tank, so that sounds about right. That is plenty with sand, IMO. With gravel I would want it deeper.
I just did my new 30 gallon and only used about 2/3 of a bag.

KuchDaddy

01-25-2009, 4:06 PM

Thanks so much for the info, Kuch... I ordered a 50lb bag for my new 30g setup that I am working on.
However, I got the pail, and it's only a 3.5g bucket. By my [rough] calculation that's going to give me about an average depth of 1.5". How deep is the layer of colorquartz on your 55?

I just measured the depth of the substrate in my 55 gallon in it varies from 1" to 1.5" throughout the tank, so that sounds about right. That is plenty with sand, IMO. With gravel I would want it deeper.
I just did my new 30 gallon and only used about 2/3 of a bag.