cheap sand
- Thread starter hle_81
- Start date
Home Depot or any other gardening or hardware store. I forgot exactly how much but it was something like 50lbs for $3. Just make sure you wash the sand.
check with your local pool supply store - ask for filter sand for a jacuzzi sand filter (rapid sand filter) - they should know what you're talking about. a $50lbs bag will be $5-7 I think - its not quite as dusty as garden sand and will require less rinsing.
home depot or lowe's will most likely carry something like this as well.
home depot or lowe's will most likely carry something like this as well.
I recently bought playsand and it shot my PH from 6.5 to 8.2. Luckily I had no fish yet. I tested the sand using the vinegar method, And it was fizzing like crazy. Shocked me since quite a few people use playsand without problems.
Pool filter sand would be your best bet. Just test it to be sure. If it bubbles/foams don't use it.
Pool filter sand would be your best bet. Just test it to be sure. If it bubbles/foams don't use it.
There are some play sand made from aragonite. That must be what you accidentally bought. This is impossible to find in florida, but is common at home depots and other places in NE USA and it looks like Canada too.
This aragonite sand is typically highly desireable for african cichlid tanks and salt water tanks as it is WAY cheaper than buying aragonite sand from Carib Sea or other aquarium suppliers. It is great sand for any fish that likes hard water and high PH such as African Cichlids. Also buffers the PH. Do a search for "southdown sand" on google and you'll find people may pay you good money for that sand!!!
If you don't want the high PH and buffering (KH) of aragonite sand, you need to use silica sand. It should be easy to find. The swimming pool filter sand is the best source, since it will be cleaner. People generally don't want to put sand in their filter and have it blow clouds into their pool, so the sand has already been rinsed I think. I personally have 2 tanks with aragonite sand (african cichlids in one, puffers in the other) and it is great for their water chemestry. And I have 3 tanks with silica sand, never had a problem with it, works great and looks great.
This aragonite sand is typically highly desireable for african cichlid tanks and salt water tanks as it is WAY cheaper than buying aragonite sand from Carib Sea or other aquarium suppliers. It is great sand for any fish that likes hard water and high PH such as African Cichlids. Also buffers the PH. Do a search for "southdown sand" on google and you'll find people may pay you good money for that sand!!!
If you don't want the high PH and buffering (KH) of aragonite sand, you need to use silica sand. It should be easy to find. The swimming pool filter sand is the best source, since it will be cleaner. People generally don't want to put sand in their filter and have it blow clouds into their pool, so the sand has already been rinsed I think. I personally have 2 tanks with aragonite sand (african cichlids in one, puffers in the other) and it is great for their water chemestry. And I have 3 tanks with silica sand, never had a problem with it, works great and looks great.