# Pool Filter Sand "Brands"



## Mudkicker (Apr 2, 2003)

Hi,

Does anyone know of a specific pool filter sand "brand" that tends to be dark beige or brown in color?

thanks

M


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## fmueller (Jan 11, 2004)

It might be worth keeping in mind that the intended use of this sand is to filter swimming pools. For the original target audience the color of the material is completely irrelevant. For that reason I find it hard to believe that any manufacturer would worry about color consistency. In other words, if one bag of PFS is light brown, and the next bag of the same brand is dark, the vast majority of buyers could not care less :wink:


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## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

There are still some places carrying 3M Color Quartz (at least here in Canada)

http://www.tera-lite.com/3M_colorchart.html

...or the product that replaced it.

http://www.spectraquartz.com/

You might have better luck with these if you're trying to get a specific color.


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## Mudkicker (Apr 2, 2003)

fmueller said:


> It might be worth keeping in mind that the intended use of this sand is to filter swimming pools. For the original target audience the color of the material is completely irrelevant. For that reason I find it hard to believe that any manufacturer would worry about color consistency. In other words, if one bag of PFS is light brown, and the next bag of the same brand is dark, the vast majority of buyers could not care less :wink:


Yes, that makes perfect sense. Last year I contacted a local Pool place and he told me that he had black pool filter sand. He asked me what I needed it for and when I told him that it was for a fish tank he insisted that his product was NOT safe for aquariums...I found that strange. Leads me to conclude that it may be possible that not all pool filter sands are aquarium safe.

M


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## fmueller (Jan 11, 2004)

Mudkicker said:


> Last year I contacted a local Pool place and he told me that he had black pool filter sand. He asked me what I needed it for and when I told him that it was for a fish tank he insisted that his product was NOT safe for aquariums...I found that strange. Leads me to conclude that it may be possible that not all pool filter sands are aquarium safe. M


The black PFS sounds very interesting. I have never heard about that. It would probably be a lot cheaper than Color Quartz, Spectra Quartz and similar colored alternatives.

Regarding the aquarium safety, PFS is not labeled as aquarium safe, because it is not intended for this purpose, and was never tested for it by the manufacturer. If you ask any seller, they will strongly caution you against using it in a fish tank, because they don't have any information about the possible effects, and they don't want to be held liable. When I first bought Color Quartz for a tank many years ago, the distributor went out of his way to tell me it was not safe. The same distributor has now sold it to many fish keepers, because many people have come back to buy more and left feedback that it works great and has no ill effects.

When I first decided to try Color Quartz and PFS in aquariums, my rationale was that both are intended for use in swimming pools. Any product that leaches even small amounts of chemicals into the water would not be approved as safe for pools in which humans intend to swim since the chemicals could be ingested and/or absorbed through the skin. That led me to conclude that pool products are aquarium safe, unless they are specifically intended for disinfection.


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## jrf (Nov 10, 2009)

Red Flint Pool Filter Sand is a reddish brown. Here's a fairly representative shot of it in my 55:










I ordered it online. It wasn't expensive in and of itself, but the shipping costs an arm and a leg.


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## phorty (Oct 30, 2009)

jrf said:


> Red Flint Pool Filter Sand is a reddish brown. Here's a fairly representative shot of it in my 55:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I like that look. I see you're in Aurora- where did you find that sand? I need to get some....


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## jrf (Nov 10, 2009)

http://shop.wolfpools.com/browse.cfm/4,480.html

As I said, the shipping cost hurts.


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## kleigh9 (Oct 28, 2004)

Thanks for posting that link. I looked for red flint sand a couple years ago but never found anyone willing to ship it for less than 50 bucks. This place depends where you are I guess but to my door its only 22 bucks for shipping (plus 9 bucks for a bag). 50lbs of aquarium gravel at the lfs is going to cost that and more. I have white pfs right now and I really want something darker. I priced tahitian moon sand at the lfs yesterday actually and the price is ridiculous! Anyhow, I am going to give this a try - thanks!


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## jrf (Nov 10, 2009)

No problem. I like the stuff. It did take a bit more rinsing than the white pool filter sand I have in my other tanks. But, other than a bit of extra rinsing I have no complaints. It stays out of the water column just fine despite the tendency of my Brevis to try and stir it up. If you like the color, I think youÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ll like the sand.


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## Mudkicker (Apr 2, 2003)

Just came back from the LFS. They had Nature's Ocean Austrailian Gold Sand. Its the color and size that I am looking for but $30.00 for 20Lbs. They only had two bags. Maybe I will make them an offer of $50.00 tax in for both bags(40lbs). I know that PFS is very cheap but I will not be happy with the outcome if it is too white.

M


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

http://www.redflint.com/filtration.htm has a nice PFS/aquarium sand. they appear to be the same product.


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## jrf (Nov 10, 2009)

I have yet to see the "aquarium sand" anywhere. But, I think you're correct - it's the same stuff as the pool filter sand.

BTW BillD, I think you're the one who lead me to the Red Flint in the first place.


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

Yes i think I was. I have several bags of their gravel I picked up years ago that were left over from a filter fill. I can't imagine why filter gravel would be shipped all the way up here from Wisconsin. I thought perhaps that it would be readily available in nearby states. I wonder if the PFS and aquarium sand are the same price, as they are the same grit size. I do like the look of it much more than silica, or even the black. It looks very natural.


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