# A question: Silica Pool filter Sand VS Silica Sand blasting



## Koila (Mar 15, 2010)

Hi,

I have a question on the difference between silica pool filter sand and silica sand blasting sand.

What is the difference?

They are both silica, is the formula different?

Are there difference grades (sizes of sand particles)?

I know silica is dangerous as play sand for kids.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, I am eager to fill my new tank, (with sand), and I want to start making caves and cichlid rocks for my cichlids.

Thanks in advance!


----------



## LSBoost (Jan 21, 2010)

I have pictures of Pool filter sand under my signature. Don't know about blasting sand, it might just be sharper.


----------



## Koila (Mar 15, 2010)

Hi thanks for replying,

All I see under your signature is this:

Pictures: - - - www - - - \/

Its not a workable link.

Thanks


----------



## GaFishMan1181 (Dec 17, 2008)

The arrow is pointing down to the button WWW under it...click that to see his link of the tanks.

I would guess the sandblasting is much much finer.


----------



## Koila (Mar 15, 2010)

Holy cow, I saw that as the letter V.

lol

Thanks for pointing that out.

I have been on the phone the last couple of hours to different pool places and car places and no one so far can tell me the difference. The one pool place gets their stuff from Carquest the car parts store.

So, sand blasting is finer then pool filter sand? Is finer worse or better?

Thanks!


----------



## GaFishMan1181 (Dec 17, 2008)

Well i have done sandblasting on boat parts and the stuff we used is super super fine. Most stuff used for snadblasting is really fine so it can get into all the little thight spots.

The finer the sand the more it will be kicked up into the water by the fish.

I have never seen it next to pool filter sand but from the pics i have seen of pool filter sand it appears to be more course that what i used for sand blasting.


----------



## LSBoost (Jan 21, 2010)

Depending on what you want. Finer mean it's lighter so it might get kick up by your fish easier. When you do substrate vacuuming it will be easier to get pick up by the siphon/hose/python. My PFS is grade #20 but I'm sure you can find finer grade if you search.


----------



## Koila (Mar 15, 2010)

HI,

I just got off of the phone with one pool place and he was kind and nice, he explained that Sand blasting sand is rated as # 30, and it is fine, where as pool filter sand it rated as # 60, courser.

So where does your number 20 fall in?


----------



## Koila (Mar 15, 2010)

Hi,

5 more phone calls later, and all I've found out is that pool filter sand is sand blasting sand, they are one in the same.

LSBoost, where did you buy your pool filter sand? PM if you want to have your privacy. What brand is it? Who is the manufacturer?

I have even placed a call to the manufacturer, Unimin, 
that is the name given to me by the Pool company and it is the name given to me by car parts company. The person I need to really speak to is on vacation, but I spoke to someone in his office and what he told me is this:

_Sand blasting sand is classified as 530 glass and pool filter sand is classified as 530 glass, they are one in the same. _

So in my frustration, why are people saying there are different grades? What companies are these different grades coming from? Is it silica? Or what other material is it made from?

Thanks


----------



## LSBoost (Jan 21, 2010)

I just got my #20 grade silica sand from a local pool supply store for $12(you don't want to ship a 50lbs bag). I'm sure you can find it else where for cheaper. Anyways the brand is Aqua Quartz. Here's a link, I guess Ace carry them too. http://www.acehardwaresuperstore.com/aqua-quartz-pool-filter-sand-50-lbs-p-69631.html

PFS is clean compare to other types of sand. I rinse once there's nothing in it, rinse again just to be sure, put it in and no cloudy water. The fish was in the tank when I put it in.


----------



## Koila (Mar 15, 2010)

Thanks !!!

That is a big help


----------



## greggb (Feb 4, 2010)

LSBoost said:


> I just got my #20 grade silica sand from a local pool supply store for $12(you don't want to ship a 50lbs bag). I'm sure you can find it else where for cheaper. Anyways the brand is Aqua Quartz. Here's a link, I guess Ace carry them too. http://www.acehardwaresuperstore.com/aqua-quartz-pool-filter-sand-50-lbs-p-69631.html
> 
> PFS is clean compare to other types of sand. I rinse once there's nothing in it, rinse again just to be sure, put it in and no cloudy water. The fish was in the tank when I put it in.


I got PFS for a little over $12 too. I put it in a new tank without fish, drained the water once while stirring the sand to keep the dust elevated, and it's clean as can be about 1 week later. I've rearranged the sand a few times since and have never noticed any murk.

I love the color and have found that I can actually vacuum it lightly without sucking up much of the sand.

I put blasting sand in another tank. It was pretty clean, though I'm not as fond of the lighter color. I've also had serious issues with diatoms in that tank. A lot of people say silica is inert (and they're right) and that diatoms are purely the result of nitrates and phosphates. The shells of diatoms are made of silicon, though. Those diatoms are getting silicon from something, inert or not. Who knows? I'd still choose silicate sand even if I knew it was responsible for my diatom problems.


----------



## LSBoost (Jan 21, 2010)

*greggb* Did you rinse the PFS? I rinse mine twice and there was no dust at all. Just put everything in a 5 gallon bucket, fill it up, stir, drain twice. It was cold at the time so I let my PFS sit in warm water for 30 minutes before putting it in. The top layer of the sand got warm but the bottom layer is still cold, so I was thinking that PFS sand can insulate pretty well. I use a cup to scoop 50lbs of PFS into my aquarium while the fish was in it.


----------

