# black sand?



## TailorO (Apr 7, 2008)

Does anyone use black sand? does it make your fish really pop or does it darken them? what is a good kind to use? What is the best price wise? any advice would be helpful. I am using Monteray Beach Sand from Home Depot right now mixed with some crushed corral with large river rocks, i am not really liking it very much. What i want to do it switch to bleeched Texas Holy rock with black sand. Has anyone seen this done? does it look good?


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## IrkedCitizen (Apr 26, 2007)

There are some pictures of people with black sand and Texas holey rock in the tanks section. People use Tahitian moon sand but it isn't cheap. Another thing people use is 3M ColorQuartz there used to be a sticky for it but the admins got rid of the sticky threads. It comes in two sizes T which is a bigger grain and S which is a small grain.

You might have to drive a distance to get it though. It comes in 50lb bags for like 25$ a bag but the price varies greatly from one place to another. I am lucky enough to have a vendor 15 minutes from my house. Some people aren't so lucky. a couple people had to buy it online and then get it shipped to them which wasn't cheap.


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## TailorO (Apr 7, 2008)

i saw a bag labeled "black beauty" at the pet store. Know what that is?


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## IrkedCitizen (Apr 26, 2007)

I think that is made from slag or something and people say not to use it in aquariums. I might be wrong those. but I know one of them is made from slag.


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## TailorO (Apr 7, 2008)

you're right. i just found it online. don't think i wanna use that


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

I found it really depends on the species ... I'd say most look better over black, but not all ... two I can think of off hand are _Geophagus sp. Tapajos Orange Head_ and _Apistogramma cacatuoides_. The cac's darken too much, and while the Geo's still look good, they seem to look much better over white sand. Some of the dark fronts and troph's are too dark over black sand too. Of course it's hard to tell before hand, and hard to change if you're wrong but it does seem like about 75% look better over black IMO. But then, it does come down to personal opinion.

If you have a quaruantine tank, could always test the black sand there with the species you want and see.


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## TailorO (Apr 7, 2008)

i have mbuna


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

Then I would go do search in the photography section for Laurel's piccies of her mbuna over black sand. That'll decide ya pretty quickly. :thumb:


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## PsYcHoTiC_MaDmAn (Dec 26, 2005)

personally I prefer a natural tan colour.

I have used black substrates before, and though they look effective I never found the colours "pop" with that.

with regard the black beauty and similar types. the thought of putting a metalic slag in the tank is off-putting for several reasons, obviously there is the chemical issue, whether it would effect the fish, asnd there is also the fact that a lot of them can be quite sharp and therefore effect the gills of the fish

plenty of people using the 3M stuff with no issues, but personally would stick with a more natural sand colour


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## TailorO (Apr 7, 2008)

i just checked out laurel's pics. i love the way it looks!


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## TailorO (Apr 7, 2008)

where can i get the 3M Colorquartz? i have been looking online and i found plenty of sites talking about it and lots of pool sites wanting to install it for you but no one just selling the stuff! For anyone who had used it, which is better the "S" grade or the "T" grade? which is more like the size of beach sand?


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## Fishbguy (Jan 15, 2008)

I have black gravel, black slate, and a black background in my saulosi tank, and I love it...I wouldn't have it anyother way...the fish really pop


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## IrkedCitizen (Apr 26, 2007)

In my first post I linked you to 3m colorquartz on the site it has a "where to buy" button on the left column. Click that, choose your area which would be "CA Northern" it'll find vendors in northern California. Then you click "see vendors."


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## TailorO (Apr 7, 2008)

i did check the 3m site. there were none in claifornia


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## IrkedCitizen (Apr 26, 2007)

Here you go I did a vendor search for northern california and got 17 results. I don't know which one is closest to you. I would just call them and ask if they have 3M ColorQuartz and I wouldn't mention that it is for an aquarium.

There is only one vendor in Colorado and i am lucky that is is close.



> Where to Buy
> 
> View Vendor List
> 
> ...


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## Laurel (Jun 17, 2007)

When I bought mine, I had no problems with telling the vendor that it was for an aquarium. They don't care so long as they are making a sale.  Just be sure to rinse it for like an hour. It's a greasy messy nightmare.


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## IrkedCitizen (Apr 26, 2007)

well some vendors have refused to sell it to people because they weren't contractors.


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## TailorO (Apr 7, 2008)

hey! thanks!


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## IrkedCitizen (Apr 26, 2007)

no worries man. get yourself some sand.


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## EmagdniM (Nov 29, 2007)

I use it too. Got the S Grade and I love it. Take Laurels advice though...wash the living **** outta it...


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## TailorO (Apr 7, 2008)

ended up getting moon sand....still was a PAIN to wash...


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## ictoae (May 17, 2008)

having a huge problem getting ahold of this stuff. 3 distributors here in San Antonio and none of them will sell to me because i'm not a contractor. Stupid rocks.


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## IrkedCitizen (Apr 26, 2007)

ictoae said:


> having a huge problem getting ahold of this stuff. 3 distributors here in San Antonio and none of them will sell to me because i'm not a contractor. Stupid rocks.


Try to find a contractor and make friends? Lol. But yeah you aren't the only one they haven't sold it to.


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## EmagdniM (Nov 29, 2007)

That sucks...I didnt have any issues getting it from the distributor up here in Chicago...they just made my spend a minimum of $55...


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