# Fine Gravel, where to buy



## ntayler (Nov 27, 2014)

So far the best fit for substrate that I have seen is the Caribsea peace river fine gravel...The problem is I can't find it locally and the best price I've seen online is bigals.

7, 20lb bags is about $200 shipped, which is more then i wanted to pay but will if I have to. this if for a 150gal (72x18), I am hoping 7 bags will be enough.

Any ideas where I can get this type of substrate cheaper? I have not been able to find anything comparable to the fine gravel look of the caribsea, but am open to suggestions


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## Handyjoe (Jan 11, 2015)

I use crushed coral in my tanks. It's the fine type that looks like sand. I purchased it from Pet Kingdom LFS in San Diego (see below). It comes in bulk bag of 44 pounder. I paid ~ $36 per bag. Took three bags to fill a foot print of 72"x18"x 2" high. (140 gal. Tank)
These crushed coral comes in different grain sizes, from no. 1 to no. 5, I think. I've used no. 2 in one tank. Very little rinsing and looks very good, but too fine and thus makes cleaning difficult. Since then I use no. 3 in other tanks. It's little coarser, but still pretty fine. I love the number 3. 
I throw this in for your info. You can contact the store to see if they would ship, and at what cost. Hope this help.
-------
3191 Sports Arena Blvd, San Diego, CA 92110
Cross Streets: Near the intersection of Sports Arena Blvd and Camino del Rio W/Rosecrans St
Neighborhoods: Midway District
(619) 224-2841
petkingdom.com


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## sumthinfishy (Jan 26, 2013)

there are all different grains and types of pool filter sand. it is only $8-$12 for a 50lb bag. i would take a look at local pool and hardware stores and save yourself some money. i'm sure u can find one with the look that u want


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## Loume (Dec 27, 2014)

Selections for substrates in U.S. kinda sux, IMO, wish we had unipac.

I've got 60 lbs of the peace river gravel, I didn't use, and I'm saving for another application. I didn't send it back because shipping charges were prohibitive to the place I bought it. I would call it closer to extra coarse sand, or extra fine gravel if you want, 1 to 2mm and very well screened for uniform size. IMO, perfect sizing for MOST applications. The only reason I didn't use it was because I was hoping to use it with an old REVERSE flow undergravel filtration (filtered water pumped underneath) and the slots were slightly stretched wider in some areas of the undergravel plates than I had anticipated and substrate would have definitely easily fallen through in those areas. It was just a little more orangish in color and lighter than I really anticipated also, when wet and under aquarium lighting, and seemed to kind of clash with the color of the rocks I have (reddish). I think it'll work VERY well in another project though, or I might even MAKE it work in the same project, as I'm now very unhappy with the substrate I ended up with.....

I doubt you would need more than 140 lbs in that 9 sq. ft footprint, if that much, unless you like it really thick. I think 60 lbs would have been ample or close to it, for my 75 with 6 sq ft footprint, but I do use a lot of rock that displaces a good portion of the gravel.

Petco online sells Caribseas instant aquarium version of the PRG. Not positive, but I think the shipping charges are only a meager flat rate, and if you don't like, or buy more than you need, I believe you can return to any Petco store for a refund (less the meager shipping fee). I had bought some crushed coral that I didn't like at all, one time at Petco online and returned it to a store like in that manner...

The problem with the instant aquarium version, is that you would be paying for water weight, it's caribsea's "live" bacterial wet version. You might be buying a 16 lb bag of gravel with 4 lbs of water in a 20lb bag, something like that. I would assume and hope that everything else equal, i.e. grain size, color, etc.

Hope that helps....


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I think there are alternatives if you want a gravel (not pool filter sand). They are expensive. Wait for a free shipping offer and at least you can save that expense.


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

I don't know if this is available to you, but there may be something similar closer to you. http://www.redflint.com/ . I have some of their 1/8" gravel and like the colour. Their aquarium sand seems to be exactly the same product as their PFS. Regardless, there should be some source of filtration sand close to you.


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## ntayler (Nov 27, 2014)

great thank you for all the responses! wish petco had the regular version, i don't know if i want to hassle with that instant aquarium stuff. Unless someone has experience with the live stuff and it actually works to boost cycling...but I can't imagine that it wouldn't just make a disgusting mess. Seems like the bacteria would not survive being in a sealed plastic bag, and it also seems like introducing a bunch of it into an unestablished tank would also kill any benefits as there would not be any food source for it....but what do I know

Anyway with petco's flat $6 shipping, I can get 8 bags of the instant stuff shipped for about $140...which is still significantly cheaper than my other alternatives. I may just do that and wash the stink water out of it

thanks again folks


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## Loume (Dec 27, 2014)

y/w. That's exactly what I would do, order 8 bags, decide that you like it or not, rinse it off what you use, and return what you don't use, if any, to a local Petco for a refund, really the most you risk is the 6 bucks shipping. :wink: :thumb:


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## Chaoster (Nov 6, 2012)

Try drfosterandsmith. they have free shipping over $49.


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