# Sand Questions...recommendations



## npg3 (Nov 27, 2005)

This is one of my favorite looking tanks that I found in a search, which I am striving for, except I am going to do a flat black background rather than the styrofoam construction.

I really like the sand...it has a very natural looking bottom. He lists it as "white" sand, but it looks more "sand" colored to me. I also like the various items that are strewn along the bottom.

Soooooo.....where can I buy sand like that? The fish stores want a ton of $$ for gravel, rock, and sand.


----------



## JWerner2 (Jul 7, 2008)

Looks to me-at least in the pic provided-to be some kind of aragonite sand but on the slightly finer side.

Im not really sure where to buy it cheap but I would have to say that is what it looks like to me. At least from the pic as I said.

Its funny when you look at pics like that that have " various items " along the bottom cause when I try to do that myself with smaller frags of stone and shells it never works to my liking :lol: but always looks good when someone else does it :x


----------



## demonsoni (Feb 10, 2006)

Just get pool filter sand from a pool and spa store. Mine costs 5 dollars for 50 lbs.


----------



## npg3 (Nov 27, 2005)

demonsoni said:


> Just get pool filter sand from a pool and spa store. Mine costs 5 dollars for 50 lbs.


Wow! What color is it? How would it look if I mixed it with a bot of black sand.


----------



## npg3 (Nov 27, 2005)

demonsoni said:


> Just get pool filter sand from a pool and spa store. Mine costs 5 dollars for 50 lbs.


Do you have a picture of the pool filter sand? It has that "natural" look?

Last question...do you have to wash it thoroughly?


----------



## JWerner2 (Jul 7, 2008)

If your going t mix black and white I suggest having way more black sand than white. I have had some left over black inside my tank and I wasnt thinking and just added tan play sand over top. Eventually the black came out and now looks to me like particles of dirt,.... IMO not so appealing to my eye.


----------



## npg3 (Nov 27, 2005)

That is what my buddy told me last week..."Get only one bag of light sand and all the rest black."

Thanks


----------



## demonsoni (Feb 10, 2006)

theres a picture of it in my avatar, its just natural sand color, but you can get any color it just depends on the pool store.


----------



## ashilli48 (May 14, 2006)

Depending on where you are from and what is currently going on with there suppliers Depot and Lowes have both play sand (more whitish "sand color) and pool filter (grayish color). I mix it with there leveling sand if the brand they currently have in is more on the white to gray side. In the past it was very brown to orangish (may have had clay mixed in). I have also combined this with a local landscapers leveling mix which was mostly crushed limestone so you got a few chunks of "gravel" mixed in. If necessary I could post pics but they may only be useful for texture and size comparisons as the lighting and plants tend to through off the color in pictures.


----------



## npg3 (Nov 27, 2005)

I bought that "natural" looking pool filter silica sand today for $6.99 (50#). I then went to Aquarium Adventures and bought a 50# bag of Rift Lake crushed shell and a 20# bag of another type of crushed shell with gravel. I think that will give it a natural lake bottom look.


----------



## demonsoni (Feb 10, 2006)

How big is this tank?


----------



## npg3 (Nov 27, 2005)

180 wide from Glass Cages (I think my thread in tank set ups is 180 project?? I forgot)

72 x 24 x 25


----------



## shub (Nov 17, 2008)

look in your phone book under masonary or concrete supplies or makers. they usually carry white mason sand and will sell you a bucket cheap.


----------



## alicem (Jul 26, 2007)

I guess you aren't asking about the rocks and "frags" but if you are interested in ideas,
you could try a landscaping or garden/nursery place.
They more than likely sell it by weight. 
You would probably have a better selection there, than at a LFS.
hth,


----------



## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

any way to safely swap from gravel to sand without removing fish?


----------



## demonsoni (Feb 10, 2006)

BRANT13 said:


> any way to safely swap from gravel to sand without removing fish?


sure, just make sure you wash the sand, then take a scoop of some sort and slowly lower it to the tank bottom and pour it out. Turn your filters off to be safe.


----------



## JWerner2 (Jul 7, 2008)

You still wanna remove the fish so you dont harm the gills but it can be done easy!

Just vac out the gravel with a larger diameter hose into a bucket. Then add the sand to a large piture with some tank water and slowly add it in as close to the bottom as you can if you still have lots of water left by this time. You can even use PVC or something to pour the sand into along the bottom.

Some times depending on the size of the tank and amount of gravel you'll end up taking most of the water out anyway as you suck the gravel up.


----------

