# Black Tahatitan Moon sand?



## Kronos318 (May 18, 2011)

Anyone out there used this sand for their setups? Or suggestions for a black or dark grey sand or fine gravel? Ihad also thought about Natures Ocean Black Beach Gravel#2 but can't seem to find a store that can get it tin. Could order it online if I wanted to pay $80+ for shipping on seven 20lb bags. Any advice is welcome...


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## Flippercon (Mar 5, 2011)

If your going for one solid color get the moon sand. Of not pfs is the cheapest way to go. It's around $9 for 50lbs.


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## Cunados (Apr 13, 2011)

I use it in my 37g planted SA tank. Really like how it looks with a black background. Plants n fish pop.


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## Kronos318 (May 18, 2011)

Does it stay in place well? Like when you vac the bottom is it heavy enough to not get sucked right out?


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## Flippercon (Mar 5, 2011)

All sand gets sucked up through a vacuum. At least the sands I use, but yes if you get the technique right youvwont lose any. All you have to do is hold vacuum just above the sand and it lifts right off. IME its better then gravel and looks way better. You can also stir the sand a bit to get out pockets of air. I recommend not using playsand at all. It stirs real easy and can kill filters.


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## Alpha7 (Apr 27, 2011)

Tahitian Moon is an excellent substrate, I have it in my 120. Like any sand it tends to get sucked up quicker when vacuuming but with a little patience (and a slightly modified vacuum) cleaning is not hard.

I need more of the stuff, it's just unfortunate that in BC it's not the easiest thing to find (for a reasonable price anyways).


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## Flippercon (Mar 5, 2011)

Same here in Va it runs just over a $1 a pound.


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## londonloco (Mar 31, 2011)

I've used it, didn't like it, but I'm also trying to grow a few plants. I'll prob use it again for my next tank redo, I want black sand and since 3M is no longer made...


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## rarefaction (Aug 6, 2009)

I also use and like the moon sand... Count me in as a +1


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## xxbenjamminxx (Jan 22, 2011)

I was lso looking at the moon sand for a couple of my tanks, but would have coat way too much for it. A local breeder here by me swears by that coal slay blasting sand. So I went and got 100lbs for $14 and rinsed some really well and put it in my smaller tank. Got some tetras from my buddy and dropped then in. They are doing great, I went ahead and put my calvus and shell dwellers in and so far they have been digging in it for about 4 days without a problem yet and I love the way it looks over the silica sands tan color I was using.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I am using Flourite black sand and had the same problem, LFS don't stock it. So I waited until the online stores had a free shipping promotion and then ordered it.

It's a nice sand if you want plants. I also like that it has a matching gravel/plant substrate. My plants are in submerged pots filled with coarse black flourite plant substrate, and filling in around the pots is fine black flourite sand.

Since the fish inevitably dig in the plant pots trying to get that last pellet, and drop the gravel all over...when it becomes mixed with the sand it still looks nice.

The sand is a little fine...I'd rather it was more of a PFS grain. But it's all I could find that had both products matching.


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

Black blasting sand is available in #20 grit which is the same as PFS for around $10 for 88lbs. I have some in #20 and #12, which is a little coarser. Depending on where it is sourced, it could be any of a number of types of slag. The stuff I have is nickel slag.


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## londonloco (Mar 31, 2011)

BillD said:


> Black blasting sand is available in #20 grit which is the same as PFS for around $10 for 88lbs. I have some in #20 and #12, which is a little coarser. Depending on where it is sourced, it could be any of a number of types of slag. The stuff I have is nickel slag.


Where do you get Black blasting sand? I've never been able to find it.


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

Any place that sells blasting sand should have it. Stores that deal with the construction trades would be a place to start looking. The place I get mine from sells construction materials, but not lumber. They cater more to concrete and stone work. Around here, municipal blasting jobs are done with it as it is considered less hazardous to one's health than silica sand.


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## lucid_eye (Apr 12, 2009)

I use black beauty blasting sand n my tanks and love it, especially the price. I got it from a sand blasting supply company that is a nationwide chain. Clemco


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## xxbenjamminxx (Jan 22, 2011)

I got mine, Black Diamond (same as black beauty, just dif brand) at Tractor Supply Company. Was $8 for 50lbs


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## Bodenhimer (May 1, 2011)

hey everybody can you post some photos of black blasting sand for all to see??? maybe some in hand and in the tank.

Anyways, i had a 20 long with colony of similis and did half and half PFS and TMS it was salt and pepper. looked good!!! maybe an idea for ya :thumb:


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## lucid_eye (Apr 12, 2009)

if you look at my tank picture (link below) you can see it from a distance. or here it is up close


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## mobafrontlover (May 1, 2011)

I use it in my 125 frontosa and the colors pop I suggest the moon sand don't trys the black beauty blasting sand cause it made for sand blasting car and has a lot of metal in it witch could cause problem when it starts rusting


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## lucid_eye (Apr 12, 2009)

Mobafrontlover
I beg to differ, the msds is available online and can assure you there are no inert minerals in the coal slag. I don't know where you get the idea that it will rust but that is absolutely false. I have had it in my tank for 8 years and have never had rust issues.


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## mobafrontlover (May 1, 2011)

Will then I retract the post but I use it alot with sand blasting cars and as a joke a while back we but a large magnet in a new bag of bb and there were a lot of iron fragments in it maybe it was just the place we were gitting our products


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## lucid_eye (Apr 12, 2009)

I wish there was a way to add inflection to posts. After rereading my post I sounded angry. :x 
according to their msds:
Slag, Coal 99% - 100%
I am not doubting that a magnet was attracted to what you use, but I use a magnetic glass cleaner and never have seen any grains stick to it. From what I understand there is not a whole lot of difference between this product and Activated carbon. I will admit that it can be kinda sharp and doesn't feel to good if you get it under your nails


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## The Weave (May 23, 2011)

I just switched from black sand to moon sand, because I wanted a really black substrate. This moon sand rocks, its got a nice glossy appearance and makes the fish pop with color. I just did a spot clean and its doesn't suck up nearly as bad are regular sand. http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/p ... atid=21432 free shipping with purchase over $50 :dancing:


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

mobafrontlover said:


> Will then I retract the post but I use it alot with sand blasting cars and as a joke a while back we but a large magnet in a new bag of bb and there were a lot of iron fragments in it maybe it was just the place we were gitting our products


I suspect that the iron fillings you are finding in the blasting sand are from the process of crushing the slag to make it sand. I think if you were to drag a magnet through many sands you would pick up some filings. I remember as a kid collecting iron fillings from the sand in a high jump pit.

The black blasting sand I have (nickel slag) is absolutely black.


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