# SpectraQuartz question



## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Anybody use this for substrate? If so...what color? Do you like it? Did you find it locally at a pool supply store? Was it very expensive?

I am considering changing my sand/crushed coral for this. I was going to go with black or a gray color.


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## dsouthworth (Sep 7, 2011)

So am in a local forum. and a member is going to the states to pickup about 1500 lbs 

so yes. it is very safe! I do not however know where it can be bought. I just know that in two weeks, 150lbs will be dropped off at my house and i will pay for it.

Best of luck. It's a beautiful sand. Good size. And comes in most colors!


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Ok...I wonder about cleaning. Does it cloud easily and have to be really washed. I would wash anyways but just curious how long and much I do need to wash it.


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## dsouthworth (Sep 7, 2011)

I'll be a first time user so im not ble to answer that. But I can't see it being too bad due to the nature of its intended use.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

dsouthworth said:


> I'll be a first time user so im not ble to answer that. But I can't see it being too bad due to the nature of its intended use.


Hope you are right.

What color again are you getting?

Are you getting "f" or "q" grade?

"f" is a finer grade while "q" is more coarse.

I wonder which would be best.


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## dsouthworth (Sep 7, 2011)

I'm getting straight black. An Q grade. I figure it will be easier to clean, and less dust. I'll e getting it within the next month hopfully. I'll post about the progresss. Not sure if you'll be interested by then.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

dsouthworth said:


> I'm getting straight black. An Q grade. I figure it will be easier to clean, and less dust. I'll e getting it within the next month hopfully. I'll post about the progresss. Not sure if you'll be interested by then.


yes....I will be interested. Be sure to post pics and let me know what you thought. I am not sure if I will have some by then but if I do I will do the same. :thumb:


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## dsouthworth (Sep 7, 2011)

So I asked a member of a fishforum what he though of his spectraquarts. here is his answer:

dsouthworth:
You said in the thread that you can't get enough of this stuff. *I'm just curious as to, If you've used it, can you tell me how easy it is to clean?*

Meber:
Sure, real easy to clean. Not much bacteria gets caught up in it though. I dont stir it or even gravel vac it. I just leave it in the tank. Check my 450 gallon thread you can see some sand in there page 6.

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Here is a link his 450 gallon thread. Although his isn't black. You can get the idea!

http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/tank-jou ... ndex6.html

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I will also be posting pictures and updates when sand make's its way into my tank.


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## dsouthworth (Sep 7, 2011)

Aha. It also makes me a little bit worried for his fish when he say's that he doesn't vacuum it. But I guess to each his own. Anybody who has a tank that size know's what he/she is doing, and if it works, no point in changing routine.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

dsouthworth said:


> Aha. It also makes me a little bit worried for his fish when he say's that he doesn't vacuum it. But I guess to each his own. Anybody who has a tank that size know's what he/she is doing, and if it works, no point in changing routine.


I think he has the finer grade as it looks like sand....the grade of it. That is a large tank. I like the height but the depth sure looks hard to clean and can see why he doesn't mess with gravel vacuuming. I gravel vacuum once a month and try to do it opposite times I clean my filters as to not cause a mini-cycle or bloom of heterotrophic bacteria.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

I'm using the F grade Spectraquartz in all my tanks since the Colorquartz was discontinued. I found it a bit cleaner than the Colorquartz when rinsing it before first use, especially when cleaning the black color.

I use a combination of colors until it suits what I like. I prefer to use black, brown, white and buff, mixing them to get the look I want.

That reminds me I need to make a run to the distributor to get more before the weather changes to heavy snow.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Deeda said:


> I'm using the F grade Spectraquartz in all my tanks since the Colorquartz was discontinued. I found it a bit cleaner than the Colorquartz when rinsing it before first use, especially when cleaning the black color.
> 
> I use a combination of colors until it suits what I like. I prefer to use black, brown, white and buff, mixing them to get the look I want.
> 
> That reminds me I need to make a run to the distributor to get more before the weather changes to heavy snow.


How much finer is the "f" than the "q" grade? Is the "f" more like black sand and the "q" more like the size of aragonite?


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## dsouthworth (Sep 7, 2011)

Would have been nice to get an answer from Deeda. I'll shoot a pm.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Sorry, I've not been online much lately due to family issues.

The F grade Spectraquartz is a fine sand, comparable to table sugar. It is similar in size to the Colorquartz S-grade which was 0.21mm or .008 inches or 70 Mesh size. I could not find the size of the sand on the Spectraquartz website.

It is very easily moved by water currents and the fish. It does not float, is not suspended in the water column, and easily sinks to the bottom of the tank. I do find it in the bottom of my Eheim canister filters during maintenance times. I keep my filter intakes at least 4 inches off the bottom of the substrate and still get sand in the filters occasionally.

I'm not familiar with aragonite so I can't compare the size of the Q-grade Spectraquartz.

Dsouthworth, I did respond to your email but figured I'd also post the info here.

P.S. I really do like the F-grade grain size. It's the only substrate I use in all my tanks. Any food, debris or poop just sits on top of the sand so it's easy to remove and doesn't get trapped in any nooks or crannies like fine gravel will. I'm not very picky about having a flat, even substrate in my tanks.

Hope this helps.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

I finally found some but it is over 2hrs away and would not be feasible to ship at 50lbs. I think I am going to wait till I head that way or a relative heads that way and I will have them pick it up. I went ahead and put in PFS last night and happy so far but I want the spectraquartz. I will wait a while then re-do it with the spectraquartz.

PS...Deeda...have you used or seen the "q" grade?


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

I have not used the Q- grade and I honestly can't remember what it looks like.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Ok...thanks


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

BUT... here is a link to another 'fish' site with some pictures of Colorquartz T-grade which is very similar to Q-grade Spectraquartz...http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/substrate/63372-fyi-black-substrate-options-w-pics.html

I didn't peruse the whole thread just now, so there may be some other pictures available.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Deeda said:


> BUT... here is a link to another 'fish' site with some pictures of Colorquartz T-grade which is very similar to Q-grade Spectraquartz...http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/substrate/63372-fyi-black-substrate-options-w-pics.html
> 
> I didn't peruse the whole thread just now, so there may be some other pictures available.


Yeah...the "t" grade even looks finer than what I was picturing. Guy said it took him an hour to rinse. That was surprising.


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

Anyone in the GTA find this this available locally?

If so can you pm me where you found it?

Thanks


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## Rhinox (Sep 10, 2009)

I was going to get some of this stuff. I called spectraquartz, they told me they didn't have a supplier in OH. They offered to ship me some from their plant in illinois... I didn't bother getting a shipping quote. 50lbs per bag can't be cheap... In the end, I decided, I already have like 4 buckets of washed quickcrete medium sand lying around, and I wanted to get my tank going yesterday


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

There is a distributor in Ohio, it's where I buy mine from.


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## Rhinox (Sep 10, 2009)

Deeda said:


> There is a distributor in Ohio, it's where I buy mine from.


Can you PM me the distributor?

Spectraquartz told me they didn't have anyone... :?

Well, they said they used to have someone but they don't anymore. How long ago did you get your sand?


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Rhinox, I just got off the phone with my local distributor and he has discontinued carrying the Spectraquartz for a couple reasons. One, he couldn't get a solid answer on whether the product was safe for both fresh and saltwater aquariums and Two, he had some issues with receiving timely shipments/pricing.

He said that they now carry the Estes Permacolor Quartz brand which has been approved for use in fresh & saltwater aquariums. He assured me that the granule size of the Estes Permacolor Quartz is similar to both the 3M Colorquartz and the Fairmount Spectraquartz granules.

Here is a quick reference comparison for the 3 different products:

3M Colorquartz S-grade, Fairmount Spectraquartz F-grade and Estes Permacolor Quartz BCM (Broadcast Medium) grade are interchangeable or similar in size.

3M Colorquartz T-grade, Fairmount Spectraquartz Q-grade and Estes Permacolor Quartz T-grade (Trowel) are interchangeable or similar in size.

I do apologize for the mistake. I last bought the Spectraquartz last summer so I assumed they were still carrying it. I bought it at N.T. Ruddock located in Cleveland on Broadway Avenue and they do have a website. I don't know why the Estes website doesn't list them as a distributor but they do have it in stock in 50lb bags.

Hope this helps.


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