# Black Diamond Blasting Sand



## clhinds78

Has anyone used this sand for substrate? Is it safe for aquarium use? Is it actually black? It looks brown in the photo to me, but that could be my monitor.


----------



## dsouthworth

It is black and I have known people who used it with no problems. But there's always that one person who killed all their fish and blamed the new sand. 
Don't get me wrong, could have been the blasting sand, but there's so much more to a tank.

It's really cheap, so if you get the chance, pick up a bag! or ask if they can take a handful out. I'd try it. I almost did myself but I got a killer deal on Spectraquartz.


----------



## clhinds78

dsouthworth said:


> It is black and I have known people who used it with no problems. But there's always that one person who killed all their fish and blamed the new sand.
> Don't get me wrong, could have been the blasting sand, but there's so much more to a tank.
> 
> It's really cheap, so if you get the chance, pick up a bag! or ask if they can take a handful out. I'd try it. I almost did myself but I got a killer deal on Spectraquartz.


Well, I've read some other posts online from ppl who have used it with no issues. I was just worried it might have charcoal in it. 50lbs is a bit much so I might just get the tahitian moon sand instead.

Where did you get the specraquartz? Is that deal still around?


----------



## dsouthworth

A lady from a local aquatic forum organised it. I just gave her my cash and she gave me 150lbs.

How big is your tank?


----------



## clhinds78

dsouthworth said:


> A lady from a local aquatic forum organised it. I just gave her my cash and she gave me 150lbs.
> 
> How big is your tank?


Tank is a typical 10G tank. Going to set it up for shellies.


----------



## 13razorbackfan

I think sobrietyrocks707 uses it. You may want to PM him just to be sure.


----------



## Wolfie212

i have it in 125 with no problems except i am not liking the black as much as I thought. It just shows the waste to much


----------



## clhinds78

Wolfie212 said:


> i have it in 125 with no problems except i am not liking the black as much as I thought. It just shows the waste to much


I never thought about that! I was just thinking that in a shellie tank it would look good with some white shells and rocks and a few green plants.

I do really like my almost white PFS in my 75G tho. Looks great with the dark rocks and purple mbunas! Even the orange and yellow ones look pretty cool. I bet they would really pop on black sand, but then the purple ones probably wouldn't look as good.


----------



## dengar

What happened to me is I bought grey sand and forgot to stop a Ace Hardware shipment of regular beach looking sand so that came in as well. I said what the ****, mix it up and see how it looks....and let me tell you in looks great. Cant wait til the fish get in there to move all the stuff around.


----------



## Dawg2012

Wolfie212 said:


> i have it in 125 with no problems except i am not liking the black as much as I thought. It just shows the waste to much


I am in the process of switching the Tahitian Moon I have in a 75 to a lighter color for a couple of reasons. One is that it tends to bring out the darker colors in the fish and decorations, and yeah it also shows all the poo... as well as just the dusty dirt color. I thought my red rocks would really pop on the black sand but instead they just look dark. I'm going with "African Cichlid" sand for it's effect on hardness and pH (yes I do see an effect), as well as it's lighter color.

Unfortunately I picked up six bags of Tahitian Moon while it was on sale, and have another four bags worth in the 75 I'm removing. I'm thinking of putting it all in my new 180 and painting the background a textured sand color so the overall tank color isn't so black... but then I loose the positive effect on hardness and pH. Lesson learned. Obviously to each their own but I won't go black again lol.


----------



## aprildawn

what about a inexpensive darker brown color? i have PFS in my 80 & was planning on using blasting sand in my SA 40 that is in the planning stage. anyone ever find a brown?


----------



## clhinds78

aprildawn said:


> what about a inexpensive darker brown color? i have PFS in my 80 & was planning on using blasting sand in my SA 40 that is in the planning stage. anyone ever find a brown?


Yes, I have PFS in my 75G mbuna tank and I really like it. Its a very light almost white tan tho. That works good with mbuna and darker rocks, but I think with shellies and lighter colored shells and rocks the black would look better.


----------



## SobrietyRocks707

I use Black Diamond in my 90g, and 20g. Love the stuff! Be warned, it's filthy. Requires a Lot of rinsing. But for $17 I got 100 lbs of the stuff. It looks great. It isn't so fine that it kills my filters, and not jagged so my mbuna don't cut themselves when constantly rearranging the rockscape LoL


----------



## clhinds78

SobrietyRocks707 said:


> I use Black Diamond in my 90g, and 20g. Love the stuff! Be warned, it's filthy. Requires a Lot of rinsing. But for $17 I got 100 lbs of the stuff. It looks great. It isn't so fine that it kills my filters, and not jagged so my mbuna don't cut themselves when constantly rearranging the rockscape LoL


Ya, I never did get the blasting sand, nor did i set up the shellie tank. Perhaps someday.


----------



## SobrietyRocks707

I realized how old this post was After I replied LoL


----------



## clhinds78

SobrietyRocks707 said:


> I realized how old this post was After I replied LoL


That's ok. 

How'd you find it? YOu must have really been digging through old threads!


----------



## SobrietyRocks707

Googled a question about black diamond LoL Was just looking for a link for someone thinking about using it in their aquarium


----------



## clhinds78

SobrietyRocks707 said:


> Googled a question about black diamond LoL Was just looking for a link for someone thinking about using it in their aquarium


Gotcha.


----------



## sandiegojewelry

I was looking more for colored sand; however, after researching, we decided to go with the play sand with a black background. All the other answers were good too though


----------

