# Crazy for sand - Muhahahahaha



## Botiadancer (Dec 30, 2013)

pool sand builder's sand jointing sand play sand aquarium sand reptile sand concrete sand silica sand quartz sand sand that is too big to be sand... aaaaaaaaaaaaaaagggghhhh!!!

*chicken dance

Ok, lets try and be coherent now...

I'm looking for an ultra smooth very find sand that corys will really stick their noses deep into into, kuhlis will be able to easily bury themselves, eartheaters will blow out their gills, and hillstream loaches will be able to do their stingray like thing.

Many sands have sharp edges so I am hesitant to use those. Most are not usually fine enough. I did find some nicely colored brown sand called "exo terra riverbed sand" but it is $17.99 for ten pounds. Before I pull the trigger and bankrupt myself over this (what, make a ridiculous purchase for the fish? Moi???), does anyone have any suggestions for a very fine smooth sand? Not white - darker is better.

Next weekday off I'm going to go to a natural stone place and see what they have. Not worried about the whole filter/siphon thing, my filters do not rest on the bottom, and I'm an expert at getting the siphon pull just right to pull muck and not sand. (I think I'll put that on my next resume!) Oh... and since you will ask (mindreader too), I will start on the 15gs, then the 30s, then the 60... etc... whatever has fish that will appreciate it.

Thank you for your time.

Signed,
The-Soon-To-Be-Cuckoo-Fishkeeper


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## StevenT (Jun 11, 2013)

Well if you are looking for cheap I like pool filter sand or concrete sand. Pool filter sand is a little course but bang for your buck you can't beat it. Concrete sand is usually screened at 3 mm and washed. It's a good sand.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

At pool supplies I get a very fine smooth sand and the cories love it.


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## Arthur7 (Feb 22, 2013)

I take alluvial sand from the river. The grains are all around, about the same size (1mm). Color from white to yellow, brown or black. A mixture. It costs nothing except your feet wet. Sometimes you can find here a nice round stone. Everything good for catfish.
But the fine sand should not be taken to put stem plants. If the layer is too thick, there is no flow through and it can arise rotten boroughs.
Here hydro-gravel is better. From the flower shop. One has to look at him. Most of the pebbles are round, from pea to hazelnut. But sometimes it is crushed gravel. This concept is not.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Lol its funny how many people think that sand doesn't work for stem plants when I have sand in all my tanks that are planted.


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## MriGuy85 (Aug 29, 2013)

I use sand called Super Naturals. Bought it at Petsmart. It is SUPER fine and I have a tank devoted to cories. They love the stuff. I wake up every morning and can see the entire bottom of the tank has little marks in it where they've been digging around. They make it in several colors. The one you would want it Tahitian Moon sand. It's black but has a little sparkle to it which looks awesome with tank lights. I personally use white in both my tanks. This stuff is so fine though that even using the Eheim quick vac pro inevitably and unavoidably sucks some of if up. Not a lot though. I usually swirl the vac above the sand and that's enough to suck up the detritus without grabbing much sand. I believe I have 30lbs of it in my 55g and 10 or 20lbs in my 20g Cory tank. I love the stuff and won't use anything else at this point. It's supposed to be ph neutral too.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Can't add anything on sand,and I'm sure you know but,the hillstream loach will not do a stingray like thing.They have developed the incredible suction body due to natural enviroment of very fast flow in streams and rivers.They use their "suctioning body" to gain a hold on rocks and such as the current would wash them away or they would never get any rest fighting it.They really prefer high flow with massive oxygenation.


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## Botiadancer (Dec 30, 2013)

Pool sand tends to be in the 1-3mm range. I'm looking for fine sand - less than 1mm. May use it to blend though. Is your pool sand less than 1mm?

I live in the city in a desert... whats a river? I still use my river rocks I got as a kid back when the earth was young. Nothing beats getting your own.

Caribsea Supernaturals - must investigate the white and sunset gold. Tahitian looks like sharp edges. No??

I have read in several places that hillstream loaches occasionally like to bury themselves in the sand. I have not observed this my self, but my sand in that tank is in the 1-1.5mm range and assumed that was why.

Thanks for all tips and suggestions! I may blend that rich riverbed sand with several of your suggestions to keep costs down. Not that there is anything wrong with spending a lot of money on fish stuff. I just have never done it before... *L1

And MsKat... next time focus on the sand, not the plants...


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## MriGuy85 (Aug 29, 2013)

Tahitian moon. I looked at it one day in the Petsmart. No sharp edges that I could see. Looked exactly the same as my white version from them: super fine, super soft..I mean this stuff gets under my finger nails and I don't notice it. I really think you'll like it. Ever been to fort Walton beach Florida where the sand squeaks under your feet? Yeah, it's as fine or finer than that!

The Tahitian moon is a bit more coarse than the white sand. What I use is 0.25mm to 0.75mm.
The TM is 0.5mm to 1.0mm. But I can't see that being a huge difference. Maybe to our touch it would be but I think the cories would be fine


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

I can get pool filter sand that is like fine silt up 3mm. My pool supplier has samples of the different grades he carries.


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