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Sand bed recommendation needed

rygh

rygh

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Any recommendations on the best sand for my new tank?
In particular, details on best grain size, brand, and where to buy 150 pounds of it.
It is a lot of sand, and I want to get this decision right.

I am planning a very shallow one, about 1" - 1.5".
A bit less than 2 cubic feet.

I have sugar-fine now, and am not really happy with it.
It blows around too easy, and is hard to vacuum without sucking it all out.
But I don't want it too coarse, both for critters, and because it accumulates crud.

No need for denitrification or to be "live"

Thanks!
 
#1 Aragonite from Aquatic Rocks, it is real clean right out of the bag, much cleaner than Carib-Sea, plus most of our LFS get product from Doug.
 
Pet Club in SSF and Aquatic Central in SF have it. They are in rice bags. Thats the same stuff Jeremy told me to use when I started my tank last year and I'm happy with it. :)
 
Aquatic Rocks & Supply seems to be out in Manteca, so a bit of a drive.
About the same as SF though for me.
Their phone number is (209) 824-0155, but I have not contacted them yet.
I might be headed to Sacramento before Xmas, so may stop by then.
I will post before I go, to see if others want some, maybe for next BAR meeting.

What is the color? Bright white / bit of pink?
 
Not sure if AR will sell to you though....

They sell to the LFS... most LFS in the area have his products. Its the bulk bins people sell from ;)
 
AR sells to your LFS, not direct as others have mentioned. Go through Aquatic Central if your in SF, Chis gets orders from Doug all the time, so he can get however much you want.
 
Anyone know of any LFS in the east bay that might have it?
(Prefer to use LFS as possible, in addition to big drive)
 
I think most stores buy from him and should be able to get you the sand. Besides Neptunes and Aquatic Central, I know Aquatic Collection buys from him as well.
 
Is there a link to specs on what those numbers mean.
I found #1 through a search, but not the others.

Also, I am curious as to the decision to go larger. (I am still unsure of size)
 
rygh said:
Is there a link to specs on what those numbers mean.
I found #1 through a search, but not the others.

Also, I am curious as to the decision to go larger. (I am still unsure of size)
Click to expand...

Most likely it's the screen size (ASTM soil/aggregate standard) used to do the grading. Most sieves sold for such purposes go with numbers like Doug uses and those sizes seem just like the size of the screens I have seen.
 
gimmito said:
tuberider said:
Yep, up to #10. I see a lot of #3 as well.
Click to expand...

I talked to Chris at AC and he recommended getting #5 so it won't blow around. I'll probably get five 40 lb bags.
Click to expand...

Go look at it first. Don't feel like you can't mix the stuff either. Some people I know have gotten mainly large stuff, but added a little of the smaller stuff.
 
GreshamH said:
gimmito said:
tuberider said:
Yep, up to #10. I see a lot of #3 as well.
Click to expand...

I talked to Chris at AC and he recommended getting #5 so it won't blow around. I'll probably get five 40 lb bags.
Click to expand...

Go look at it first. Don't feel like you can't mix the stuff either. Some people I know have gotten mainly large stuff, but added a little of the smaller stuff.
Click to expand...


One of the coolest displays I had the opportunity to work on had a mix and a ton of flow, it was the only tank I've seen that would have sand lines due to the flow, the larger pieces of "crushed coral" would sit deep in the grooves while the sand would create texture.

Personally I would not use 100% #5, it's just too big and is asking to get impacted with detritus.
 
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