Natural Play Sand

[Jantilla]

Does anbody have this in there tank's?


http://www.sakrete.com/products/detail.cfm/prod_alias/Natural-Play-Sand

 

[sounguru]

yep sure do .....

 

[Jantilla]

How does it look? I would like sand that is brownish/goldish. Something that would go great with logs I have for the tank.

 

[sounguru]

I use a lot of play sand because I like the natural look more than an artificial look. I use it in my substrate mixes or to cap mineralized topsoil. It will compact so I like to mix some natural small gravel and other natural materials in when making my own substrate mix. Gives you a real nice river/lake bottom look.

 

[Fyurae]

You can get several shades as well, ranging from grey to very golden yellow to nearly white. I prefer darker sand, and I actually just go dig it up locally and wash it. I think the dark grey looks the best with live plants and logs, and lighter colors look best with rock setups for cichlids. In my opinion.

 

[Jantilla]

Are there different shades of pool sand? I want a brownish look not white. I have about 100 pounds of aragonite sand that came with my tank but it would cost too much to get the amount I need for my new 210.

 

[sounguru]

If you can find it soilmaster select or turface (they are the same thing) is what I would get, it comes in a charcoal color/deep red and is cheap compared to colored sand for a tank that big.

Nice thing is it adsorbs minerals from the water column and binds them so the roots can get to them. The longer it is in the tank the better it is.

Link to a nice deep red colored turface product

There are some local dealers ... but I have not called them to see if they have it in stock or can get it because I'm not quite ready for it.

 

[Jantilla]

I won't have any live plants. I have oscars and they love to rip my plants up.

http://www.plantedtank.net/articles/Soilmaster-Select-Substrate/26/

That sand would be fine with oscars and a pleco?

 

[sounguru]

I won't have any live plants. I have oscars and they love to rip my plants up.

http://www.plantedtank.net/articles/Soilmaster-Select-Substrate/26/

That sand would be fine with oscars and a pleco?

Yes either truface or soilmaster select will be fine, but with oscars or other digging cichlids I recommend play sand or pool filter though since it will not cloud the tank when they go redecorating.