# Seachem Flourite black sand



## kirkp

If I were to get Seachem Flourite Black Sand as a top layer substrate for a 75 gallon tank, how many 7 kg bags would I want? Also what would be a good (but more importantly cheap) substrate that I could put underneath it?


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## hoppycalif

The bag of black Flourite sand has the cubic inches marked on it, but I don't remember how much it was. If your LFS has some, just go study the writing on the bag.

I suggest a sediment type layer under the Flourite, which could be Diamond Black (leonardite), or garden soil, or river silt. With the latter two you always have to worry about pulling some of the silt up on top of the sand when you pull up a plant, so eventually this will be a problem, unless you us a thick layer of the sand and thin layer of the silt.


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## Newt

A thin layer of peat first and you might want to consider a thin layer of worm castings over that. Personally I wouldnt recommend using a cheap subsitute for planted tank gravel/substrate.


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## kirkp

434 cubic inches per 7kg bag

2592 cubic inches for a 3in deep substrate in a 75 gallon tank

6 bags

No stores near me carry flourite sand (or plants for that matter...) there is one in Denver that might.

From marinedepot.com 6 bags would be $160 shipped. I am thinking it might be better to go with just sand because I will have to move the tank at least once and I read that the substrate needs to be taken out for a move.

I am thinking maybe a 50 gallon would be better so I wouldn't have to spend quite so much and it would be a bit easier to move.

Where could I find worm casing Newt? Should plant stores have them or would I get them online? I don't want to get a super cheap substrate, but at the same time I am in college and don't have a job...


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## hoppycalif

If I were in your situation I would forget commercial substrates, and just get a bag of pool filter sand to use. Use the very thin sprinking of ground peat on the bottom of the tank, then use only the filter sand. Aquatic plants don't need substrate fertilizing anyway, although they may do a bit better with it. You can do well enough just by fertilizing the water. Then, when you move, the sand will have been so cheap, leaving it behind won't seem wasteful.


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## kirkp

That sounds good to me 

Although instead of pool filter sand I think I am going to get Colorquartz. But still a lot cheaper, I believe I can get some in Denver for $18 per 50 pound bag. I might also get root tabs especially if I order anything else from a online store that has them.

Thank you for the help


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## Pitt420dude

Have you thought about using Turface MVP or Soilmaster Select?

You can get them at www.lesco.com for about $15 for 50lbs. They look great, have the best nutrient retention quality (CEC value) and are dirt cheap, <--no pun intended.


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## greenthumb

Call an aggregate or gravel supplier and ask about 'black beauty.' It's made from crushed anthracite coal after it has been burned. Appearance is jet black and shiny. Looked at it under a microscope and the particles are rounded, not sharp glass edges. The bags are 60 or 80# and should be about $15. Wash it good before you use it to get out the fines and powder. You could use the black beauty along with the Flourite. 

I've used it as a substrate with top soil, laterite and peat in a 55 gal. tank with amazon swords. The black beauty will compact some after a year or so. If you are wondering if it ok with fish, the tank had over 300 cardinals and cory's. Sometime I will post more about the tank.


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## Newt

You will need to be careful when refering to 'Black Beauty' as this is a very common sand blasting media that is not OK for fish tanks. It is aluminum oxide and can be contaminated with lots of nasty stuff and has sharp edges.


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## hoppycalif

Newt said:


> You will need to be careful when refering to 'Black Beauty' as this is a vey common sand blasting media that is not OK for fish tanks.. It is aluminum oxide and can be contaminated with lots of nasty stuff and has sharp edges.


That was my experience too. I killed several cory cats using that stuff. I did like the appearance, but not the effects on fish.


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## lauraleellbp

oops double post!


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## lauraleellbp

I mixed mine with Colorquartz for my 90gal; here's a pic of all my substrate (175lbs total = 3-4" substrate for a 48x18" AGA 90gal tank)

From left to right; 31 lb of Fluorite, 62 lb of Fluorite sand, 50 lb of Colorquartz T grade, 30 lb of AquaPebbles gravel









If I had it to do over again I'd just use the Fluorite black and mix it with CQ.

Here's the black sand up close:


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## hoppycalif

Laura, have you seen any problems caused by the very fine particles in the Flourite black sand? I know it is said that too fine a sand will pack down and cause problems, but does this do that? I haven't seen it with mine.


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## lauraleellbp

I literally just filled the tank and started planting tonight, so it's too soon for me to say?

I'm going to have mostly swords in this tank so I don't anticipate being able to do much replanting if I wanted to...

I am slightly worried about H2S, though.

On a sidenote- drying out all the substrate before planting made a BIG difference in how cloudy Fluorite usually makes the water when planting- here's a pic taken immediately after filling the tank with water and planting- I didn't have to wait at ALL!!


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## kirkp

I looked at the lesco products, but I want something thats sandy, not dirt. I like the idea of mixing the flourite with the CQ  let us know how it goes!


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## lauraleellbp

I really like the mix!

I like the regular Fluorite black best, however; if I had it to do all over I'd just use that mixed with CQ.


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## fishman9809

I will be getting black flourite for my 20 long, it looks Great!!!!!


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## kirkp

Is it the flourite black sand or just regular flourite?


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## fishman9809

Well, there is regular flourite, red flourite, flourite black, and flourite black sand


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## kirkp

I didn't word it well, I which one did Laura prefer but I just noticed she said "regular."


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## lauraleellbp

Yep I like the regular better, I'm not sure how well the water will circulate through the black sand (I'm glad I mixed it with the CQ and hopefully that will help since the grain size is larger...) I'll post an updated pic of my tank with the regular (I put it on top of the sand/CQ mixture) later tonight after I steal my hubby's digital camera LOL


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## lauraleellbp

OK here's the grain size of the Fluorite black compared to _Didiplis diandria_ and some _E. angustifolius_


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## angel_saza

If Flourite black sand is going to compact down, would mixing it with Flourite black prevent it from compacting as much? 

I only need two bags for my tank and after reading this thread, a bag of each might be the way to go.. thoughts??


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