# Black Beauty Coal Slag



## JeffLL (Oct 20, 2006)

I got the much anticipated delivery of coarse coal slag today. eace: 

It is absolutely scintillating! It ranges from 0.5 - 4 mm in size, is a dark grey approaching black like shards of obsidian, is very irregularly shaped and sparkles brilliantly. There is a small amount of other colored material, almost transparent green, like broken green glass. The particles that are closer in size to sand are flattish rhomboids. Who wants some? [smilie=q:


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

That stuff looks very good in a tank, but don't try to keep cory's with it. When I used it I killed several cory's by them damaging their mouths on the sharp bits of substrate, and cory's never stop digging in the substrate.


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

I use bb sand in my tanks, and I love it. Got it in with the killies and my discus show tank. I love the stuff and plan to add it to my new tank setups.

I think u will like the stuff more as time goes on, the black color really starts to grow on you


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

The sharp edges of some grains of the Black Beauty are a problem to consider. But actually there is a more serious issue with it:

The material is collected from different sites and noone can tell you what residual toxic chemicals your batch contains. It maybe perfectly safe or it maybe pretty bad - containing mercury and similar substances.

--Nikolay


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## JeffLL (Oct 20, 2006)

Niko, I will keep that in mind if my critters keep dying for no obvious reason. It is certainly worth considering. Mercifully for me I tend to keep inexpensive fish in my carniverous tank. It's all food to someone. 

By the time I figure out that something's wrong it will probably be time to tear down the tank anyway. It takes about two years until my palu needs more than a rinse. I will have to toss out the LECA ($20) and the rock wool ($15) and the five bucks of slag that cost $23 to ship.:-k 

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75g, 48x18x21"tall paludarium, fully wet:
2x32 W T-8 el cheapo 'sunlight' bulbs
Airspace = 9" 
Land = 18"w x 12"h (on the left) made of LECA, held back by a granite retaining wall
Water = 9 - 11" clear above substrate, fed by 'overland' river from a submersed sump pump (ViaAqua 1300) feeding a waterfall, no CO2
Substrates = 
1" black beauty coarse coal slag in front
3" rock wool in back, under 1/2" coal slag
Filter = 1" bio=balls under egg crate under fiberglass window screen

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If it tastes good eat it. If it makes you sick, try it again. It could have been a bad batch.


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