# Low LIght Substrate dallas area



## equinecpa (Feb 13, 2005)

I live in Gainesville, TX and am starting up a 30 gallon cube. This will be a low light tank. I plan on hardy stuff like anubias, java fern, maybe a lotus for red...

I went looking for substrate yesterday and came up empty handed. I'll go for white, grey or charcoal colored substrate - I do not like the red hued substrate. 

I'm considering pool filter sand, 3M colorquartz or turface right now. Anyone know where I can get any of these in the Dallas area (preferably Frisco, McKinney or Denton)? Or do you have another recommendation. I'd love to start working on this tank...but without a substrate I'm not going anywhere!

Thanks

Carolyn


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## jaidexl (Jan 20, 2007)

For pool filter sand, call some swimming pool supply stores in the phone book. For some nutrient tips, ask the low light/low tech folks here, they have some tricks you might want to try for providing longer term nutrients on a budget, might change your plans a bit.

For Turface, find your local Lesco on Lesco.com, check their inventory and perhaps order one unit online to be picked up locally.


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## supersmirky (Oct 22, 2008)

You can SMS which comes in charcoal at any lesco or tractor supply...very reasonable cost.

For Color quartz you can check pool tile places. I know one in Dallas, but not in your area.

If you are interested in the dallas one they are at:

National Pool Tile Group 
2819 Blystone Lane 
Dallas, TX 75220 
ph: (214) 366-4009 
fx: (214) 366-4022


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## supersmirky (Oct 22, 2008)

Oh yeah..you can also go to their website to see if there are any close

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/ColorQuartz/HomePage/Products/Buy/


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## equinecpa (Feb 13, 2005)

Thanks for all the quick replies. I think I'd like to try the SMS but am having a problem with the Lesco site. Does anyone know what the product # is, so I can try calling to find it. Do you happen to know of a Lesco or Tractor Supply that has the stuff in stock? I appreciate your help!


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## jaidexl (Jan 20, 2007)

I can't get on their site right now, but I think the navigation through their drop down list is seed>mulch>soil amendment>clay. Then there's a small list of products, they carry Turface Pro League Grey in place of SMS charcoal now, it's virtually identical.


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## equinecpa (Feb 13, 2005)

OK I'm overthinking this. I called around I can find the Turface Allsports which is the buff colored one. Anyone have pics of that in their tanks?

I'm thinking I might like the look of plain ole pool filter sand better. Is it a pain to clean? Does it get algae covered and icky looking quickly? Seems many use black substrate but I looked at a the ADA photo contests and lots of the best aquascapes used white...

Thoughts appreciated!

Thansk


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## supersmirky (Oct 22, 2008)

The thing with white substrate is all the poo, etc will show very easily.

Pool filter sand can sometimes be too fine and create a film on your filters, aquarium, etc. If wanting to go with the sand look, I would go the route of sandblasting sand


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## jaidexl (Jan 20, 2007)

Are you sure you don't mean play sand? I've never seen pool filter sand with a small grain, or a pool filter that can handle that.


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## supersmirky (Oct 22, 2008)

Depends where you get the pool sand. I picked some up at Home Depot and the stuff was much smaller grain than regular pool sand. The bag didn't say the size however it put a fine film on everything I had. Maybe I just got a bad bag or something...I rinsed the crap out of it though


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## jaidexl (Jan 20, 2007)

Ah, I see. HD is probably carrying something different the stuff I'm used to seeing at the pool supply stores.


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## MacFan (Jul 30, 2006)

Go here: http://www.clemtex.com/ and get a back of their Black Beauty sand blasting sand. It's wonderful stuff, and cheap! It's got iron in it, but I don't know if it's available to the plants or not. I've been using it in small tanks with good results and just replaced the substrate in two of my larger tanks with it. Visit my blog vis the link in my signature for pictures of tanks I just redid with it.

Clemtex carries three sizes: #6 super fine, really too fine in my opinion, but the fish store owner I learned about it from uses this size. #4 is close to sand, and #3 is closer to gravel. It's $13 for 100lb bag.

Michael


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## equinecpa (Feb 13, 2005)

I'd love to get the Turface Pro Gray -but can't seem to find any Lesco with it in stock -does anyone happen to know of any Lesco's with it available? Their site is very aggravating and 1/2 the time it comes back with errors....

Thanks


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## jaidexl (Jan 20, 2007)

If you purchase one unit on the site, it should automatically give you the option for local pickup, then they will send it to the closest Lesco in your area. The people there will act funny for receiving only one bag rather than a pallet, but that's how we were all doing it with SMS a year or so ago.

There are other places that carry it, you just have to finsd a way to get one bag, most places want to sell the stuff by the pallet. My local John Deer equipment rental place has Turface grey but won't sell me just one bag.


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## supersmirky (Oct 22, 2008)

As Jaidexl states, they do act funny about getting only one item, but they CAN do it. 

Some of the ones I called were less than thrilled with the one item transfer but they still did it.


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## equinecpa (Feb 13, 2005)

I couldn't get the website to take an order for one bag - came back check availability. But I did find SMS Charcoal still available at the Plan John Deere Landscape so I snagged a bag. For those interested I believe they still have some....just $15.00 and change.


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