# Blasting Sand? Play Sand? or what?



## springazure (Feb 8, 2012)

I joined this site a few yrs ago, but never post. I'm a devout lurker of this site and a few others. I purchased Diane Walstad book, and have admired Tom Barr's work. Here's the part that is making my brain ooze into jello....

What do I cap the dirt with?

Blasting sand.... too sharp for many fish and cause injury/death.
aragonite sand... does a serious number on ph
pet store gravels.... the color paint coating is toxic
sand... creates problems with the lower substrate
some sands are silicates that cause algae problems
and the list seems to go on and on and on

Clearly this will be a FRESHWATER tank. This local region is naturally HARD water, so I rather keep to natural parameters.

My problem seems to be that I really really want BLACK! Black sand? Black gravel? I don't care... I just want BLACK!

But black WHAT? What is a good general all-purpose option. Cheap would be nice, but... maybe my options are limited due to the color black?


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## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

The black blasting sand is cheap and it works fine. Don't worry. Be happy!


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## fraviz (Oct 24, 2012)

brucef said:


> the black blasting sand is cheap and it works fine. Don't worry. Be happy!


+1


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

If you have Tractor Supply stores in your area, they carry a blasting sand called Black Diamond that works well. This particular product is not sharp enough to cause problems.


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## Angie (Dec 4, 2005)

Is it easy to rinse? I would love to use some of this in my goldfish tank.


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## TAB (Feb 7, 2009)

Also remember it has diffrent sizes

Sent from my SGH-T599N using Tapatalk


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

By all reports, it is very dusty and requires a lot of rinsing.


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## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

I used some black coal slag last year but I don't recall rinsing it at all.


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## novianto.sutardi (Aug 10, 2010)

I think that I've got a response from Diana on this issue,

http://againstaquascapecommercialization.wordpress.com/2012/07/23/gravel-or-sand/


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## springazure (Feb 8, 2012)

Thank you everybody, for your replies (sorry for the delay). About coal slag Blasters Sand... it comes in different sizes? Which size should I consider?


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## TAB (Feb 7, 2009)

Fine. Really any thing under # 30 mesh is fine.

Sent from my SGH-T599N using Tapatalk


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## springazure (Feb 8, 2012)

Thank you.


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