# Mineralized soil capped by Play sand



## cheddar254 (May 11, 2010)

Hi everyone,

I am going to be re-doing my 94 gallon tank soon and am going to be using mineralized soil as the capped substrate, but i was wondering if i could cap it with play sand? do plants grow well in play sand? because im scared their roots wont be able to penetrate it as it becomes quite compact? I was thinking of pool filter sand aswell because its a bit larger? and suggestions on caps ? 

thanks


----------



## NeonFlux (May 15, 2008)

Hmm, I have never attempted using playsand as MS cap, but I think it should work out fine.


----------



## Reginald2 (Feb 8, 2009)

I tried capping regular dirt with sand once. It didn't really work out well for me. Whenever I moved something or disturbed the sand, dirt would get on top and make it look kind of meh. It bothered me so much I ended up getting something else to cap it with. 

So technically it worked fine, but I didn't like seeing my pristine sand mucked up with dirt.


----------



## Supercoley1 (May 28, 2007)

See this thread. I have replied lower down r.e. playsand etc.albeit with clay under and not MS

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/72545-aesthetics-vs-anaerobic-subtrate-2.html

AC


----------



## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Another choice is Black Diamond. It's available at TSC (Tractor Supply Company) here in TX. It's cheap. For the bag in the px it was $10. If you don't have TSC in your area you could call the number on the bag and see where it's available.









Here's what it looks like in a tank. There is mineralized soil in this tank, capped by the Black Diamond Also, I have cories in with it and they are fine.


----------



## Supercoley1 (May 28, 2007)

Is black diamond not Leonardite? Wouldn't putting such quantities in as a cap cause problems with the water hardness with it being carbon??

I do have Leonardite at the bottom of my substrate underneath clay but I am talking a 1/4 inch layer at the very bottom.

AC


----------



## bosmahe1 (May 14, 2005)

subscribed


----------



## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

I don't know what Leonardite is. I phoned the company to find out what this product was. People had been saying that it would leach this and that. I know that this is an inert substance. It causes no problems. I have it in two tanks. One tank is a CRS tank. The other is a betta tank. Plants do well.

I'm not sure what you mean by "such quantities". You can use what ever amount you want as a cap. I have my soil under this product. I have a border all around the edges of the tank where there is only the Black diamond. The soil is about 1/2 inch back from all the edges. That way you don't see the layers. I have no problems whatsoever with this product. There are several others in our plant club that have used this product in their entire tank. One in particular, has it for his Discus tank. He has raised some in there as well. It's completely inert. There are no hardness issues. I don't exactly remember but I think it's what's left over AFTER the coal is burned.


----------



## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Black Diamond = Leonardite?!?! I doubt it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonardite Black Diamond is basically coal slag (left-over grit from burning coal). It's like ashes, only great at sand-blasting.

Even if so, based on the wiki, Leonardite seems as though it absorbs, or immobilizes, heavy metals. Probably no different than using filter carbon as a substrate.

Oh, and playground sand does make a good cap for MS or clay, if you like the light color. I prefer a darker substrate, but I do have a tank with a playground sand cap over soil.


----------



## Supercoley1 (May 28, 2007)

I wasn't implying a problem I was asking 

Maybe it is a different product. Isee from looking through where I first heard that the Leonardite is actually 'branded' as 'diamond black' and not 'black diamond' and therefore it may be a different product altogether 

What I meant by 'such quantities' is using it as a full cap rather than just a small thin layer within the substrate.

Not suggesting it would be a problem. Was just asking if it could be 

AC


----------



## aman74 (Nov 13, 2006)

davemonkey said:


> Even if so, based on the wiki, Leonardite seems as though it absorbs, or immobilizes, heavy metals. Probably no different than using filter carbon as a substrate.


It would be much different. It's mainly used in aquariums to supply carbon.


----------



## bosmahe1 (May 14, 2005)

Tex Gal said:


> I don't know what Leonardite is. I phoned the company to find out what this product was. People had been saying that it would leach this and that. I know that this is an inert substance. It causes no problems. I have it in two tanks. One tank is a CRS tank. The other is a betta tank. Plants do well.
> 
> I'm not sure what you mean by "such quantities". You can use what ever amount you want as a cap. I have my soil under this product. I have a border all around the edges of the tank where there is only the Black diamond. The soil is about 1/2 inch back from all the edges. That way you don't see the layers. I have no problems whatsoever with this product. There are several others in our plant club that have used this product in their entire tank. One in particular, has it for his Discus tank. He has raised some in there as well. It's completely inert. There are no hardness issues. I don't exactly remember but I think it's what's left over AFTER the coal is burned.


Wow Tex Gal, this sounds to good to be true. There is a Tractor Supply almost across the street from me and I see the Black Diamond stacked up at the front door all of the time. I look at it and am so tempted. Does it really work as the complete substrate? It doesn't feel to rough?


----------



## aman74 (Nov 13, 2006)

bosmahe1 said:


> Wow Tex Gal, this sounds to good to be true. There is a Tractor Supply almost across the street from me and I see the Black Diamond stacked up at the front door all of the time. I look at it and am so tempted. Does it really work as the complete substrate? It doesn't feel to rough?


What do you mean by complete substrate? It's inert and doesn't provide nutrients. Maybe it has a high CEC factor, if so it would work like Flourite, etc...

Not sure if it's rough, but it's sharp. Many people report it cuts your hands up and that it's hard on cory's etc.. It's also been reported that it rips up your fish's internals, but I've not seen the link reporting direct evidence of that.

Other's report success.


----------



## potatoes (Jun 25, 2010)

If you are worried about play sand you can always use pool filter sand. I just got a 50lb bag from a local pool supply store today for 10$. I have seen that many people on this site use it with great results


----------



## bosmahe1 (May 14, 2005)

aman74 said:


> What do you mean by complete substrate? It's inert and doesn't provide nutrients. Maybe it has a high CEC factor, if so it would work like Flourite, etc...
> 
> Not sure if it's rough, but it's sharp. Many people report it cuts your hands up and that it's hard on cory's etc.. It's also been reported that it rips up your fish's internals, but I've not seen the link reporting direct evidence of that.
> 
> Other's report success.


Yeah "complete" was an ambigious term. What I meant to say was using it as a substrate, minus the dirt. I would be interested in how it does with just fert tabs and EI dosing in the water column.

I've read about it being sharp so, I've never thought about using it but, Tex Gal just suggested that it isn't sharp and some members of her plant club use it as a substrate without dirt. If this were the case, I'd love a cheap black substrate.


----------



## Cichlid Junkie (Mar 25, 2005)

I just washed up a 50lb bag of the Black Diamond last night mixed with 25-30lbs of PFS to put in my 75 gallon NPT. I also put the Black Diamond in another tank last weekend with no adverse effect. There is a write up on it over at plantedtank.net

They say on the bag that it is washed, but you will need to wash it. I don't think it ever comes clean, but you can get most of the dust off.

You can't beat 50lbs of sand for $8!


----------

