# Diff Btw Play sand and Black sand



## Nick G (Jul 15, 2007)

so i changed my tank, and saw an awesome transformation in my fish, i had to share it...

This was when i decided to switch cus the plants were dying, and i didnt like the play sand.
View attachment 159836

this is what my RBP (benjamin Franklin) looked like:
View attachment 159837

took out the sand and plants
View attachment 159835

Put in Black sand:
View attachment 159834

and now benny looks like this:
View attachment 159838

i think its a cool change
(mods if this shouldnt be in here, sorry i couldnt decide if here or picture section was appropriate)
and this last one, is just the tank without sand

what do you guys think?


----------



## Nevermind (Aug 16, 2007)

Definately looks better with black sand. His eyes even seem more red with the black sand.


----------



## Nick G (Jul 15, 2007)

Nevermind said:


> Definately looks better with black sand. His eyes even seem more red with the black sand.


yeah dude, im sold on the black sand.
fo sho


----------



## Piranha Dan (Nov 11, 2007)

That looks awesome. You're not the only one who's officially sold on that stuff, that made up my mind right there.


----------



## -NBKK- (Jun 22, 2007)

Awesome post Nick !









It made that red look Bad ass compared to the white sand. How long did it take him with the new sand to shade over like that ?


----------



## Nick G (Jul 15, 2007)

thanks guys..... nbkk, it took about 4 days. QUICK.
i mean, he got dark immediately, within 24 hrs i could see his teeth like, pronounced. but within 4 days he began to get really dark with the yellow scales on him.
you know whats awesome about the black sand. when i used to fill the tank for water changes with the play sand, the force of the water would make a hole in the sand, and after wards, i would just fill it back in. 
the black sand doesnt do that. 
i mean, its not that big of a deal to just fill in the hole, just something i noticed.


----------



## burton12387 (Jun 17, 2004)

tank def. looks better with the black sand


----------



## jacks (Aug 6, 2007)

Nick g said:


> so i changed my tank, and saw an awesome transformation in my fish, i had to share it...
> 
> This was when i decided to switch cus the plants were dying, and i didnt like the play sand.
> View attachment 159836
> ...


i think the black looks very cool, i gonna buy some, tank looks really good fair play to ya


----------



## Nick G (Jul 15, 2007)

thanks guys.
yeah i had to show this cus i always thought it looked cool (black sand), then i had proof and had to present it


----------



## fishguy1313 (Feb 19, 2007)

I just set up a 40 gallon with playsand. Wish I would of got black.


----------



## Nick G (Jul 15, 2007)

yeah i just put black sand in my other solo ps tank (snack attack)
waiting for it to settle.
im psyched.

yeah i just put black sand in my other solo ps tank (snack attack)
waiting for it to settle.
im psyched.


----------



## boiler149 (Oct 31, 2007)

dang thats tyte


----------



## cantdrive55 (Jan 3, 2008)

Makes me glad I went with the black...


----------



## KangolBrand (Jul 15, 2004)

only thing bad about black is it shows their sh*t and food alot.


----------



## AJerman (Nov 7, 2007)

You're killing me here! I really want to do black sand, but the cheapest I'm going to fill my aquarium with it for is $110, and that's a bargain with cheap shipping! I just don't think it's gonna happen. As good as it looks, I can't imagine it's $100 worth of good. I'm gonna have to go with plain old white sand.


----------



## Nick G (Jul 15, 2007)

AJerman said:


> You're killing me here! I really want to do black sand, but the cheapest I'm going to fill my aquarium with it for is $110, and that's a bargain with cheap shipping! I just don't think it's gonna happen. As good as it looks, I can't imagine it's $100 worth of good. I'm gonna have to go with plain old white sand.


yeah, see the two tanks i have it with are a 40 and a 30, so one 20lb (20$) bag (each) was sufficient. 
i could go with more, but im not about havin a really thick substrate. Just enough to get over the bottom ridge.
my friend on here (bong taco) covered his 55 gal with one bag, but it was thin.
guess thats one (of the very very few) drawback to having that big of a tank.


----------



## AJerman (Nov 7, 2007)

Nick g said:


> You're killing me here! I really want to do black sand, but the cheapest I'm going to fill my aquarium with it for is $110, and that's a bargain with cheap shipping! I just don't think it's gonna happen. As good as it looks, I can't imagine it's $100 worth of good. I'm gonna have to go with plain old white sand.


yeah, see the two tanks i have it with are a 40 and a 30, so one 20lb (20$) bag (each) was sufficient. 
i could go with more, but im not about havin a really thick substrate. Just enough to get over the bottom ridge.
my friend on here (bong taco) covered his 55 gal with one bag, but it was thin.
guess thats one (of the very very few) drawback to having that big of a tank.
[/quote]

Exactly, I have a smaller tank that I might do some black in someday, but with my tank I'm looking at about 100 pounds of sand, and with no one here selling it, shipping is usually $50 or more (except from drsfostersmith.com where the actual price is more and the shipping is less). I do like the sand more than gravel though, so I guess I'll just grab a couple of cheap 50lb bags of play sand and be done.


----------



## Nick G (Jul 15, 2007)

if there is any way you can get your hands on pool filter sand, it looks a lot better. i think it may be more expensive than play sand, but im willing to bet its a ton cheaper than black sand and it looks better because its homogenious. play sand no matter how much you clean it, still looks grainy, and it scatters easy. 
i was going to try it, and still might in my 55.
dunno, just my 2 cents.


----------



## AJerman (Nov 7, 2007)

I'd like to try to, but I doubt it. I'm not in a big pool area, and it's the middle of winter, haha.


----------



## Nick G (Jul 15, 2007)

oh yeah.... hahaha... forgot its winter.
and i guess im just used to jersey where u can get anything any time.


----------



## TeethKeeper (Jan 16, 2008)

Nick g said:


> oh yeah.... hahaha... forgot its winter.
> and i guess im just used to jersey where u can get anything any time.


I put 11 bags of black moon in my 55 and I don't think there is any thing out there that looks better IMO I started my pygos in it and then it was home to my 8'' Gspilo and his color was awsome. The moon isn't cheap but if you want a sand substrate that doesn't F up your equipment or your fish it's the sh!# having to wait to save the money is well worth it in the long run if you like the looks of a blacked out tank just my 2cents!


----------



## Dezboy (Apr 2, 2006)

yup love the black sand NG................


----------



## Nick G (Jul 15, 2007)

yeah man, i got it in snack attacks tank now too. 
he is turning a little slower than benny did.
but turning black none the less.
he also loves having a substrate as well, instead of barebottom.


----------



## Dezboy (Apr 2, 2006)

i love it when the reds get huge and have the really black bodies


----------



## midnightmadman (Dec 13, 2007)

Dezboy said:


> i love it when the reds get huge and have the really black bodies


What about black gravel? Does anyone have some pics of that?


----------

