# can i use sand blasting sand???



## Curley (Aug 4, 2004)

i would have put this question in the sand topic... but i thought it would get a quicker response if I make a new topic because I have fish tank sh!t everywhere in the house.... and have my girl coming home soon







...lol.... i gotta get this tank back together...wipe all the water up... and clean up all this stuff.... i have sand blasting sand and its being washed as i write, but I was not sure after reading the sand forum... thanks and much appreciated....

J


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## deezdrama (Jul 9, 2005)

i would be scared to use the black sand blasting sand because I think it contains iron and/or other metals


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## mbierzyc (May 10, 2005)

I use white sand blasting sane from home depot, works just fine.


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## Curley (Aug 4, 2004)

cool fellas.....thanks .... it just plain looking sand and how many times should i wash it.... it wshed each batch lik 3-4 times and it still look like a light color... will it settle in the tanks ?


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## Susp3nc3 (Jan 27, 2005)

tons of people use sand blasting sand. "silica sand" right? Anyway..just wash it a bunch...dump your sand in...then fill up your tank like 3 inches...then get a plate and poor water over the plate so it spreads out evenly untill the tank is like a quarter full then just let the water go in till its full. Should settle semi fast.


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## deezdrama (Jul 9, 2005)

the black kind is made of silica???


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## deezdrama (Jul 9, 2005)

I just read that the white sandblasting sand is made of quartz so yeah it would be safe


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## Susp3nc3 (Jan 27, 2005)

who said anything about black sand..all he said was sand blasting sand...which is the silica sand from home depot


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## Susp3nc3 (Jan 27, 2005)

which is white sand


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## jamesdelanoche (Dec 15, 2004)

one of my lfs's sells that stuff for 79 cents a pound, huge rip off. It says "abbrasive" right on it, so you could probably find it at a hardware store for 10 bucks for 50 lbs or somethin.


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## Susp3nc3 (Jan 27, 2005)

yea its cheap at home depot...50 pound bag for like 4 bucks..just ask for silica sand blasting sand by quickcrete or whatever the brand is


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## CraigStables (Oct 5, 2003)

one thing I would be careful of is that sand blasting sand is very small and VERY sharp. This is why it does its primary job so well.

It would be fine as a normal substrate, but if it is kicked up and even a small amount taken in I wouldnt be too sure how safe it would be!


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## Susp3nc3 (Jan 27, 2005)

when i was looking for new sand...about 50 members on here told me to get the sand blasting sand from home depot..and they all used it..so im pretty sure its safe...


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## Curley (Aug 4, 2004)

hey thanks everybody.... i got it in and it seems to be calm...plants are in and the diy background... so far pretty sweet looken, but u never know... hoepfully nature will take its course and create the enviroment i want.... the sand blasting sand was cheap it was 750 for 100lbs. at a construction store... i did the pillow case wash and the bucket wash.. i reccomend the pillow case wash... a lot quicker and cleaner... thanks again and i post some pics once its done.....

J


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## deezdrama (Jul 9, 2005)

Heres a pic of sand under microscope....
reg. sand
View attachment 77460

sandblast sand
View attachment 77459


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## xneon (Sep 18, 2005)

deezdrama said:


> Heres a pic of sand under microscope....
> reg. sand
> View attachment 77460
> 
> ...


good job on the investigation deez ...u convinced me that i would never use it.


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## Winkyee (Feb 17, 2003)

It's iron slag or coal slag and is much to sharp to use safely .
Buy the good stuff or pick something else, your fish deserve it. 
I find black sand to show too much trash...


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