Loaches Online Forum

Hello Everyone.

Which, in your opinion, is the safest pool filter sand for a freshwater aquarium?

I’ve been looking up popular brands for aquariums and I’m discovering that Fairmount Minerals (Santrol) is a safe, number one choice. Do you agree?

Thanks.

Fran

Most pool sand is from fairly local sources, I don't think brand matters. It's screened for size, #20 is the "usual" but I have seen 1 & 0, both were finer. I liked the pale tan color of the 1 rather than the more common white. The 0 seemed too fine to me.

Just want to be sure I don’t get sand that has any additives or anything. I’d probably opt for the bigger grains.

My paver sand is beautiful, I really need to post some pictures of my new 125 which is coming along nicely.

No, pool sand is pretty clean, no additives (a light rinse is good to get rid of any dust but NOTHING like dirty, unscreened "play sand" I tried only once, yuck!). & the difference between 20 "grade" & #1 is not quite what it sounds, I think they are 2 different measurements. I "think" it might be English vs metric, maybe 1/20 inch vs 1mm but I'm not sure. I had no issues with #1...after a couple water changes. IME "paver sand" is very fine but a better color.

If you go to a pool supply place, it's likely to be 20 grade. That's what we had in our swimming pool sand filter...but I vastly preferred the tan color. If color matters to you, you might call around & ask (they will think you're weird, but so what?)...but I even looked on far road trips for not white sand, but no. It was in a small independent pet supply that I found the tan sand at about the same price as pool supply ~$10/50lbs a few years ago, it was also very clean! It may not carry it any more or even be in business but it was, IIRC, not too far from Pawtucket, RI in MA. Just a thought, lol.

Thanks, Nancy! I will see if that name is still around. I won’t get too caught up in the pool sand then, and I don’t mind beige color.

Here is a company that supplies dry, bagged sand to the local (California) masonry stores. I have no idea if they ship nationwide. Check your local masonry, rock yards, brick yards and so on for a similar product line. I have linked their 'specialty sand' page, which includes something they call Aquarium sand. It is almost a fine gravel. They package the sand in MANY sizes. Their product is more of the golden, not white color.
As you can see from the main uses of their products, you will find it in stores that sell to masons, landscapers and so on.
For a while I could get the 30 mesh (quite fine) at home depot near me. It will simply take a lot of looking around.

https://www.cemexusa.com/products-and-s ... alty-sands

Thanks, Diana!

Hello,

Looking for Swimming Pool Sand Filter, could anyone tell me the best brand for it...? I want Swimming Pool Sand Filter manufacturers, suppliers & exporters in the USA...

summer waves quick set pool

I did some research on what pool sand fishkeepers liked the best, so I ended up purchasing a product called Fairmount Minerals from Amazon though I believe it is available through some store retailers. It was costly but was relatively easy to clean and it’s not so fine that there’s dust everywhere. Dry it’s a soft white. When I was washing it in bucket, it turned light brown. When I poured it in tank under light, it became soft white again.

I used to love sand too but after having used it for a long time I would strongly advise against it and am never using it again.
It will create anaerobic spots which will harm bottom dwellers, even with rigorous siphoning. The best, and only option is soft rounded gravel 2 to 3mm in size.

So yes, I was told to beware of that so I used a very thin layer to avoid that. Hopefully the burrowing of the loaches will keep pockets at bay.

It can work, if you use no more as 1" for large loaches (clown, weather) and 1/2" for everything smaller as 4".
I still have a planted 100G with mostly sand, not looking forward to replace all that.

I have sand in all my tanks, in the largest one some 10 cm.

No problems, what so ever.

The sdand did come from a local contracftor, it was originally intended to build roads. That is, it is not well defined in any aspect. By now, more than 10 years later, the clay must have disappeared, so it is getting more and more well defined in that aspect. But grainsizes are still random