All you EVER wanted to know about Southdown

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not to beat a dead horse, but has anyone tested (vinegar or acid test) the old castle sand? I want to get some but want to make sure its the right stuff befoer i make a huge trek only to be disapointed.

Thanks

Scott
 
also spotted at the HD in Middletown NY. I just bought 500 pounds yesterday. They had a pallet left.
:) :fish1:
 
500 lbs is nothing! :D

Last year I drove down to Dallas from Oklahoma city to pick up 500 lbs.

Just yesterday, I picked up the last 400 lbs (8 bags) here in Tulsa. Came out to $23.14 after tax. Under $3 a bag, WOOHOO!
 
Sand in Houston TX area?

Sand in Houston TX area?

OK - I have called every Home Depot in Houston and even some other garden centers and hardware stores. Does anyone have the scoop for this in Houston area?

I need to purchase some this weekend as I am converting and building a sump.

Thanks,

Ron Long
ronlong@pobox.com
 
mb3210 - It would cost about $12 to ship 50lbs of Southdown from where I am (Maybrook, NY to you) via UPS Ground. The Southdown at my local Home Depot is $4.99 a bag. I could probably to ship you a couple bags if you don't find any, it would only cost you about $30.

There like NOBODY where I live on this board, and our local HD is TRIPPING over Southdown. Such a shame :o
 
Really?

Really?

Give me a few days to look around and if I have no luck I would definitely like to take you up on that offer. How is it that you could ship it so cheap?
 
SD Sand

SD Sand

Has anyone heard anything about the following quote that I found on a website??? With so many people using the sand, I figured it can't be true, but i am curious.

Southdown Manufacturer Warning - Here is what the representative from Southdown made a point to say that he has been hearing that people have been adding there sand in salt water aquarium and that we should be informed to how the sand is collected and transported and stored. Southdown will scoop the sand with machinery and dump tons and tons in dump trucks then transport and dump the sand in large outside storage bins. Warning!!!!!! As we all know how fine this sand is he told me that as they dump the sand in the bins they will spray a liquid oily lubricant on the sand to keep the dust (sand) from flying which can be very hazardous if the sand is not washed prior to adding any animal life. Another reason to wash your sand thoroughly is Southdown is not only a sand manufacture they also manufacture different typed of gravel and rocks like slate, marble, lava rock, etc. The rock is stored in the same bins as the Southdown sand which means that other rubble is packaged with Southdown sand.
 
Warning!!!!!! As we all know how fine this sand is he told me that as they dump the sand in the bins they will spray a liquid oily lubricant on the sand to keep the dust (sand) from flying which can be very hazardous if the sand is not washed prior to adding any animal life.
Click to expand...
Something don't make sense here. SD is a playsand, meaning that it is intended for children to have fun with it. Kids will no doubt bury themselves, throw it at each other, it'll get in their eyes & mouth. No where does it say to wash it before letting my kids play in it. Just doesn't add up. --Rob--
 
There's always something

There's always something

Why can't everyone just accept the fact that the aquarist found a cheap and effective sand for use in aquariams? I never rinse my SD and have no problems. It's a C-O-N----spiracy:bum: :) :rollface:
 
I'm new to this an am setting up 120 Gal tank. I've done a lot of research and have probably got $4000 invested before LR or any livestock. Can someone explain to me why I should try to save a couple hundred on sand from HD? Is SD better than caribsea? is it identical but cheaper? Is it just that it is somewhat hard to find that makes it so attractive? Thanks
 
What ever you do, DON'T wash your Southdown. One of the biggest advantages of Southdown is that it has some very fine particles of sand. It is indeed the fact that it has these smaller particles of sand that help make it and ideal substrate for a DSB.

I can't convince you why you should try to save a couple of hundred dollars if you already have your mind made up. My argument all along for Southdown was that I can always use a couple of hundred dollars to put towards better lights, better skimmer, calcium reactor....... But now I have another reason.

The 3 Main arguments against SD are
1) it has been stored with other aggregate
2) it has been carried in trucks that may have carried rubish or stored with fertilizers
3) it has been sprayed with oil.

3) First let me say If it is safe for kids, then its safe for animals.
2)Next let me say If it does have other aggregates in it... So what? Some people use most of the aggregates listed in the SW tanks with no problems.
1)If it is stored or comes in contact with fertilizer who cares. What is fertilizer, Nitrate, phosphate, Things that are used in a cycle anyway.

Now if you really want to spend your money and buy the commercially available aquarium sand so that you don't risk your 4000$, even though MANY people are successfully using SD then that's fine. If you are going to worry about stuff like the sand you better hope that you never buy a coral that Has a pest on it. What if you get RTN after your tank is stocked? what about if your heater breaks and you don't notice it? There are MANY things that can go wrong with a tank even if you spend all the money in the world. With all the people that use SD successfully there is no reason to suspect that it will be the cause of the down fall of your tank. I would be worried about many many many other things first. But in the end it comes down to the fact that its your money, your tank. If for some reason it makes you sleep better to spend more money on your tank than is needed then by all means do what you got to do.
 
I didn't mean to imply I am not concerned about my money just wondered as a newbie what is the best thing to do. I realize that just because something is more expensive it isn't necessarily better. It's jsut that this is a one time expense and I hate to be pound wise and penny foolish as my grandmother used to say. I guess 20,000 reefers can't be wrong!
 
I appologize if i came across as hard nosed. I just hate to see people (IMO ) waste money on things because the LFS said so. I have spent thousands of un needed $$$ listening to the LFS when i first got involved in the hobby and don't want to see others spend money when its not needed. I would highly recomend SD or similar if you can find it. I have had it in my tank for a bit over 2 years now and i have had no problems with it. As a matter of fact i am going to the states today to try to find some more. Again I appologize for being hars.
sorry
Scott
 
Ah stephane. I see you have finally crossed over to the dark side and joined the Pro SD camp:cool:

Did you have nay luck getting any? I remember you were kinda looking awhile ago

Scott
 
I have alway be in the camp of SD I have found 10 bag 2 years ago a friend of mind bring some frome new york they are in my main display for now more than one years

I have not found any yet for my new coral farm systeme I need
a lot of around 1000 pound of it and I realy dont want to pay for the caribe sea
 
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