All you EVER wanted to know about Southdown
- Thread starter Grumpy Vet
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Grumpy Vet
Reefer
That is really interesting to note. Hopefully "Goby" could tell us some more information about who he got it from in FL. I know a lot of Floridians are looking for the stuff.
When I spoke to Southdown - they kept saying that they manufactured it. Perhaps the customer service person did not know the whole scoop or something else is out of whack.
I just would love to get to the bottom of this - get the straight story......ya know.....the unadulterated truth, the lowdown, the skinny on the enigma we call "Southdown".
This is just a guess - but knowing the chain distribution way of selling things in the U.S.
Comes from Carribean to Florida guy:
50% markup =$1.13
Florida guy to Southdown
50% markup =$1.7
Southdown to Home Depot
50% markup = $2.55
Home Depot to Reefer
50% markup = $3.84 a bag?....
Crazy.......
When I spoke to Southdown - they kept saying that they manufactured it. Perhaps the customer service person did not know the whole scoop or something else is out of whack.
I just would love to get to the bottom of this - get the straight story......ya know.....the unadulterated truth, the lowdown, the skinny on the enigma we call "Southdown".
This is just a guess - but knowing the chain distribution way of selling things in the U.S.
Comes from Carribean to Florida guy:
50% markup =$1.13
Florida guy to Southdown
50% markup =$1.7
Southdown to Home Depot
50% markup = $2.55
Home Depot to Reefer
50% markup = $3.84 a bag?....
Crazy.......
I have these additional notes regarding the SD sand:
DO NOT GET Yardright Select Multipurpose Play Sand. That is not the correct sand.
All of the sand is manufactured by SouthDown Inc. and only available in Home Depot stores from Eastern VA/ Baltimore MD, Philadelphia, PA through New York on the eastern seaboard.
The SKU is SKU#578819, but this may not be the correct type of sand given above.
It has been sighted in the following Home Depot stores:
Baltimore, MD
Germantown MD
Rockville, MD
Annapolis, MD
Ellicott City, MD
most other Wash DC metro area
Fredricksburg, VA
Springfield, VA
Fairfax, VA outside the D.C. beltway, on Merrifield Rd
Sterling, PA
Newton Square in Philadelphia, PA
Philadelphia, PA
Conshohocken, PA
Greenville, SC
Glasgow Home Depot, in Newark, DE
Newark, DE. In the People's Choice shopping center.
North Olmsted, OH
Cleveland, OH Area:
West Cleveland, OH
Macedonia, OH
Home Depot
6199 Wilson Mills Road
Highland Heights, Ohio
Patchogue, Long Island, NY on Sunrise Highway
Philipsburg NJ
Route 22 North (last exit in NJ going west on route 80) 1/2 mile up after exit on right
Burlington, NJ. On route 541 just off Interstate 295
Wallingford, CT
Waterford, CT
mgk
DO NOT GET Yardright Select Multipurpose Play Sand. That is not the correct sand.
All of the sand is manufactured by SouthDown Inc. and only available in Home Depot stores from Eastern VA/ Baltimore MD, Philadelphia, PA through New York on the eastern seaboard.
The SKU is SKU#578819, but this may not be the correct type of sand given above.
It has been sighted in the following Home Depot stores:
Baltimore, MD
Germantown MD
Rockville, MD
Annapolis, MD
Ellicott City, MD
most other Wash DC metro area
Fredricksburg, VA
Springfield, VA
Fairfax, VA outside the D.C. beltway, on Merrifield Rd
Sterling, PA
Newton Square in Philadelphia, PA
Philadelphia, PA
Conshohocken, PA
Greenville, SC
Glasgow Home Depot, in Newark, DE
Newark, DE. In the People's Choice shopping center.
North Olmsted, OH
Cleveland, OH Area:
West Cleveland, OH
Macedonia, OH
Home Depot
6199 Wilson Mills Road
Highland Heights, Ohio
Patchogue, Long Island, NY on Sunrise Highway
Philipsburg NJ
Route 22 North (last exit in NJ going west on route 80) 1/2 mile up after exit on right
Burlington, NJ. On route 541 just off Interstate 295
Wallingford, CT
Waterford, CT
mgk
Grumpy Vet
Reefer
.........and the mystery continues.....
MGK65 -
What do you base this on
While you are at it:
I believe you will find that Southdown puts their product in more than one kind of sack. Grumpy, get on the phone and put this one to bed for us will ya?
What do you base this on
While you are at it:
Just how does one go about manufacturing sand?? Isn't that something left to good ol' mother nature?
I believe you will find that Southdown puts their product in more than one kind of sack. Grumpy, get on the phone and put this one to bed for us will ya?
Last edited:
Mako
You will notice that I said do not get Yardright Multipurpose Play Sand. The Multipurpose is not CaCO3 (calcium carbonate) sand, it is a silca sand like Quickrete.
There are actually three bag types.
1) The Blue with red lettering:
- Southdown Tropical Play Sand From the Carribean
2) Dark Blue with white or clear lettering:
- Yardright Select Tropical Play Sand from the Carribean
3) Light Blue with white or clear lettering:
- Yardright Select Tropical Play Sand from the Carribean
I do have pictures of all three of these, but don't have time to post them all again. Anyway, numbers 1 and 2 are shown above in this thread, and #3 looks just like #2, but light blue instead of dark blue.
Harmph.
mgk
mgk
You will notice that I said do not get Yardright Multipurpose Play Sand. The Multipurpose is not CaCO3 (calcium carbonate) sand, it is a silca sand like Quickrete.
There are actually three bag types.
1) The Blue with red lettering:
- Southdown Tropical Play Sand From the Carribean
2) Dark Blue with white or clear lettering:
- Yardright Select Tropical Play Sand from the Carribean
3) Light Blue with white or clear lettering:
- Yardright Select Tropical Play Sand from the Carribean
I do have pictures of all three of these, but don't have time to post them all again. Anyway, numbers 1 and 2 are shown above in this thread, and #3 looks just like #2, but light blue instead of dark blue.
Harmph.
mgk
mgk
Grumpy Vet
Reefer
Looks like we have two tangs in the same tank....No way am I getting in the middle of this -
I do have additional information available. I followed the ever so loquacious TAC and did some digging....and I think we have some good information. Nice memory TAC.
What is listed below comes from goby on the ReefCentral boards over a year ago. When you see first person - it is him speaking - not Grumpy. I just cut and pasted a bunch of threads together so it made sense even out of context. Then I just looked up a few addresses....and you now have the information of the company that sells the sand to Southdown who sells it to HomeDepot who sells it to Northeastern Reefers.
_____________________________
This sand is shipped to southdown from Marcona Ocean Industries which is out of Ft. Pierce Florida. They sell to both Southdown, AND Carib-Sea. (they also sell to Martin Marrieta in jacksonville, among others). Marcona Ocean Industries, the company that mines the stuff, does so in the carribean, and has a special agreement with carib-sea. They have a sort of "noncompete" agreement that says that they will not sell sand to anyone doing reefs. Kinda like panasonic selling its 36" pc bulbs only to custom sealife. Same type deal. anyways, marcona sells to Southdown, Inc. and I am sure that they have told Southdown what the scoop is. (and Southdown probably told HD).
How do I know this? I spent ALOT of time researching it last year, and actually talked to the plant manager at Marcona. Nice guy, I talked to him for a while, and he eventually asked what it was for.,.. I said...."uh.... not for fishtanks???" and he said "right answer" and then proceded to tell me all this stuff. The one thing that he did warn about was to NEVER EVER mention that you would be using it for aquarium use. Glad I had been thru this already with panasonic trying to get cheap PCs.
Thread
I contacted Marcona, and the deal is that they usually only sell in bulk. What is bulk you may ask? 100tons. I have worked out a deal with the plant supervisor at marcona to get a truckload (pickup truck - about 1 ton) of oolithic sand (washed dried and sifted) for about $20.00 I have also worked it out to get a truckload from jacksonville of the non strained variety (full of shells and stuff).
All of this comes from a cay in the bahamas where Marcona has a 24/7 mining operation and fills a boat that has a 3000ton/hr conveyer! (big boat) anyways, they WILL NOT SELL IT TO YOU if you even mention the words: fish, aquarium, tank, reef, saltwater, etc. They WILL sell it to you if you tell them its for your shrubs in your front yard and that you have used it before lots of times and that you are sure that this what you want. The key here is that you have to make a trip to either Ft. Pierce or Jacksonville, FL Monday - Friday 7am-4pm. Thats it, no alternatives. I am thinking about doing it soon, but have to take time off work... i will try and post here if i do get it, just to fill everyone in.
Give them a call - tell them you want it for your bushes. They will sell it to you.. but you have to shovel it yourself.. (the smallest front end loader they have carries 5 yards )
________________
Thanks to goby for all that work a year ago! Here is how to get in touch w/ Marcona
Marcona Ocean Industries
20 Avenue M
Fort Pierce, FL 34952
561-464-1836
4018 Retford Dr
Jacksonville, FL 32225
904-646-3595
There you go Southern Reefers - have at it. Appreciation for my dilligence, hardwork & effort can be sent in the form of frags.
GV
I do have additional information available. I followed the ever so loquacious TAC and did some digging....and I think we have some good information. Nice memory TAC.
What is listed below comes from goby on the ReefCentral boards over a year ago. When you see first person - it is him speaking - not Grumpy. I just cut and pasted a bunch of threads together so it made sense even out of context. Then I just looked up a few addresses....and you now have the information of the company that sells the sand to Southdown who sells it to HomeDepot who sells it to Northeastern Reefers.
_____________________________
This sand is shipped to southdown from Marcona Ocean Industries which is out of Ft. Pierce Florida. They sell to both Southdown, AND Carib-Sea. (they also sell to Martin Marrieta in jacksonville, among others). Marcona Ocean Industries, the company that mines the stuff, does so in the carribean, and has a special agreement with carib-sea. They have a sort of "noncompete" agreement that says that they will not sell sand to anyone doing reefs. Kinda like panasonic selling its 36" pc bulbs only to custom sealife. Same type deal. anyways, marcona sells to Southdown, Inc. and I am sure that they have told Southdown what the scoop is. (and Southdown probably told HD).
How do I know this? I spent ALOT of time researching it last year, and actually talked to the plant manager at Marcona. Nice guy, I talked to him for a while, and he eventually asked what it was for.,.. I said...."uh.... not for fishtanks???" and he said "right answer" and then proceded to tell me all this stuff. The one thing that he did warn about was to NEVER EVER mention that you would be using it for aquarium use. Glad I had been thru this already with panasonic trying to get cheap PCs.
Thread
I contacted Marcona, and the deal is that they usually only sell in bulk. What is bulk you may ask? 100tons. I have worked out a deal with the plant supervisor at marcona to get a truckload (pickup truck - about 1 ton) of oolithic sand (washed dried and sifted) for about $20.00 I have also worked it out to get a truckload from jacksonville of the non strained variety (full of shells and stuff).
All of this comes from a cay in the bahamas where Marcona has a 24/7 mining operation and fills a boat that has a 3000ton/hr conveyer! (big boat) anyways, they WILL NOT SELL IT TO YOU if you even mention the words: fish, aquarium, tank, reef, saltwater, etc. They WILL sell it to you if you tell them its for your shrubs in your front yard and that you have used it before lots of times and that you are sure that this what you want. The key here is that you have to make a trip to either Ft. Pierce or Jacksonville, FL Monday - Friday 7am-4pm. Thats it, no alternatives. I am thinking about doing it soon, but have to take time off work... i will try and post here if i do get it, just to fill everyone in.
Give them a call - tell them you want it for your bushes. They will sell it to you.. but you have to shovel it yourself.. (the smallest front end loader they have carries 5 yards )
________________
Thanks to goby for all that work a year ago! Here is how to get in touch w/ Marcona
Marcona Ocean Industries
20 Avenue M
Fort Pierce, FL 34952
561-464-1836
4018 Retford Dr
Jacksonville, FL 32225
904-646-3595
There you go Southern Reefers - have at it. Appreciation for my dilligence, hardwork & effort can be sent in the form of frags.
GV
That's great info.
Now what we florida reefers need to do is get all get together for a big group buy. If we all call Marcona they will surely get wise to what's going on.
I now live in Gainesville, Fl so I am just 1.5 hours from Jax.
I could pick up a truckload of which I will need 1000 #, and sell the other 1000# to other florida reefers at no markup, just the cost of the sand (Any frags are always welcome though
If anyone likes this idea post here or email me and I will start a list.
John
Now what we florida reefers need to do is get all get together for a big group buy. If we all call Marcona they will surely get wise to what's going on.
I now live in Gainesville, Fl so I am just 1.5 hours from Jax.
I could pick up a truckload of which I will need 1000 #, and sell the other 1000# to other florida reefers at no markup, just the cost of the sand (Any frags are always welcome though
If anyone likes this idea post here or email me and I will start a list.
John
Goby seems to have taken a break from posting. BUT as both of us are in the same reef club and we have talked about doing this many times but just havent had the time to take off from work and pick up a truck load of the stuff. Maybe soon!
Last edited:
newbyreef
New member
Ok,
It is not totally correct that you can't get it shipped to your local home depot.......We do not have it here in Minnesota/Wisconsin area either....and so I went in and talked to the Manager of home depot on LaCrosse Wi. He assured me they could get it if I wanted some, and as mush or as little as I liked.
So...I said ok, and what do you know, he called me two days later, and said we have southdown, and we are trucking some in. And I am paying $3.84 for a 50lb bag.
WHile the bags did not look like the first picture on this thread you posted...there were two different bags...one was like the second picture in the thread that was blue and red, and plastic...it ALSO comes in a paper bag that is blue and red and white...and it is the same exact stuff. ANd all I did was give him the SKU 578819
So it is available, comes in a few different types of bags..but it is all the same stuff.
HTH
C.
It is not totally correct that you can't get it shipped to your local home depot.......We do not have it here in Minnesota/Wisconsin area either....and so I went in and talked to the Manager of home depot on LaCrosse Wi. He assured me they could get it if I wanted some, and as mush or as little as I liked.
So...I said ok, and what do you know, he called me two days later, and said we have southdown, and we are trucking some in. And I am paying $3.84 for a 50lb bag.
WHile the bags did not look like the first picture on this thread you posted...there were two different bags...one was like the second picture in the thread that was blue and red, and plastic...it ALSO comes in a paper bag that is blue and red and white...and it is the same exact stuff. ANd all I did was give him the SKU 578819
So it is available, comes in a few different types of bags..but it is all the same stuff.
HTH
C.
Grumpy Vet
Reefer
Hey Newby.....
Thanks for the input - while we have no fatalists here on this board that are resigned to never getting the Southdown - we do have people that are having difficulties. Those are the folks I am trying to help in any way possible by giving as many facts, figures and ideas as possible.
I have (and continue to advise) begging, pleading, trading frags, giving your first born to, signing up for indentured servitude with, wife swapping and scraping algae for the guy at your local Home Depot to get you this sand.
They can do it. I've said this many times. The question is:
Are you persuasive enough to get them to do it? Are you talking to the right person?
If you live in FL - the point is moot - drive your pick-em-up truck to the manufacturer and get a bed full for $20.
Toodles -
GV
Thanks for the input - while we have no fatalists here on this board that are resigned to never getting the Southdown - we do have people that are having difficulties. Those are the folks I am trying to help in any way possible by giving as many facts, figures and ideas as possible.
I have (and continue to advise) begging, pleading, trading frags, giving your first born to, signing up for indentured servitude with, wife swapping and scraping algae for the guy at your local Home Depot to get you this sand.
They can do it. I've said this many times. The question is:
Are you persuasive enough to get them to do it? Are you talking to the right person?
If you live in FL - the point is moot - drive your pick-em-up truck to the manufacturer and get a bed full for $20.
Toodles -
GV
purpletanglvr
New member
southdown can be purchased online at www.reefland.com
it is $11.00 for a 40# bag. check it out. They also offer live sand at a reasonable rate.
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it is $11.00 for a 40# bag. check it out. They also offer live sand at a reasonable rate.
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