Aragonite sand/rock in Jax?? I think so.

[Mr James]

I don't think we could pressure Old Castle/Cemex. Somewhere out there in Interet-Land, there is information about an agreement between OldCastle and Carib Sea to not produce sand for aqaurium use. That is why you will see notes on most HD and Lowes packages say "NOT FOR USE IN AN AQUARIUM" or something like that. Carib Sea wants to charge really high prices for their sand and don't want anybody else coming in and doing the same, for less money. Example, SouthDown Tropical Play Sand. Did they go out of business because of lack of sales?? Nope, IMO they were forced out by Carib Sea. Classic example, remember the story of Tucker Automobiles. Watch the movie and keep SouthDown/Old Castle and Carib Sea in mind. If we, as hobbyists, want to do something, boycott Carib Sea and their price gouging.

 

[reelfreak]

This is some Aragonite I found at Home Depot about a year ago or so.....It's Patio Paver stuff like mentioned, I used it in my fuge. I wouldn't use it in my display, but its great for fuges...

 

[revclyburn]

Ok

I forgot they had that agreement.

edwin

 

[Russjax]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7165549#post7165549 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nikonosis

There is a Sand plant on blanding blvd called grandin sand plant. I know for a fact they mine and crush limestone from the base of florida and they sell their sand to contractors. They are located about 25 miles south of Middleburg and you could try calling them. I will see if I can find their phone number, I had it somewhere and lost it.

Wow! Finally a topic that is in my chosen profession!

Grandin Sand is a quartz sand - better known as a crystalline silica sand. It is not limestone (calcium carbonate). It is used in this part of the state mostly for making concrete. It can also be used to make glass, sandblasting, and as a road base. I would not suggest using this for your substrate. Not only because it is a silica sand, but you have not idea what else may be in the sand from the dredging (production) and handling of it. Heavy machinery (i.e. front-end loader) grease, rust, diesel fuels, and various organics. It also has an orange-to-yellowish color - not very attractive for a display tank. Depending on where in the pit it was dredged, it could also be white or grayish.


If you would like to learn more about this or mined Miami oolite screenings (also known as "man-made sand") for use as a substrate, PM me and we can chat.

 

[nikonosis]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7172771#post7172771 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Russjax
Wow! Finally a topic that is in my chosen profession!

Grandin Sand is a quartz sand - better known as a crystalline silica sand. It is not limestone (calcium carbonate). It is used in this part of the state mostly for making concrete. It can also be used to make glass, sandblasting, and as a road base. I would not suggest using this for your substrate. Not only because it is a silica sand, but you have not idea what else may be in the sand from the dredging (production) and handling of it. Heavy machinery (i.e. front-end loader) grease, rust, diesel fuels, and various organics. It also has an orange-to-yellowish color - not very attractive for a display tank. Depending on where in the pit it was dredged, it could also be white or grayish.


If you would like to learn more about this or mined Miami oolite screenings (also known as "man-made sand") for use as a substrate, PM me and we can chat.

well i was wrong about what sand plant i was talking about anyways. the grandin plant isn't on 21.

 

[Russjax]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7173167#post7173167 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nikonosis
well i was wrong about what sand plant i was talking about anyways. the grandin plant isn't on 21.

The one on S.R. 21 (Blanding) is Goldhead. If I remember correctly, they have stopped mining there. Keuka (pronounced KAY-u-ka) and Grandin are south and southwest of there, but again, they produce a silica sand.

We do get a couple different types of washed Miami oolite screenings sent up here by rail cars from our quarry in Miami. They are great for aquarium substrates, in my opinion. Only problem is, like mentioned above with the material Tlflan was speaking of, it requires a great deal of washing and sieving to get the desired gradation. In my line of work, we do this everyday as part of our quality control testing process, so it's not that much of a hassle for me.

If you would like some of this stuff, pm me and I can tell you where to get it retail. Buying it directly from the producer (my company) usually is not very pratical for the average hobbyist, as we sell it by the ton or cubic yard (~1.3 tons).

 

[Mr James]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7173315#post7173315 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Russjax
Buying it directly from the producer (my company) usually is not very pratical for the average hobbyist, as we sell it by the ton or cubic yard (~1.3 tons).

You don't know the average hobbyist around here. These guys will order a pallet of sand, just for a bag or two and then share it with their friends. I would consider a cubic ton of it dumped in my side yard and then all who want soem would just come and help themselves.

What do you do in this business?? I mean, you have a lot of knowledge about these yards and what they produce. What is the awquarium substrate you are referring to?? And, glad to have you on board!!

 

[nikonosis]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7173315#post7173315 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Russjax
The one on S.R. 21 (Blanding) is Goldhead. If I remember correctly, they have stopped mining there. Keuka (pronounced KAY-u-ka) and Grandin are south and southwest of there, but again, they produce a silica sand.

We do get a couple different types of washed Miami oolite screenings sent up here by rail cars from our quarry in Miami. They are great for aquarium substrates, in my opinion. Only problem is, like mentioned above with the material Tlflan was speaking of, it requires a great deal of washing and sieving to get the desired gradation. In my line of work, we do this everyday as part of our quality control testing process, so it's not that much of a hassle for me.

If you would like some of this stuff, pm me and I can tell you where to get it retail. Buying it directly from the producer (my company) usually is not very pratical for the average hobbyist, as we sell it by the ton or cubic yard (~1.3 tons).

is the stuff you say that is good for aquariums, that is from miami, is it aragonite? If it is I would love to know where to get it.

 

[floridareefs]

Make that two of us. I would love to have some as well.

 

[Russjax]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7176921#post7176921 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nikonosis
is the stuff you say that is good for aquariums, that is from miami, is it aragonite? If it is I would love to know where to get it.

It is oolite. Aragonite is a calcium carbonate material just like oolite. The difference in physical shape being oolite is made up of tiny, spherical carbonate particles called ooliths. Aragonite is a polymorph of calcite. Ooliths have a concentric structure where as aragonite is more irregular in structure. If you would like to see oolite in use, take a look at my gallery photos. It is the substrate that I currently use in both the refugium and the display tank. Very nice white color (when not covered in diatoms ).

As stated above, oolite is a calcium carbonate material. This material was deposited back when much of Florida was under the ocean. Back then, the Appalachian Mountains were near the coastal plain. Most of the quartz sand that is here in Florida today can be traced back to the Appalachians. The limestone deposits in Florida range in age from the late Middle Eocene to Pleistocene periods (45-million to 10,000 years old). It is not unusual to find casts of clams, snails, worms, and ancient corals in this material.

If you want just a small amount of the screenings that I use, you could check with Stones Plus. They are on Phillips Highway near Baymeadows Rd. (behind Grainger). They are in the process of building another facility on Blanding just north of Middleburg near ABC Liquors.

What you are looking for is an Asphalt Screenings. There are different grades of Asphalt Screenings - Coarse (also known as FDOT Screenings), Medium, and Fine. Coarse is what I am using.

If they don't have it in stock at the time, PM me and I'll see if I can locate another place for you.

Mr. James - I am a laboratory manager for a major company that produces limstone aggregates in Florida and other aggregate, concrete, and building materials throughout the world. I run various tests on this material daily, so I have hands-on knowledge of and experience with this material and knowledge of other materials (silica sand, granite, etc.) produced in Florida and Georgia.

 

[nikonosis]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7180327#post7180327 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Russjax
It is oolite. Aragonite is a calcium carbonate material just like oolite. The difference in physical shape being oolite is made up of tiny, spherical carbonate particles called ooliths. Aragonite is a polymorph of calcite. Ooliths have a concentric structure where as aragonite is more irregular in structure. If you would like to see oolite in use, take a look at my gallery photos. It is the substrate that I currently use in both the refugium and the display tank. Very nice white color (when not covered in diatoms ).

As stated above, oolite is a calcium carbonate material. This material was deposited back when much of Florida was under the ocean. Back then, the Appalachian Mountains were near the coastal plain. Most of the quartz sand that is here in Florida today can be traced back to the Appalachians. The limestone deposits in Florida range in age from the late Middle Eocene to Pleistocene periods (45-million to 10,000 years old). It is not unusual to find casts of clams, snails, worms, and ancient corals in this material.

If you want just a small amount of the screenings that I use, you could check with Stones Plus. They are on Phillips Highway near Baymeadows Rd. (behind Grainger). They are in the process of building another facility on Blanding just north of Middleburg near ABC Liquors.

What you are looking for is an Asphalt Screenings. There are different grades of Asphalt Screenings - Coarse (also known as FDOT Screenings), Medium, and Fine. Coarse is what I am using.

If they don't have it in stock at the time, PM me and I'll see if I can locate another place for you.

Mr. James - I am a laboratory manager for a major company that produces limstone aggregates in Florida and other aggregate, concrete, and building materials throughout the world. I run various tests on this material daily, so I have hands-on knowledge of and experience with this material and knowledge of other materials (silica sand, granite, etc.) produced in Florida and Georgia.

Thanks for all the info! Do you know of any place for us to get oolite sand?

 

[Russjax]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7181293#post7181293 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nikonosis
Thanks for all the info! Do you know of any place for us to get oolite sand?

Sure!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7180327#post7180327 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Russjax
If you want just a small amount of the screenings that I use, you could check with Stones Plus. They are on Phillips Highway near Baymeadows Rd. (behind Grainger). They are in the process of building another facility on Blanding just north of Middleburg near ABC Liquors.

What you are looking for is an Asphalt Screenings. There are different grades of Asphalt Screenings - Coarse (also known as FDOT Screenings), Medium, and Fine. Coarse is what I am using.

If they don't have it in stock at the time, PM me and I'll see if I can locate another place for you.

 

[nikonosis]

so does that mean stone plus carries the sand?

 

[ScubaTC]

I know this thread is a little old, but just came across it. I got sand from the place that is now located next to the Dames Point Bridge. It use to be located where the temporary Cruise terminal is now. It was many many years ago when I got the sand.

The sand was mined from the Bahamas and has very small sand dollars and lots of very small shells in the mix. I do not know if they still have this type. When I talked with the owner he told me it was mined from the Bahamas. You could see the ship at times offloading it.

I did not know about the vinegar test and will give that a try. I still have some that has never been added to a tank.

I picked up over 1,000 pounds... more than what I needed. I had two 55 gal containers that I filled in the back of my SUV. I'd hate to mention the price because ..err um.. he gave it to me for free. Primarily because he deals in large volume sales and I must have caught him on a good day. I told him I needed a little sand for my kid's sand box. He let me drive around and get it myself.

Here's a few pics...

 

[GoldStripe]

That stuff looks good. Much better than the Southdown although I'm sure there is some super fine mixed in there. It would take some work if you were picky about the grain size but I bet you could get basically any size you wanted out of that stuff. Did you sift yours before you added it to the tank or did you just dump it in unsorted?

 

[revclyburn]

That's great looking sand,

wish I was down that way, would definitely like some. Is the place you got it at still in business?

Rev

 

[ScubaTC]

I just added it in as is...on top of a layer of crushed coral.

Here's a few extra picks to let you decide. Is has a wide variety of sizes from small shell to sand grain. I'm not sure what super fine would look like, but with the two Tunze I have in my tank, this stuff does get stirred up now and then, especially from my goldhead dumping mouth fulls of the stuff as he swims around.

Crushed coral layer

Partial top sand layer over crushed coral layer

Front view while adding the top layer

Bubbles producing in sand

Random close-up pic showing sand

Pic taken today 04/06

 

[ScubaTC]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7225783#post7225783 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by revclyburn
That's great looking sand,

wish I was down that way, would definitely like some. Is the place you got it at still in business?

Rev

They are still in business, but have moved to a smaller location with less sand piles so I am not sure if they still have this type shipped in or not. I would give you the name of the place to call them, but don't have it off hand. When I did speak with the owner a long time ago, I never mentioned that it was for a tank. I heard that he received a lot of those calls a long time ago and wasn't too friendly about it. I told him it was for my kids sand box and he was happy to help out.

Now I'm off to do the vinegar test.... not sure how long it needs to sit in vinegar and the quantity ratios.

 

[reelfreak]

The place is still there, and the ship still comes in from the Bahamas..... I see it there regularly.

My guess is it's going to pass the vinegar test, it's kind of like making a volcano when you were a kid....it's bubbles immediately.

Scuba do you still have enough of it extra to let some of it go?

 

[nikonosis]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7227305#post7227305 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reelfreak
The place is still there, and the ship still comes in from the Bahamas..... I see it there regularly.

My guess is it's going to pass the vinegar test, it's kind of like making a volcano when you were a kid....it's bubbles immediately.

Scuba do you still have enough of it extra to let some of it go?

do you happen to know the name of the company or the address?