Cheap sand bed?????

[texmexbigspring]

Ok I have been trying to find the cheapest way to set up my sand bed but cant figure this stuff out. So I was looking for pulverized limestone.Cant find it. Looked for Aragonite based sand at home depot and lowes. No were to be found. Now I was reading about some people using somthing for chickens???WHAT now I am really confused. HELP any suggestions would be great. THANKS

 

[kgross]

Check your local pool builder for dolamite or limestone sand.

 

[texmexbigspring]

anyone ever used crushed oyster shells?

 

[kgross]

I would not use it for a sand bed. They are very dirty, and the pack together to much. I have used them to make rock, but I would never use them for a sand bed.

Kim

 

[GlaringToast]

Is dolamite silicate free? Also is the crushed oyster shells a good choice for DIY rock? I have heard completely mixed reviews. From it causes algae outbreaks, increase in phosphates etc to it is great for a reef aquarium being calcium carbonate.

 

[texmexbigspring]

It a huge mess trying to save a buck
I just got off the phone with the home depot about 50 miles from here and they have the pulverized limestone that I am looking for. Its less then 4 dollars for 50 lbs. Guess I will be taking a drive. Sure beats the prices of sand from the lfs

 

[kgross]

Dolamite silicate free. Yes.

Crushed oyster shells a good choice for DIY rock, no, but it is less expensive than aragonite sand.

Kim

 

[GlaringToast]

What are the prolonged effects of oyster shells in DIY rock?

 

[GlaringToast]

And also why not skip oyster shells and aragonite and use dolamite for DIY rock? Is dolamite expensive?

 

[GlaringToast]

BUMP?

 

[JDL]

what do you consider cheap? you can get some cheap sand from petsmart and shipping will only be $6 for 120 lbs. They sell bags of caribsea arg sand, 40lbs for $26. $90 for tax/shipping for 120lbs

 

[Rysam]

dolomite is fine for a substrate. i also use it for my diy rocks. there are several locals that have dsb's, and displays full of it. 5.99 for 50 lbs at my local ACE hardware

 

[MrPike]

Quickrete Fine Grade Silica Sand works fine too.

 

[kgross]

I never suggest silica sand any more, it is to easy to scratch the tank with it. It does work, just that the scratches are hard not to do.

Kim

 

[MrPike]

Even in glass tanks? I have never had that issue.

 

[kgross]

Yes silica is as strong as the glass (since it is silica as well), and if you get any pieces of the sand on your magnet you will scratch the glass.

Kim

 

[DaveG99]

Our local DFW club just did a group buy for sand. We ended up paying about $12 per 30lb bag shipped. It came from Ft Lauderdale.

 

[Plankt0s]

I have always just thought of sand and gravel as one of those things that you only have to buy once...or top off a bit once a year if you want to get technical. So I always buy the aragonite in the size that I want and just pay through the nose for it but at least I know that I have the right stuff.

 

[GlaringToast]

It's not so much the substrate I'd be using it for. Although the dolamite sounds like it would do well as a substrate (does it scratch glass like silica sand though?). It would be used in a recipe for making live rock. I do want the rock to be quality but there is no sense in paying out the wazoo for something you don't need to. And also something that will MOST LIKELY have a trial and error period. Chances are, I won't get the rock perfect the first time and I don't really want to pay an arm and a leg for something I know I could mess up.

Does anyone know of any downsides to using dolamite? Because this sounds about perfect so far.

 

[uncleof6]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14532922#post14532922 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Rysam
dolomite is fine for a substrate. i also use it for my diy rocks. there are several locals that have dsb's, and displays full of it. 5.99 for 50 lbs at my local ACE hardware

IIRC, "Dolomite" was the buzz word, before most ever heard of "Aragonite." Ok, so I am older than dirt.....

Also, silica based sand still has a place in a double layer plenum (Monaco) system, as the bottom undisturbed layer. Some have trouble with plenums, and some don't.


Jim