Local cheap sand

[homebrewdude]

What is the current preferred cheap sand to use?

I am assuming this would be from Home Depot.

I want to increase the size of my sand bed.

 

[NewSchool04]

I would not recommend you going cheap and getting the silica sand they sell at all the local hardware stores. I did, 350 lbs of it and I regret it every day. I just don't like the look.

Get a good aragonite sand and add it slowly, about 1/4" at a time. wait about a week and then another 1/4" till you get where you want to be.

 

[homebrewdude]

Where do I get good aragonite sand?

 

[Caragol]

How much do you aragonite do you need?

Also, I have to strongly agree with NewSchool, the sand just isn't right. It won't hurt your tank, but to me, I felt like I was putting coral into ashtray sand. It seemed almost glassey and unnatural. It's hard to describe why exactly it's not nice, but we've got a whole thread somewhere of people basically saying they tried it, it didn't hurt anything, but it's not worth it.

 

[Teremei]

Well you could wait for someone breaking up a tank, and get alot of it cheap. Or buy it for $1 per pound. I have a 125 and add about 20 pounds each time I want to increase the sand a little.

If you get the dry sand, wash it. THOROUGHLY. Otherwise buy 20 pound bags of "live sand". The only difference is it won't cloud up your tank hardly at all. It's $30 per 20.

 

[homebrewdude]

Where do people buy the dry sand?

 

[Caragol]

Locally, you can find it for about $1 a pound or slightly less dry. Use your CMAS discount to save more. I think I got my first batch from Tropiquatics, and the second from a local reefer who was going bare bottom. How many lbs were you looking for?

 

[homebrewdude]

What about the white sand used in pool filters??

 

[madadi]

i would buy from drfosterandsmith. a 30lb bag of fine aragonite sand is 22 bucks and it will cost you 10 bucks to ship but your not paying tax. its a great deal if you have to buy a lot. i bought about 120lbs and it cost me only 15 bucks to ship.

i see in your hobby experience that you are new to reefs and im sure everyone else agrees on this forum that you shouldn't try to save a few dollars when it comes to your startup equipment, that includes sand. i got most of my equipment used and cheaper items and now im paying more because i have to replace them and get good quality stuff instead. do it right the first time and you will feel better about it when you don't have to replace it later. good luck

 

[Edward Smith]

What about sand for a remote sandbed or refugium, where aesthetics aren't important?

What could I use cheap? Silca sand?

 

[desdeej]

Foster and Smith is the cheapest online. Try ShoTank Aquariums. Matt always has good prices.

 

[Silencer]

I have about 300lbs of live Southdown/Oldcastle sand to get rid of. I'm still trying to figure out what a fair price would be to ask for it and exactly how to measure it, since I can't use weight as it is of course wet...

Drop me a PM and maybe we can figure out a deal.

 

[homebrewdude]

I am not in your location

 

[mupham]

Did any find a place in town to buy the dry "dead" aragonite sand for cheap? I'm looking to upsize my tank and I'll be using plenty of what I already have in addition to the new. Don't really want to spend $1 / pound or have to have it shipped.