Southdown

angelo68 about two years ago there was lengthy threads on people trying to find southdown. Home depot stopped ordering from the company that made it, which went by some other name I believe, but they put the same item number on it.(and as Safir mentioned a lot of the last bags of southdown there were in stores didn't say southdown on them anywhere) I think what they ended up doing was calling every store one by one and having someone go and look at the bag of sand. There was someone online who must have had a job similar to our friend SerranidTerror(the Aquatic Field Specialist) who traveled all up and down the east coast. They called every store on the east coast and had no such luck. Either west coast of the US or the east coast had bags in supply longer and when the opposite side of the country found out they were paying a good amount to have them shipped.(I forget what side of the country) So yeah...
Angelo good effort, but the only way possible you'll find actual southdown is from another hobbyist who held onto it and most of them that say they have it have acceptable alternatives and not real south down.
 
Has anyone sieved the Tropical Plany Sand from Home Depot to see what it consists. I read an article awhile back where someone did that for the Southdown. Thanks for all the feedback.

Angelo
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8648460#post8648460 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by angelo68
Has anyone sieved the Tropical Play Sand from Home Depot to see what it consists. I read an article awhile back where someone did that for the Southdown. Thanks for all the feedback.

Angelo

go look at the bag HD has. if it has a cartoon kid that looks like Mr. Bill on it it might be it. also look to see if it packed by "Old Castle stone products"

remember that the reason this "south down" is desired for "Deep sand beds " is the grain size. its like talcum powder. the small grain size= more surface area=more bacteria for NNR(natural nitrate reduction). now all this is moot if the sand bed isnt big enough. for a true DSB you need a depth of at least 6" (8"to 10" is better) and a surface area of at least 2sq' with no rocks on it and high flow. if you can't meet this conditions then its not worth it IMO to even try to set one up, and can cause more harm then good. IMO if you cant meet these conditions your better off going 2" or less and then pick the sand of your choice. you will still take care of the ammonia and nitrite but wont get NNR from it.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8648460#post8648460 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by angelo68
Has anyone sieved the Tropical Plany Sand from Home Depot to see what it consists.

take a small bottle of white vinegar with you. put a few small pinches of the sand in your hand. then add a tea spoon or 2 of the vinegar to it. if it fizzes then it's aragonite
 
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