[Shamrock927]

This is my first post on this web site. I have been into saltwater tank for about 10 years now. I have a 55 gallon FOWLR and I am currently starting a 265 preditor tank. I was wonder what is the new cheap sand that people are using. I have read some threads that were from a couple of years ago about shouthdown, yard right, and old castle. I want DSB but I also Don't want to go the LFS and drop serious money on live sand. I did find a product at wal-mart called kolorscape that is made by old castle. if anyone has any info Please let me know.

[leebca]

WELCOME TO REEFLAND!

Some of the brands mentioned in the past are either no longer available or only available in large truck-sized orders.

Definitely don't buy 'live' sand. Not worth it. Just obtain 'regular - non-living' substrate, whatever source you find. Even though you may not 'like' the price, keep in mind it is a one-time purchase.

Hopefully others will chine in on any 'reasonably' priced source(s) they have found. Good luck!

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by Shamrock927

I was wonder what is the new cheap sand that people are using. I have read some threads that were from a couple of years ago about shouthdown, yard right, and old castle.

Southdown, Yardright and Oldcastle were just brand names. Southdown and Yardright are no longer available because their parent company, CEMEX, sold that business to Oldcastle. One point that you may have missed is that it wasn't the brand that was important, it was whether the play sand in the bag was quartz sand or aragonite sand. What everybody was searching for was aragonite sand at cheapy prices. It was never available retail where you live anyway, unless you wanted to drive up to Ft. Pierce and try to con them into selling some Southdown aragonite in bulk. I don't know if that works anymore. You happen to live just a few miles from where it's available by the ton but the last time I heard of someone successfully talking them into selling him some of this stuff in bulk was six years ago. That guy filled up the bed of his pickup truck for about fifty bucks. (P.S. -- He used to live in Florida.)

Anyway, back when you could get aragonite sand as play sand, the bag had to read "Tropical Play Sand from the Caribbean." It didn't matter whether it was Southdown, Yardright or Oldcastle, as long as it contained that exact phrase. Without that phrase on the bag, it was just quartz sand. Those were the magic words that you had to look for. But it was never sold retail at any Home Depot stores anywhere in Florida. We covered all of the ins and outs of this in excruciating detail several years ago.

I want DSB but I also Don't want to go the LFS and drop serious money on live sand. I did find a product at wal-mart called kolorscape that is made by old castle. if anyone has any info Please let me know.

I have no idea what this "kolorscape" stuff is but I sure don't like the sound of the name. Most play sand is quartz sand. However, some play sand used to be aragonite sand. Quartz sand is silica sand, SiO2. Aragonite sand is calcareous sand, CaCO3. One way to tell the difference is to pour a few drops of vinegar on the sand and see if it fizzes (reacts with the acid to release carbon dioxide). Aragonite sand will do that, quartz sand will not. Aragonite sand will actually dissolve in vinegar if you add a small amount of sand to a larger amount of vinegar. Quartz sand does not dissolve in vinegar. Muriatic acid (hydrocholoric acid) works even better for this little experiment.

[Shamrock927]

Thanks for the info. The reason I brought up the kolorscape is on the side of the bag it says its made by old castle. does anyone know a good website or place that had good prices on live sand or anyother type I could use. My LFS want a arm and leg for a 40 lb Bag I have 265 I have to fill up. it is going to be preditor tank its not going to have any corals in it.