Who's Home Depot carries...

[pondmom]

I also called my local HD and the Gentleman in the Garden/Electrical dept. told me that it was also seasonal and the sku in the computer was "active". So I'll be calling the GM in the morning who does the ordering to make sure that he orders this sand.

Thanks Menagerie I Love my pond!! It's just as relaxing as an aquarium.
I'm sure having a SW will be very challanging and enjoyable as well.

 

[Cunch]

It felt like I was hauling 50lb ice cubes around.. But they all thawed out within 12 hours and looks like some great stuff... On a 120 tall tank 48" what kind of depth in sand bed will 500lbs give me?? Thanks.

Cunch

 

[reefrunner69]

On a 120 tall tank 48" what kind of depth in sand bed will 500lbs give me??

Between 7 and 8 inches. According to the SandBed depth Calculator 529lbs will give you 8" sandbed.

 

[firerescue2002]

The local HD about 100 miles away will not do a transfer unless I purchase a pallette and a half maybe even two pallets. Their reasoning was it costs them too much to transfer about $90 bucks for labor and delivery fuel charges and such. :x Ohh BTW I was inquiring because I own a landscaping business "NOT BUT IT WORKED" . The first guy who awnserd said We are all out, Are you setting up a reef tank?" I quickly responded no I need about 300lbs. for a client whos landscape I am re working with potted exotic plants. Since the sand is hypo allergenic it's good for ornamentals, orchids and such. Then he put me on hold and transferred me to a manager who said they no longer carry it and informed me on their transfer procedure. :x So if your local HD says the don't have it don't belive them and don't tell them it's actual desired use.

HTH,
Andrew

P.S. I Still need some in the Springfield, Illinois are I don't have enough $$$ for a pallet and a half.

 

[pondmom]

I spoke with the guy at the HD today and he informed me that they "can not" do store transfers because the bags of sand are only $6.99 and to transfer 200# of sand would be astrinomical. I'd have to purchase a pallet PLUS pay for the shipping (forget that idea)
He also asked me to find out through my sources if Silica sand will work. Will it?

The more I read/research on SW setup's, the deeper in debt I am getting 8O 8O

I'd have to say from the research I have done, it's alot more different than FW.
So many more thingamagigs to hook up to the tank.

well, back to reading

 

[dralarms]

Ok, so I think I have found a solution to the sand delima. I need to test this sand, someone posted a method of testing to make sure it was not sicila? sand. Does anyone remember how to test or location of that post. Once tested I will post my findings and also to let you know why southdown or old Castle is getting so had to find.

 

[Cunch]

You better come up with the right answer that Old Castle is good to use!!! I have 500lbs of the stuff sitting here in my living room!!! Wasn't that test using a vinegar solution?? Or am I thinking of another test... Anyhow, please keep me posted. .

 

[dralarms]

Old Castle is fine to use. What I have found is something else and need to test it and yea I think it was a vinegar test but without knowing what and how I'd be swinging in the dark.

 

[dralarms]

Ok, while I wait for someone to tell me what test to do I'll tell you what I have found out today. Of course you all know that Southdown became Old Castle, Correct? Well low and behold Old Castle has become something else (actually I think they might have been bought out) called W. R. Bonsel Co. I called the 800 number on the bag and their "on hold music" said "we at W. R. Bonsel and Old Castle, blah blah blah. It would seem that (unless I'm mistaken, and I have been 4 or 5 times today) that our every elusive sand is now being packaged under this new name and at a much better price. I'll withhold final judgement and the price I paid until I am able to do the test on the sand.

 

[dralarms]

Well I got an answer on another post and it was vinegar. I did the test, put sone sand in a bowl and poured vinegar on it and had no reaction. I guess I was wrong, I'll call the company tomorrow and find out just what it's made of but unless I used the wrong vinegar (I only had white), it failed the test. I'm almost to the point of giving up and sticking with cc, at least I CAN find that.

 

[reefrunner69]

Actually, you got it here first, but my connection failed when I hit submit I had been disconnected. I thought it took my post before it disconnected, but guess it didn't. Sorry bout those things I was thinking when I saw the other thread, LOL.

 

[dralarms]

Thanks, I guess I got it good with this cable connection. I almost forgot what a disconnect was, lol.

Sorry bout those things I was thinking when I saw the other thread

And just what would that be . I know, I know. Just seemed like everone had deserted this thread and I searched until I was blue in the face for the "test thread". The search engine needs a little work. :?

 

[reefrunner69]

The search engine needs a little work.

I couldn't agree more, I have actually taken to using my google tool bar and searching the site, although you will have better results on recent stuff from the sites search engine. Alot of it is knowing how to use it and narrowing your search.

Using the site search engine use the terms "aragonite AND test AND silica", just copy and paste and remove the quotes, and display the results as posts instead of topics and look at the second entry

 

[OhTheHumanity]

Cents,

I talked to an employee at Old Castle on Wednesday. When he answered the phone he said "hello". I said "uhhhh, is this Southdown"? He told me it used to be. lol

Long story longer the nice man told me they had been Southdown, then were sold and then sold again. The last sell brings us to the Old Castle name. Old Castle is owned by Bonsel.

So you are correct on the name. It is a little confusing. If i remember right Bonsel has owned it since October of 02.

 

[dralarms]

Well I'm gonna call them today and ask what their sand is made of. I'll let you know.

 

[dralarms]

Well folks, bad news and more bad news. Old Castle (W. R. Bonsel) will no longer be making available the non sicila based sand. Anyone that can get the southdown or old castle needs to do so now. Now I have 3 bags I can't use .

 

[cmor1701d]

The Yardright web site is still up showing the sand and they have a contact form to find a local dealer. Just make sure you let them know that this is for the kids sandbox 8) .

From a thread last year on another forum. . .

"This sand is shipped to southdown from Marcona Ocean Industries which is out of Ft. Pierce Florida. They sell to both Southdown, AND Carib-Sea. (they also sell to Martin Marrieta in jacksonville, among others). Marcona Ocean Industries, the company that mines the stuff, does so in the carribean, and has a special agreement with carib-sea. They have a sort of "noncompete" agreement that says that they will not sell sand to anyone doing reefs. Kinda like panasonic selling its 36" pc bulbs only to custom sealife. Same type deal. anyways, marcona sells to Southdown, Inc. and I am sure that they have told Southdown what the scoop is. (and Southdown probably told HD).

How do I know this? I spent ALOT of time researching it last year, and actually talked to the plant manager at Marcona. Nice guy, I talked to him for a while, and he eventually asked what it was for.,.. I said...."uh.... not for fishtanks???" and he said "right answer" and then proceded to tell me all this stuff. The one thing that he did warn about was to NEVER EVER mention that you would be using it for aquarium use. Glad I had been thru this already with panasonic trying to get cheap PCs.
Thread


I contacted Marcona, and the deal is that they usually only sell in bulk. What is bulk you may ask? 100tons. I have worked out a deal with the plant supervisor at marcona to get a truckload (pickup truck - about 1 ton) of oolithic sand (washed dried and sifted) for about $20.00 I have also worked it out to get a truckload from jacksonville of the non strained variety (full of shells and stuff).

All of this comes from a cay in the bahamas where Marcona has a 24/7 mining operation and fills a boat that has a 3000ton/hr conveyer! (big boat) anyways, they WILL NOT SELL IT TO YOU if you even mention the words: fish, aquarium, tank, reef, saltwater, etc. They WILL sell it to you if you tell them its for your shrubs in your front yard and that you have used it before lots of times and that you are sure that this what you want. The key here is that you have to make a trip to either Ft. Pierce or Jacksonville, FL Monday - Friday 7am-4pm. Thats it, no alternatives. I am thinking about doing it soon, but have to take time off work... i will try and post here if i do get it, just to fill everyone in.

Give them a call - tell them you want it for your bushes. They will sell it to you.. but you have to shovel it yourself.. (the smallest front end loader they have carries 5 yards )

Marcona Ocean Industries
20 Avenue M
Fort Pierce, FL 34952
561-464-1836

4018 Retford Dr
Jacksonville, FL 32225
904-646-3595"

 

[dralarms]

Well, I quit! I got a bag of sand from my lfs. 30 bux for 40 lbs of "reef sand". Didn't look like enough so I put some of the "play sand" on the bottom and the reef sand on top. Thanks for all your help.

 

[dralarms]

Question, Can I mix the "reef Sand" and the "play sand"? Thgere is too much difference in looks. would this be ok?

 

[reefrunner69]

I think it would be fine