Calling all aussies! Where to get black sand?

[Mumma.of.two]

I have just started my search for black sand and am finding it extremely hard to locate some cheep stuff. I have asked on an Australian forum but I am not really getting much to go by. I have found some Tahitian moon sand on age of aquariums but it is still quite expensive and I'm afraid it's too sharp for bottom dwellers.

So if your in Aus and know where I can find some, please share!
Thanks.

 

[toddnbecka]

Not sure about availability in Oz, but try looking for coal slag. It's sold as sandblasting grit, but works just fine for aquarium substrate too. I picked up 2 50 lb bags of the stuff for less than the price of 1 20 lb bag of black aquarium sand. You can't get much cheaper than that...

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Not sure about availability in Oz, but try looking for coal slag. It's sold as sandblasting grit, but works just fine for aquarium substrate too. I picked up 2 50 lb bags of the stuff for less than the price of 1 20 lb bag of black aquarium sand. You can't get much cheaper than that...

Thanks for your help. I've looked into coal slag and copper slag. It kinda makes me nervous. I don't 100% trust that it's not going to mess with my tank chemistry or injure my fish. I've managed to track down some black quartz sand since my original post. Bit expensive but heaps cheeper than Tahitian moon sand.

 

[toddnbecka]

Coal slag is completely inert, a number of people have been using it for months w/out any problems. One good thing about it, no silica means no diatoms running amok for a month or two after you put it into the tank. I found it to be easier to rinse than sand too.
Never heard of copper slag, but the quartz sand is pretty popular for aquarium use.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Coal slag is completely inert, a number of people have been using it for months w/out any problems. One good thing about it, no silica means no diatoms running amok for a month or two after you put it into the tank. I found it to be easier to rinse than sand too.
Never heard of copper slag, but the quartz sand is pretty popular for aquarium use.

Diatoms don't bother me I'm more worried about the effects on my bottom dwellers and that it can have magnetic bits in it that can get caught in impellers and mag cleaners. I've also read it can cut you when you put your hands into it and some of it is even course enough to injure plants (depending on the grit size).