Calling All Canadians Need Some Advice

[Liquid_Pyro]

Hey, so I am in the market for some new (cheaper) subsrate! I have a new 46 gal Bowfront Tank with a general array of community fish and some catfish type.

I have thought about the Pool Filter Sand and can get that for roughly $9 for 50lbs at the local Pool shop, but I would love something Darker...

I am from Hamilton Ontario, just want to know what others in the area have used and the prices.

I have been quoted $44 tax included for 50lbs of Colorquartz T-Grade in Black delivered. But I dont know if thats worth it over the petstore bought products like "Tahitian Moon Sand" or "Onyx Sand"

Also heard about Black Beauty which is a crushed slag including iron used for sand blasting or something, dont know if thats used very often, or a good idea...

Thoughts and ideas please fire away!

 

[johnny_zanni]

black beauty is a definate no its very sharp and will tear fish that rub on it...

 

[Liquid_Pyro]

do you know from experience, because I have had a few other ppl reccomend it on another site

 

[johnny_zanni]

i was going to buy it touched it and it sticks to you... it pricks into your skin

 

[Liquid_Pyro]

alright good to know

 

[johnny_zanni]

im kind of in your area (thunder bay) what type of fish you got?

 

[Liquid_Pyro]

recently i aquired some cichlids....yellow labs, electric blue hap, some unknown brown cichlids, and i have always had live bearers and some coldwater fish...all in separate tanks

 

[johnny_zanni]

the brown one might be a rusty got a pic

 

[Liquid_Pyro]

i have posted asking what it is on the site...here's the link http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f100/new-fish-identity-help-121176.html

 

[johnny_zanni]

it might be a rusty im not sure kinda dark picture

 

[lmetcalf]

woot goes out to my fellow canadians out there (Im in Guelph)

 

[Liquid_Pyro]

thats great, I am heading there this weekend actually!

ps I dont think its a rusty, mine has a bigger bottom jaw and you can clearly see stripes, the previous owner of the fish said it used to be more of a redish color with blue stripes! but when I bought them they were all brown....you can see a faint hint of blue in their fins and redish around the gill area...what might cause them to loose color?

 

[johnny_zanni]

stress from a move with deffinatly make some color loss

 

[Liquid_Pyro]

thats what I was thinking too, but I guess the previous owner said they lost their color awhile ago and haven't been the same since he bought them realy, I am hoping they get their color back though

 

[JPKeenan]

oh memory serves I heard somewhere that the Crayloa Play Sand comes in colors and is non-toxic. I forget the source of info but did hear it and that might be an alternative.... Same people that make crayons and I did search on there for their list of local stores that carried it. Products - n2M Group Innovative Product Design & Distribution

I think Staples and Office Max carry it. If I remember right Hamilton is right by the Falls? (I know just like down here there might be different towns with the same name) So worse comes to worse you might make a drink across to New York if it would be worth the money in gas.

 

[Liquid_Pyro]

thanks, it looks super fine though, I think I might just stick with this colorquartz stuff, as I know its safe, and I have seen some fantastic pictures of it in peoples tanks, even though its going to cost me, I think it will still end up being like $10 cheaper than the store bought stuff...at $44 a bag of 50lbs

 

[JPKeenan]

ouch, a bit out of my budget.

You'll hear the debate about play sand and pool filter sand. I have tried the PFS sand and like it and am going to go with some play sand for my smaller tanks... so I get the feel for both. Both are different shades of color but not near the darker color you are looking for.

 

[Liquid_Pyro]

yeah that seems to be my problem at the moment! I would definitly love at least one tank with the dark substrate, maybe I will do a tank with both, one with white PFE and one with black color quartz....will a 50lb bag cover the 55gal okay? 48inches by 12inches?

 

[JPKeenan]

some of the slate/shale I get gets real crumbly when you boil it.... If I could find the way to make the peices not sharp I would try to market that as an alternative to black sand.