Play Sand MAJOR discovery!!!!

[Kam]

I live in the Western NY area and went on a hunt for Old Castle Sand today.

I found that "White Sandcastle Sand" at KMart is packaged by none other than Old Castle!!! Selling for $2.99 per 50 lbs bag. (#1 in picture below)

I also found that "Garden Basics" Play Sand is also packaged by Old Castle. This was selling at Wal-Mart for $2.64 for 50 lbs bag. (#3 pictured below)

I had read about a play sand with a boy on the front of the bag. I also found "Play Sand" by Imerys (located in Roswell GA). #2 pictured below. This is NOT manufacturered by Old Castle but has the picture I have seen in the past. This was selling for $4.49 at a local garden center.

I am running to the store to get some white vinegar to do the vinegar test.

I will post results and pictures of the bags later today.

 

[fishfreek]

Sounds promising. Was the sand white in color? Thats another good sign.

 

[Kam]

fishfreek - Yes all three sands are "tropical" so they are white sands. The Play Sand by Imerys (#2 below) was white with a little other colors (green / black). Kind of like a lot of salt with a dash of pepper mixed in.

I did the vinegar test. Both of the Old Castle products (White Sandcastle sand & Garden Basics) reacted as expected (fizzing sound and foam). The Play Sand by Imerys reacted a little but not much.

I am back out the door. Going to pick up my 120 cube (next project) and more bags of sand. I called the local Wal-Mart and they have a 50% off for open bags and have over a dozen mostly full Garden Basics bags.

BTW, the Play Sand by Imerys was dumped into my kids sand box. It needed more sand anyway which is what started me out on this adventure today.

 

[fishfreek]

Great discovery. Others around the country can you see if your wal-marts cary those two brands listed above? Im wondering if its a regional thing or not.

Kam when you return can you check if there is a disclamer on them to not use in aquariums. The old southdown sand had one but it was mostly smoke and mirrors to cover themselves from potental contaminants plus others have reported some kind of agreement to put that disclamer since an equivlent product was branded under another name for aquarium sales.

 

[gooyferret]

Im going to go check at my local Walmart to see if they have it here in MN....Im pretty sure the one place they wont have it would be here. You should list the UPC # on this thread so i can have walmart check and see if its in there system. I have alot of friends that work at walmart and might be able to have walmart get it in here if they dont have it. Thanks.

 

[dianeww]

Well, it seems I've posted about this in various locations lately. But who knows who reads what?

My Home Depot has something called "White PlaySand", packaged for Durascape (name brand on bag) by Old Castle Stone Products. A 50 pound bag is $3.99, it's a beautiful pure white, and it fizzes like crazy when faced with vinegar! I say go for it!

 

[RLG2182]

Wish I could've found some in CA!! I did find an awesome price for bags of Aragamax Oolitic here locally. East coasters... pfft.

 

[Kam]

I'm back. Just got my 120 gal all glass 48x24x24 tanks for $40. I need to buy a lottery ticket!!!!

Neither bag has any type of disclaimer about aquariums.

The Wal-Mart brand (Garden Basics) has a note about brand being packaged exclusively for Wal-Mart.

The KMart brand (Whitecastle sand) does have a warning about free silica, which all brands except the Wal-Mart brand seem to have.

Garden Basics UPC: 6 05388 83418 8
WhiteCastle Sand UPC: 0 90604 50302 1 (OLPS012-1 is above the UPC code)

AA has provided me tons of great information, I am just glad I can give some back. 8)

EDIT: Updated the UPC codes with the first and last digits (outside the bar code).

 

[ellisz]

Kmart here in IN did not have that sand

 

[RLG2182]

I'm back. Just got my 120 gal all glass 48x24x24 tanks for $40.

Where in the name of Zeus's butt did you find a 120 for $40!? 8O 8O ME WANT!

 

[boardsurfer]

The KMart brand (Whitecastle sand) does have a warning about free silica, which all brands except the Wal-Mart brand seem to have.

I guess this means we probably shouldn't use this sand since it has silica in with the sand?

 

[dianeww]

HD's "White Play Sand" does have the disclaimer about "not for use in the aquarium".

 

[Kam]

Cousin is moving and needed $$. He had it as a fresh water tank. He also has a 72 gal bow front with stand that he is keeping.

Sometimes family is a sweet thing!!

 

[Kam]

The KMart brand (Whitecastle sand) does have a warning about free silica, which all brands except the Wal-Mart brand seem to have.

I guess this means we probably shouldn't use this sand since it has silica in with the sand?

The warning is necessary because free silica is known to cause cancer. The amount is less than 0.05% according to the label. I plan on using it.

NOTE: I edited my post. I originaly typed 0.5% but the value on the bag is 0.05%.

 

[fishfreek]

Also silica and sillicates are different beasts.

 

[gooyferret]

Kam does the UPC #'s you gave include the ones before the scanning bars?

 

[revhtree]

I have the Garden Basics here in my town from Kmart. I will pick some up and give it a test........

 

[bawla47]

checked both kmart and walmart, negative for both i HAVE to get sand 2morrow, so im going to try a few other kmart and walmarts, with better luck. (i have 3 stores of every damn place within 5-10 miles away where i live.)

the walmart i went to had a brand called green leaf playsand, tried the vineger test, didnt fizz whatsoever.

 

[Kam]

Kam does the UPC #'s you gave include the ones before the scanning bars?

The UPC code is just the #'s that were part of the bars (under).

 

[WooHoo]

Kam does the UPC #'s you gave include the ones before the scanning bars?

The UPC code is just the #'s that were part of the bars (under).

To scan the UPC you need 12 digits.