Very nice gravel source and very inexpensive

[snorkel]

Red Flint Sand and Gravel, it should be available nation wide at sand blastring/filter sand suppliers. You can save a ton of cash buying gravel this way and it is super high quality.

I bought a 100 pound bag of 1/16 to 1/8th gravel for 10 bucks, I also bought some .80 to 1.20 mm for 10 dollars per 100 pounds, I have the smaller .80/1.20mm in my tank now and it is just incredible, very rounded edges and the fish love it, and you can still vacuum it because it is not as fine as sand, but fine enough for plants, cichlids etc.

Check it out here:
http://www.redflint.com/index.htm

I sent them a email asking them where the closest distributor was to my city(I live in Milwaukee) and it turned out it was 5 minutes from my workplace.

I can post some pictures of the both sizes I have if you like. Just let me know.

Snorkel

 

[snorkel]

qoute from their web page:

Aquarium Filtration Media
Red Flint #20 is used all over the world in aquariums such as the Georgia Aquarium and the aquarium underneath the Mall of America. Its colorful appearance and physical properties make it ideal for the smallest to largest aquariums.

http://www.redflint.com/filtration.htm

http://www.redflint.com/aquarium_sand.htm

You can use any size of the filter sand or gravel in a aquarium you would like, the aquarium sand is just .40mm filter sand, I actually got the .80 to 1.20 size as it is just very fine gravel, and can still be vacuumed but yet still has the properties of sand.

 

[Acer]

yah i just went on their web site and really liked the filter gravel, i called but they dont have any distributers here in chicago

 

[snorkel]

Well, you could drive up to Milwaukee and go to Garnet Filtration and sand blasting supply, it's just up a 1/2 mile or so from the Post Office on St. Paul Ave.

Depending where you are in Chicago and when you leave, you are looking at a 1 1/2 hour trip each way, not bad really considering how much you can save.