Coarse sand and plants?

[dollabill420]

Could some low level plants be planted in silica sand? It's coarse enough to be gravel vaced normally and seems to have just the right water flow to keep balanced not too cold, not too fine so no nutrients get to it but not too coarse like gravel to cause ammonia problems, if I had to guess a grade it's about 1-2mm granuals. The plants thinking about can be planted, potted, floating and attached to decor. Java moss java ferns lace java fern narrow leaf java fern, cyptocoryne sp. Anubias sp. Families, guppy grass and both kinds of hornwort (coontail) the soft and hard stemmed versions probly more I only know of the two

Thx

 

[dollabill420]

I wouldn't even call it sand, it's like huge sugar particles, I'd get a pic but camera sucks and you'd never be able to tell difference, just called silica sand and buy it in bulk for 50 cents a pound and it's magical stuff to keep clean and grow bacteria on

 

[jcolon]

Sounds a lot like Pool Filter Sand which is fine for plants. Many members have it as their main substrate .. you can always add root tabs or flourish for extra nutrients.

 

[dollabill420]

Sounds a lot like Pool Filter Sand which is fine for plants. Many members have it as their main substrate .. you can always add root tabs or flourish for extra nutrients.

I know PFS and it's maybe just a tad coarser thank you very much, I forgot to add too it seems "sharp" when I rinsed it out kinds hurt my hands I was coming back onto it thou I don't think there was a spec of dust lol I've done it to over 100 pounds now and it's quite hard on the hands but didn't think it would be bad for plants nature isn't easy on anything lol thanks again

 

[BillD]

$.50 a lb is expensive for silica sand. It usually sells for less than $10 for an 88lb bag. regardless, you should be able to grow plants in it.

 

[dollabill420]

$.50 a lb is expensive for silica sand. It usually sells for less than $10 for an 88lb bag. regardless, you should be able to grow plants in it.

I live in nova scotia aquariums are an extremely small market, there isn't even a lfs where I live I was lucky to find it lol, I live on the south shore and have to drive 3 hours to get to Halifax which wouldn't be worth the gas for the price saving plus grinding on six hours of driving for sand lol the chain pet store (pets unlimited sister company to pj's pets) doesn't even carry sand at all down here. It makes for really nice large aquariums down here though no where's carries any cheap gear because no one will buy it lol. Gotta love the Internet and Rock and Roll ;p . Our smaller tanks like 30's and 55's are ridiculously priced though a 55 gay tetra kit is 400 with a stand but the bigger tanks like 125"s are 500 lol. I've heard of walmarts somewhere having Dolla a gallon sales if I found that I'd need a cubevan to bring em back lmao......what would I put in 1000 gallons of water for only a grand......(goes to dreamland) lol

 

[BillD]

If you live in NS, you shouldn't have any trouble finding sand for free.

 

[dollabill420]

If you live in NS, you shouldn't have any trouble finding sand for free.

This is true lol harder finding the right grade I wanted though and it's awkward being a full grown man Stealing sand at night in a black ninja suit lol, it's illegal to take sand and rocks from beaches and lake shores