dkpate
Aquarium Advice Addict
I got mine at ACE Hardware for $10.99. Probably the cheapest thing I have bought for the tank so far haha!
the 8.99 was for 50lbs :/...so im guna c if there are other pool stores near me so i can check all there prices so i can see if i can save even more money. but im cool with 8.99
A buck more expensive that I got it for at my local pool/spa place. Hehehe I wasn't about to use a gallon or two of gas to save a dollar.
I picked up some all purpose sand as well ($3.50) but it doesn't say all silica on it so I was afraid to use it in my tank. No guarantee that it wouldn't have something in it that would react and change the water chemistry while cycling.
*Edit*
I am in the rust best here in Ohio. Live in a county with the lowest cost of living in work in a country with a higher cost of living . Least from the two calls I made seems the going price is between $8 and $12 depending on how hoidy toidy of a neighborhood you live in
was it just play sand that you got for $3.50? That stuff is horrible for aquariums as it stirs up easy and clouds the tank like crazy
I got a bag of Quikrete's Premium Playsand for about $4 for a 50lb bag at home depot. I rinsed it probably 5 or more times before adding it to my 10g. I am extremely happy with it so far. I've probably had it in for a few months now and my swords and vals are doing great in the sand. I add a root tab or two under the swords every other month and they are growing like crazy with stock lighting.
I can use my gravel vac on it with no problems. My cories and kuhli's love digging around in it also. I've never used PFS so I can't compare the two but I would not hesitate on recommending Quikrete's playsand to anyone. No clouding issues, I have pictures on my website (click my tanks link in my sig and click media) of what the tank looked like after adding the sand, 10 mins later, 30 mins later, and an hour later. It was crystal clear within 12 hours. I ran a prefilter on my filter while the sand settled.
Sorry for two posts in a row
Guy at my LFS suggested the Quickrete's play sand too. Said he didn't have any problems with it either and said he liked the color better. This is the same guy who whenever I come in asks for updates about my tank. No matter how busy the place is he always at least stops and asks me how things are going with the tanks.
What sort of root tabs? Just the regular garden ones (jobes I think is the brand?) I am trying to school myself with the planted tanks now . Do you cut them down and then stick them near the plant roots?
Also how would all you more experienced fish heads go about changing from gravel to sand in an established tank? Would the cloudy particles in the water hurt the fish? I imagine the loose sand cloud would be like sanding joint compound and staying in the room without a dust mask on for a day or two.
Also I would think there would be a mini cycle, Some bacteria is in the gravel and would have to be relocated and start growing on/in the sand.