Play Sand MAJOR discovery!!!!

[saltwatersmac]

Thanks Brenden. I won't be needing a whole lot, probably 125 lbs or so. Let me know when you get it.

Stephen

 

[Scatcat]

Man, I can't find any white sand. The only play sand I've found so far is brown in color and I'm pretty sure that's not the right stuff. I was wondering what you used to seed it? If I go to the coast can I bring back a little sand from that to seed my sand, provided I find some. I won't be setting up my new aquarium for a couple of months, but can I go ahead and add the playsand with the mixture with some saltwater and let it set and grow then when my aquarium is ready I can add it at that time? Anyone find the sand in the TX area?

 

[David03]

Scat,
Not sure you want to use beach sand that you find on the coast. All sorts of impurities and stuff.

I went to Walmart, yesterday, and got their sand, which was made for Walmart by "Old Castle." So I'm following Kam's suggestions (Kam, you're on the hook for this one... ).

I'm going to mix that about 50/50 with some live sand (you can get it online for not too much), and hope that seeds the playsand.

We'll see how it goes.

 

[Scatcat]

Humm, I don't know I've got to find some sand first. I guess I'll be happy to find the sand at this point.

 

[Goofyjas]

I have seen this all over in IL, toys-r-us, home depot, walmart

whats the big deal with the sand.. I am not to sure but wondering

and the test how do you test it just mix it in vinegar?

 

[schoeplein]

Mix a little bit with white vinegar, and it should fizz of carbon dioxide bubbles. Simple chemistry.

I'll need to check it out myself! Got about 20 walmart locations to investigate!

 

[gooyferret]

I check with the walmart here in MN and found the same brand of stuff but not white....brown playsand.....dang!

 

[Brenden]

Be cautious of the Garden Basics sand packed by Old Castle for Walmart. There have been more cases of it not fizzing than fizzing. Just be sure to check it.

 

[FlyingL0]

FYI:

Do not just pour the sand into your tank even if you are starting a cycle. You will have a cloudy mess. I have done a 30% water change flushed my canister filter twice and my tank is still a little cloudy... it should be fine in the morning I hope...

 

[asnatlas]

Tagging along...

Shawn

 

[casper3t]

has anyone found play sand in southern california?

 

[amahler]

I went to two Wal-Marts today (despise that place!) and found multiple pallets of the Garden Basics with Old Castle's name on it just like what has been discussed here. I went armed with a fresh bottle (which I bought in the same store) of Distilled White Vinegar.

No reaction. It just looks like wet sand. I even tried it on a couple of bags with small holes in them (or newly made finger-sized holes.. <cough>) on more than one pallet. Each time, NO indication of a reaction... just looks like wet sand.

I tried Quikcrete "premium" stuff at Lowes. No reaction.

I tried Lighthouse brand at Toys-R-Us. No reaction.

We only have one K-Mart since the other went out of business recently (go figure). They said they had no more sand and that it was "too late in the season" to be ordering any more. Come back next year. Dorks.

So... total bust on the sand front for me.

My LFS has Aragamax in 30 pound bags for $40. I just about coughed up a lung. I'll keep hunting for other sources.

Any thoughts?

- Aaron

 

[amahler]

Should I be testing larger quantities of it? I was just dribbling vinegar on samples between the size of a quarter and maybe as large as half a dollar bill.

Some of the descriptions I read involve testing it in cups.

Any ideas?

- Aaron

 

[dianeww]

If it's going to bubble, a small sample will bubble. All you'd need for a small sample would be a few drops of vinegar to get the result. Foam foam foam.....

 

[amahler]

I thought so... I was just wondering if it was possibly too subtle in the quantities I was testing.

Thanks!
- Aaron

 

[Brenden]

I cant believe some people say they are getting the walmart sand to fizz. You would think it was all coming from the same place. Maybe we should try sulfuric acid instead of vinegar.

 

[amahler]

Heh...

My theory is that the vendor has multiple manufacturing facilities and ships to Wal-Mart distribution centers on some geographic basis.

Who knows. This sand roulette, though, is more than irritating.

- Aaron

 

[amahler]

Or maybe the sand is all fine, but our vinegar is geographically varied.

- Aaron

 

[bawla47]

hehe, yea no luck for me on sand either. I ended up buying 100 lbs from Bigals store that opened by me- 40 lbs for 23$ after 10% off. not TOO bad in price. bought 2-40s and 20lb of live sand.

 

[arminkropp]

Hmmm I wonder what they have at the Walmarts here in Canada??? I know what I'm doing the next time I'm there!