Southdown sand

[clownfish]

I want to use sand substrate for my next setup and remembered threads on this forum re: Southdown. read through the old threads and remembered that I have a bag of Play Sand I bought for my little one's sand box and thought it might be Southdown (btw: For those with kids, stay away from this sand as play sand--it's like playing in flour, my daughter comes out looking like Casper the friendly ghost).

At any rate, and my Q: The bag clearly says "NOT for Aquarium Use" Any thoughts? Is it safe? Says sterilized, silica free, 100% natuaral, etc.

 

[r95rdstr]

SD sand says "Not For Aquarium Use" on the bag, too. Everyone uses it, though, and it's widely believed that the warning is only there so that people will buy $$$ sand for their tanks. SD also comes under the brand name of Old Castle. Both are Carribean sand fine for aquarium use.

 

[BillyZ]

I had the same question when I looked around for the SD sand, clownfish. I couldn't find SD by brand name but found the Old Castle brand caribean sand with that warning. There's a length thread on here somewhere that explains the whole story.. but basicaly Old Castle IS South Down and the "Not recommended..." warning is due to a non-compete argreement Old Castle had to agree to with their supplier who also supplies an aquarium brand with the same sand. (this is why we use it)

 

[fishfreek]

The disclamer is there to cover their tail ends incase there is a problem. They know us aquarists prize their sand and they also know they do not have overly strickt quality control to know for certin that the sand is not contaminated with fertilizer or something else.

The sand from caribsea is from what I understand the same stuff as southdown or atleast ti comes from the same quary.

 

[clownfish]

thanks. thought so. Wanted to check. 8)