Southdown sand

Kannin · 10/25/2007, 01:34 PM

I'm building a new tank and I read in a thread about "Southdown" sand from Home Depot. It said that it was reef safe with no silicates and only costs like 3 bucks a bag. My tank is 225 gallons and I was thinking of putting 200lbs of this and maybe 40lbs of live sand.

This is of course, assuming that I can get a second and maybe even a third opinion.

tkeracer619 · 10/25/2007, 01:59 PM

southdown is fine. Not the easiest thing to find

It's called yardright or something like that now. But then im not even sure thats available now.

Kannin · 10/25/2007, 02:29 PM

Really... The name has changed? Have you used it?

lshark21 · 10/25/2007, 02:41 PM

I have a 6 inch sand bed in my 75, all Southdown. Good luck finding it though.

Kannin · 10/25/2007, 02:46 PM

Do they jsut not sell it? Can it be ordered?

winnermc · 10/25/2007, 02:47 PM

Southdown/Yardright is nearly impossible to find here in the Pacific Northwest.

kraze3 · 10/25/2007, 02:50 PM

I used KolorScape which is supposidlt packaged by southdown also. Read a thread on RC way back that it was safe to use. I bought it at my local HD and gave it a shot. Havent had any problems with it at all. See if your local HD carries it.

ledford1 · 10/25/2007, 03:23 PM

Southdown changed hands and changed names, and now is the Bigfoot of the hobby. I wouldn't waste a lot of time searching for it.

I have Southdown in my 90. It's sugar-sized grains make for a nice look, but it can easily be blown around. I have a Dogface that loves to puff around in the sand, so keeping the sand off my LR is a losing battle.

I think you have the idea though - buy mostly dry sand (I'd probably just buckle down and buy dry aragonite) and seed it with a smaller amount of LS.

mister crabs · 10/25/2007, 03:27 PM

theres a store in salem oregon called Advanced Aquarium that is in the process of closing down. I know they had a pallet of this product that they special ordered earlier this year really cheap. not sure how far salem is from you since i see you are in washington. Southdown is almost impossible to find on the west coast do to the shipping and freight charges involved so most stores outside of florida or the southeast use a local playsand.
good luck and HTH.

virginiadiver69 · 10/25/2007, 04:16 PM

Southdown sand is an urban legend I think.

RicGio · 10/25/2007, 05:12 PM

>>>Southdown sand is an urban legend I think<<<<

No way! I think Leonard Nimoy did an "In search of... " Episode on it.

sean48183 · 10/25/2007, 08:17 PM

Garbage! It also went by the name oldcastle tropical sand from the carribean. It is way to fine and blows around the tank collecting all over the rocks. From now on its a thin layer of CC for me. I still got a bag of it in my basement from five years ago that I never used. I think I'll put it in my kids sandbox.

10/25/2007, 01:34 PM	#1
Kannin Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Fall City, WA Posts: 1,538	Southdown sand I'm building a new tank and I read in a thread about "Southdown" sand from Home Depot. It said that it was reef safe with no silicates and only costs like 3 bucks a bag. My tank is 225 gallons and I was thinking of putting 200lbs of this and maybe 40lbs of live sand. This is of course, assuming that I can get a second and maybe even a third opinion. __________________ I used to target feed mojanos... until I found out that they weren't baby bubble tips.

10/25/2007, 01:59 PM	#2
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	southdown is fine. Not the easiest thing to find It's called yardright or something like that now. But then im not even sure thats available now. __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.

10/25/2007, 02:29 PM	#3
Kannin Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Fall City, WA Posts: 1,538	Really... The name has changed? Have you used it? __________________ I used to target feed mojanos... until I found out that they weren't baby bubble tips.

10/25/2007, 02:46 PM	#5
Kannin Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Fall City, WA Posts: 1,538	Do they jsut not sell it? Can it be ordered? __________________ I used to target feed mojanos... until I found out that they weren't baby bubble tips.

10/25/2007, 04:16 PM	#10
virginiadiver69 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Va. Posts: 4,400	Southdown sand is an urban legend I think. __________________ Semi-aggressive mixed reef w/ shallow sand bed 96x30x27 310gal custom acrylic w/ ext. "fail safe" overflow 125gal sump/cryptic fuge w/ 6" DSB 3 400w Plus Rite 20k MH in Lumembrights 2 250w Plus Rite 20k MH in spider reflectors VHO actinic supplementation 2 Tunze wave boxes 2 Tunze 6060 in Tunze Rocks 2 Tunze 6125 Reeflo 250 skimmer Hammerhead return on OM 4 way Aqua controller lll Leviton power panel Deltec Eco-Cooler Randy's Two part 6.5 kw generator

10/25/2007, 02:41 PM	#4
lshark21 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: North Huntingdon, PA Posts: 156	I have a 6 inch sand bed in my 75, all Southdown. Good luck finding it though.

10/25/2007, 02:47 PM	#6
winnermc Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Seattle Posts: 98	Southdown/Yardright is nearly impossible to find here in the Pacific Northwest.

10/25/2007, 02:50 PM	#7
kraze3 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: RI Posts: 2,373	I used KolorScape which is supposidlt packaged by southdown also. Read a thread on RC way back that it was safe to use. I bought it at my local HD and gave it a shot. Havent had any problems with it at all. See if your local HD carries it.

10/25/2007, 03:23 PM	#8
ledford1 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: NW Arkansas Posts: 2,241	Southdown changed hands and changed names, and now is the Bigfoot of the hobby. I wouldn't waste a lot of time searching for it. I have Southdown in my 90. It's sugar-sized grains make for a nice look, but it can easily be blown around. I have a Dogface that loves to puff around in the sand, so keeping the sand off my LR is a losing battle. I think you have the idea though - buy mostly dry sand (I'd probably just buckle down and buy dry aragonite) and seed it with a smaller amount of LS.

10/25/2007, 03:27 PM	#9
mister crabs Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 368	theres a store in salem oregon called Advanced Aquarium that is in the process of closing down. I know they had a pallet of this product that they special ordered earlier this year really cheap. not sure how far salem is from you since i see you are in washington. Southdown is almost impossible to find on the west coast do to the shipping and freight charges involved so most stores outside of florida or the southeast use a local playsand. good luck and HTH.

10/25/2007, 05:12 PM	#11
RicGio Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: NJ Posts: 658	>>>Southdown sand is an urban legend I think<<<< No way! I think Leonard Nimoy did an "In search of... " Episode on it.

10/25/2007, 08:17 PM	#12
sean48183 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: michigan Posts: 1,577	Garbage! It also went by the name oldcastle tropical sand from the carribean. It is way to fine and blows around the tank collecting all over the rocks. From now on its a thin layer of CC for me. I still got a bag of it in my basement from five years ago that I never used. I think I'll put it in my kids sandbox.