Look At this...Alternative to sand?

Neptune777 · 12/09/2006, 04:16 PM

Did some searching for an alternative to Oolitic sand that is cheaper than Caribsea and easier to find than say southdown sand......I came across sandblasting supplies and they sell spherical glass beads in many different grit sizes for bead blasting metal parts. I went on ebay and noticed this seller at just $12 for 25#....I would bet that this stuff is available locally somewhere.....Comes in different colors too......the tiny grit clear beads actually look white like pure white sand:

http://cgi.ebay.com/25-GLBD-SANDBLAS...QQcmdZViewItem

Anyone else try this stuff

figuerres · 12/09/2006, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Neptune777
Did some searching for an alternative to Oolitic sand that is cheaper than Caribsea and easier to find than say southdown sand......I came across sandblasting supplies and they sell spherical glass beads in many different grit sizes for bead blasting metal parts. I went on ebay and noticed this seller at just $12 for 25#....I would bet that this stuff is available locally somewhere.....Comes in different colors too......the tiny grit clear beads actually look white like pure white sand:

http://cgi.ebay.com/25-GLBD-SANDBLAS...QQcmdZViewItem

Anyone else try this stuff

as this was meant for sandblasting I'd worry about contamination from stuff like oil, chemicals etc....

aside from that It might work if you got the right "grit" ....
but natural sand is not a ball, might this not have the right kinds of surfaces for the normal sand bed fauna and bacteria to thrive ?

might warrent an experiment to see how it works...

drives300 · 12/09/2006, 05:54 PM

Since it is silica based you would be better off just using silica sand from home depot for like 5.00 for 50 lbs

figuerres · 12/10/2006, 05:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by drives300
Since it is silica based you would be better off just using silica sand from home depot for like 5.00 for 50 lbs

Oh Heck.... missed that !

Silicates -- not good!

Neptune777 · 12/10/2006, 06:15 AM

no....this woud not cause problems with silicates.....its the same material as your tank glass...also, it would be better than play sand because of the round uniform shape giving the same benefits as oolitic sand.....and it is white

reefkoi · 12/10/2006, 10:42 AM

I've seen tanks with this type of stuff, I dont like the look, it looks very unnatural. you can see that they are round beads and it ends up not very white i think its more of a greyish white for some reason.

12/09/2006, 04:16 PM	#1
Neptune777 Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,700	Look At this...Alternative to sand? Did some searching for an alternative to Oolitic sand that is cheaper than Caribsea and easier to find than say southdown sand......I came across sandblasting supplies and they sell spherical glass beads in many different grit sizes for bead blasting metal parts. I went on ebay and noticed this seller at just $12 for 25#....I would bet that this stuff is available locally somewhere.....Comes in different colors too......the tiny grit clear beads actually look white like pure white sand: http://cgi.ebay.com/25-GLBD-SANDBLAS...QQcmdZViewItem Anyone else try this stuff

12/09/2006, 05:54 PM	#3
drives300 Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Bradenton, FL Posts: 961	Since it is silica based you would be better off just using silica sand from home depot for like 5.00 for 50 lbs __________________ Water Param 79 degrees nit 0 amm 0 phos 0 salifers Calcium 450 salifer alk 11 dkh Ph 8-8.1 Current Tank Info: 90 Gallon,reef octopus nw150, 2 oceanflow mods, 2x 250w 10k mh, phos reactor

12/10/2006, 10:42 AM	#6
reefkoi Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Colorado Posts: 3,983	I've seen tanks with this type of stuff, I dont like the look, it looks very unnatural. you can see that they are round beads and it ends up not very white i think its more of a greyish white for some reason. __________________ 1Kw bulb club Current Tank Info: A 600gal. on Zeovit & a 240gal.

12/10/2006, 06:15 AM	#5
Neptune777 Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,700	no....this woud not cause problems with silicates.....its the same material as your tank glass...also, it would be better than play sand because of the round uniform shape giving the same benefits as oolitic sand.....and it is white