Southdown or equivalent?

loosbrew · 03/03/2008, 01:14 PM

Hey everyone,

I will be setting a 120 soon and would liek to know where I can obtain a good deal of Southdown or something equivalent. I don't set tanks up that often and haven't purchased southdown in many years. I'm also not hip to the latest trends in the "sandbed world" so perhaps there's something just as effective or not?

Been looking for some updated info but it's kind of tedious without a functioning search feature.

TIA!
Luis

cur10u5g30rg3 · 03/03/2008, 01:50 PM

I looked all over a while back for southdown sand when I was setting up mine. I couldn't find any. The only places it seamed possible to find it is in the northeast and then it is only if someone has a couple of bags they have had stockpiled for a few years. The company that was producing the Southdown, was out of Mass, and they were bought out. The new company stopped producing/harvesting the southdown. There was a place in south florida that sold an equivalent to that. Some of the local clubs were putting together group buys on it awhile back.

thor32766 · 03/03/2008, 01:53 PM

there are a lot of people using regular play sand from home depot or lowes. I know theres a couple of people on here that use it with great results.

loosbrew · 03/03/2008, 03:15 PM

for some reason I'm a little hesitant of the normal play sand. I guess I could look it up. I used my last two bags of SD two years ago to setup my 65gal, and now I'm missing it. I really liked the finer white sand over the beige color of the play sand, unless they've changed the play sand to be white as well?

hmmmm

Luis

cowboyswife · 03/03/2008, 03:26 PM

Ocean Direct carries some really fine white sand. I cant remember what brand it was, but we used it in our 140, and it was beautiful.

loosbrew · 03/03/2008, 03:38 PM

Was it reasonably priced? I'm having a little bit of a hard time accepting the cost of sand from an actual LFS compared to what I used to pay for SD. :P

Looks like Play Sand is out of the question since there is no buffering and not white. I'll check out what ocean direct has to offer.

Luis

cowboyswife · 03/03/2008, 04:01 PM

You have PM

osiris4evr · 03/04/2008, 12:38 AM

I used play sand and i love it! It looks so much more natural!!!! I hate the big grainy look of aragonite sand, it looks so fake. I just rinsed out the play sand really well when i was setting the tank up and never had any problems. Definitely would use it again!!!!

orb · 03/04/2008, 06:26 AM

the playsand i got from lowes is white. for a 120 get a couple bags, and then get a couple bags of "live sand" from the LFS to throw on top to make it more natural looking. just make sure you wash the playsand really well.

03/03/2008, 01:14 PM	#1
loosbrew Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Winter Park, Florida Posts: 577	Southdown or equivalent? Hey everyone, I will be setting a 120 soon and would liek to know where I can obtain a good deal of Southdown or something equivalent. I don't set tanks up that often and haven't purchased southdown in many years. I'm also not hip to the latest trends in the "sandbed world" so perhaps there's something just as effective or not? Been looking for some updated info but it's kind of tedious without a functioning search feature. TIA! Luis

03/03/2008, 01:53 PM	#3
thor32766 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Chuluota, FL Posts: 6,072	there are a lot of people using regular play sand from home depot or lowes. I know theres a couple of people on here that use it with great results. __________________ "Live your life so no one has to lie about who you were at your funeral" click on my red house to see my tang compound! Current Tank Info: 29 gallon in Wall!

03/03/2008, 03:26 PM	#5
cowboyswife Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Deltona FL Posts: 2,187	Ocean Direct carries some really fine white sand. I cant remember what brand it was, but we used it in our 140, and it was beautiful. __________________ "The voice of the sea speaks to the soul." - Kate Chopin ~Becca Current Tank Info: Out of the hobby for the time being. But Im sticking around anyway!

03/03/2008, 04:01 PM	#7
cowboyswife Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Deltona FL Posts: 2,187	You have PM __________________ "The voice of the sea speaks to the soul." - Kate Chopin ~Becca Current Tank Info: Out of the hobby for the time being. But Im sticking around anyway!

03/03/2008, 01:50 PM	#2
cur10u5g30rg3 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Orlando Posts: 534	I looked all over a while back for southdown sand when I was setting up mine. I couldn't find any. The only places it seamed possible to find it is in the northeast and then it is only if someone has a couple of bags they have had stockpiled for a few years. The company that was producing the Southdown, was out of Mass, and they were bought out. The new company stopped producing/harvesting the southdown. There was a place in south florida that sold an equivalent to that. Some of the local clubs were putting together group buys on it awhile back.

03/03/2008, 03:15 PM	#4
loosbrew Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Winter Park, Florida Posts: 577	for some reason I'm a little hesitant of the normal play sand. I guess I could look it up. I used my last two bags of SD two years ago to setup my 65gal, and now I'm missing it. I really liked the finer white sand over the beige color of the play sand, unless they've changed the play sand to be white as well? hmmmm Luis

03/03/2008, 03:38 PM	#6
loosbrew Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Winter Park, Florida Posts: 577	Was it reasonably priced? I'm having a little bit of a hard time accepting the cost of sand from an actual LFS compared to what I used to pay for SD. :P Looks like Play Sand is out of the question since there is no buffering and not white. I'll check out what ocean direct has to offer. Luis

03/04/2008, 12:38 AM	#8
osiris4evr Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Orlando Posts: 237	I used play sand and i love it! It looks so much more natural!!!! I hate the big grainy look of aragonite sand, it looks so fake. I just rinsed out the play sand really well when i was setting the tank up and never had any problems. Definitely would use it again!!!!

03/04/2008, 06:26 AM	#9
orb Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: orlando Posts: 602	the playsand i got from lowes is white. for a 120 get a couple bags, and then get a couple bags of "live sand" from the LFS to throw on top to make it more natural looking. just make sure you wash the playsand really well.