# Lordco silica sand



## Johnnyfishtanks (Apr 21, 2010)

is it safe our not ?
has anyone one used this sand in there tanks and have had great results ?


----------



## Johnnyfishtanks (Apr 21, 2010)

anybody ?.............................


----------



## poiuy704 (Nov 6, 2010)

I've used it in 3 tanks for the last 5 months, no problems at all with it. I really liked the price I think it was about $12 for 50lbs.
Jim


----------



## Johnnyfishtanks (Apr 21, 2010)

poiuy704 said:


> I've used it in 3 tanks for the last 5 months, no problems at all with it. I really liked the price I think it was about $12 for 50lbs.
> Jim


are you running canister filters


----------



## poiuy704 (Nov 6, 2010)

yes on one of them, never much problem with it being sucked into it just make sure your intake is a few inches above the sand. i did have some sucked up when my kribensis were digging but it was caught in the media and never made it to the impeller


----------



## djamm (Sep 25, 2010)

With our setup seems the water never really cleared with the 75 gallon over filtered canster and HOB for couple months now....wouldn't use it again personally although lots people don't seem to have the same problems.


----------



## niteshift (Mar 10, 2011)

I will be using a mix of sand and gravel in my 80, and already do in my 55 with a marineland C220 canister never a problem. I imagine one could fashion a prefilter for a canister from an old filter sponge. Oh and by the way I get my sand from Rona or Home Depot a few bucks less look for the playsand and let the water settle for a day or so. Hope this help's ..... David


----------



## tony1928 (Apr 22, 2010)

I've used it before and its fine if you don't have fish that are sensitive to sharp abrasive sand, like sand sifters, like geophagus. The lordco sand is blasting sand and is meant to be jagged in profile. You can tell when you run your hands through it.


----------



## hp10BII (Apr 23, 2010)

I agree with Tony1928, so depends on what fish you're stocking with. I've used it before, but my preference would be pool filter sand for sand sifters or aragonite sand if you need more buffering.


----------



## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

Why not use filter sand from the pool and spa store. $14 - $16 per 45/50 lb bag. It is graded for reverse sand filter so very little fine in it.


----------



## tony1928 (Apr 22, 2010)

Yup, pool filter sand is a way better alternative. Not to mention alot cleaner right out of the bag.


----------



## hgi (Jun 13, 2010)

I use silica sand in my piranha tank and in my fahaka tank, both have canister filters, never had a problem.


----------



## Johnnyfishtanks (Apr 21, 2010)

hgi said:


> I use silica sand in my piranha tank and in my fahaka tank, both have canister filters, never had a problem.


same as lordco stuff


----------



## poiuy704 (Nov 6, 2010)

I found the Lordco sand to be really clean as well, a couple of rinses and it was good to go.


----------



## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

Believer it or not. When I used poll filter sand for my 150g planted discus tank, no rinsing required. Fine settle in about an hour and water is clear


----------



## FatKid (Jun 25, 2010)

gklaw said:


> Why not use filter sand from the pool and spa store. $14 - $16 per 45/50 lb bag. It is graded for reverse sand filter so very little fine in it.





tony1928 said:


> I've used it before and its fine if you don't have fish that are sensitive to sharp abrasive sand, like sand sifters, like geophagus. The lordco sand is blasting sand and is meant to be jagged in profile. You can tell when you run your hands through it.


I use the sand from the pool store for a long time now and my Geo's love it. I would recommend the pool sand to anyone for all fish including sand sifters.


----------



## mitchb (Apr 27, 2011)

Last time I went to Lordco to look at their silica sand, or blasting sand, I wasn't overly impressed with the color it appeared to be so I passed. I wonder if there are different brands as the one I saw was small glass beads but then had some green pieces in it too? Kinda like if you mashed up 15 old coke bottles, and then broke an old sprite one in there too haha.


----------



## discuspaul (Jul 2, 2010)

tony1928 said:


> Yup, pool filter sand is a way better alternative. Not to mention alot cleaner right out of the bag.


Absolutely. A lot cleaner- little or no rinsing required, much less abrasive, a brighter/whiter color, and heavier grains - so no problem with it getting into filter intakes, nor vac'ed up by a vac syphon.


----------



## tony1928 (Apr 22, 2010)

I asked the pool tech there and he said that they try to make it as clean as possible since most people don't really like to swim in cloudy pool water....guess that makes good sense. He said that they just do a short flush of the filter before running the pool again but that's it.



emile said:


> Absolutely. A lot cleaner- little or no rinsing required, much less abrasive, a brighter/whiter color, and heavier grains - so no problem with it getting into filter intakes, nor vac'ed up by a vac syphon.


----------



## FatKid (Jun 25, 2010)

mitchb said:


> Last time I went to Lordco to look at their silica sand, or blasting sand, I wasn't overly impressed with the color it appeared to be so I passed. I wonder if there are different brands as the one I saw was small glass beads but then had some green pieces in it too? Kinda like if you mashed up 15 old coke bottles, and then broke an old sprite one in there too haha.


Find a local pool supply store and check out their pool filter sand. The color is decent...


----------



## mcrocker (May 29, 2010)

I have the Lordco blasting sand in my tank, and I haven't had any problems. Mine is an off-white color that I find pretty attractive. It's not pure white, but very pale in color. I rinsed mine lightly and did not find it took long for the water to clear.

I have some convict cichlids in there who like to move the sand around with their mouths, and I haven't seen any health issues as a result of that. (Though convicts seem to be nearly indestructible, I'm not sure what it takes to give them health issues)

The sharpness still might be something to consider, I've caused a couple of minor scratches when cleaning the glass in bottom corner of my tank. Not very visible in most conditions, but it's possible that a smoother sand wouldn't have caused scratching so easily.


----------

