# Where to buy black sand/gravel



## hdrob (Dec 6, 2010)

I am looking for some black sand or gravel for my 180G. 

I don't really want to pay $8 for 5 lbs at LFS. Any suggestions on a cost efficient way to get black sand? 

I tried sand blasting sand and the parts stores only had green. One place I went to had black "sand" but it was actually copper slag. 

Any suggestions welcome.


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## charles (Apr 21, 2010)

I only know a place who sells black gravel. It gets harder to find black sand for cheap. 

If everything fail, you can always try some pool filter sand.


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## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

I have 8 gallon worth of medium black sand.


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## hdrob (Dec 6, 2010)

What type of product is safe in aquariums? what are other people using other than the LFS products?


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## Leechador (Jan 15, 2011)

I use black sand generally used for sandblasting. It WORKS! Used in 3 tanks over 3 years, without any issues.


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## Clownloachlover (Apr 21, 2010)

try Rogers or J&L, Rogers got a shipment of Tahitian Moon Black sand in not long ago and J&L has some in stock as recently as two weeks ago


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## 240sx (Sep 4, 2010)

How hard is it to find 3m quartz black sand? I just got a large bucket of it from Be with my 130 gallon but need a bit more.... don't mind paying for it as long as it's the good stuff.... haha thanks


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## hdrob (Dec 6, 2010)

Isn't the Tahitian Moon Black an arm and a leg to buy? i need to fill a 180g. I would get the LFS stuff if it was a small tank. I think the LFS stuff would be too much for me.



> I use black sand generally used for sandblasting. It WORKS! Used in 3 tanks over 3 years, without any issues.


What is your "sand" made of? I thought the copper slag would be toxic?



> How hard is it to find 3m quartz black sand? I just got a large bucket of it from Be with my 130 gallon but need a bit more.... don't mind paying for it as long as it's the good stuff.... haha thanks


How much is 3M quartz sand and where do you get it?


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## Guest (May 7, 2011)

when i was looking for the 3m color quartz sand, i put an ad in the classified here ... i was able to buy a 50 pound bag of white over a year ago and a 50 pound bag of the black a month or so ago ... you never know what people have stock-piled :O)


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## motoman (Feb 18, 2011)

I have Tahitian Moon Sand in my 130....as luck would have it I was thinking of taking it out tomorrow and replacing it with some small gravel. It is 1-2" thick....if you are interested...we could strike up a deal. Would be more than enough to cover your 180
There is probably at least 100lbs in there


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## 240sx (Sep 4, 2010)

how much ya want....


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## amramonfernandez (Jul 25, 2011)

Wouldn't fine gravel be an equivalent of black sand?


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## davej (Apr 28, 2010)

motoman said:


> I have Tahitian Moon Sand in my 130....as luck would have it I was thinking of taking it out tomorrow and replacing it with some small gravel. It is 1-2" thick....if you are interested...we could strike up a deal. Would be more than enough to cover your 180
> There is probably at least 100lbs in there


Love that stump!!!!


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## In2Deep (Aug 11, 2011)

*Black Sand*

I cheated and used quartz coated with a black sphere. Was used in heavily planted tank and plants loved it (also used some black humectates from a hydroponic shop). The material is man made by 3M and I think it was $35.00 for a 5o lb. bag. It is called Colourquartz grade s. It is covered in some kind of oil that you have to work like crazy to get off it (I later discovered that sodium bicarbonate was very effective). It looks hot and works well. This link should allow you to see the first set of pictures when I started to set it up. Also because the sand is a sphere and not a cube it does not compact.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.59672592148.73744.534152148

The black spheres are made from ceramic, it is heavier than actual sand, its designed use is for floor coverings.


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