Cheaper sand alternatives?

[weldrick208658]

I’m setting up a big predator tank and don’t wanna spend 500 dollars upwards on aquarium sand is there any other cheaper options that can save me a lot of money, thank you

 

[jean19]

you can use filtering sand for swimming pool filter , i use it for my dsb ..

 

[GSPClown94]

Sure, bare bottom.

 

[UncommonSense]

I don’t suppose a trip to the nearest ocean is a possibility? — not sure if you’re allowed to harvest sand up there in Canada either!

 

[weldrick208658]

you can use filtering sand for swimming pool filter , i use it for my dsb ..

Something like this?

 

[fishywishy]

Something like this?

I’ve heard of people using pool filter sand, and it might be okay if you rinse it good, but you’re better off going bare bottom than risking it. I’d just buy 2–3 bags of dry CaribSea sand, or go with some cheap aquarium gravel instead.

 

[VintageReefer]

Your predator tank is probably going to end up being a high nutrient environment from the messy and abundant feedings. You might want to consider bare bottom.

 

[Fish Fan]

I’ve heard of people using pool filter sand, and it might be okay if you rinse it good, but you’re better off going bare bottom than risking it. I’d just buy 2–3 bags of dry CaribSea sand, or go with some cheap aquarium gravel instead.

I've used a lot of pool filter sand both in my pool's filter, and in my freshwater tanks. It's very, very clean, and needs little if any rinsing. It's not like play sand.

My concern would be that pool filter sands offer nothing in terms of pH buffering, though I'd also say that sand buffering pH is not as important as often stated, in my opinion. I would also recommend an inexpensive aragonite sand or crushed coral substrate, if the OP did not want to go bare bottom.

Here's the CaribbSea aragonite sand on sale for $7 for 10 pounds. Yes, I get the OP has a large tank, and this sand does come in 40 pound bags too, but the 40 pound bags are about $40 each, so the "best deal" would be the smaller 10 pound bags right now:

https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/caribsea-aragonite-aquarium-sand-10-lbs-2153529?store_code=2790&mr:device=c&mr:adType=pla_with_promotionlocal&cm_mmc=PSH%7CGGL%7CCCY%7CCCO%7CPM%7C0%7C8ypVcagMTUstCaMjC7diBH%7C%7C%7C0%7C0%7C%7C%7C22487711163&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22487748708&gbraid=0AAAAAD97F17OTU7ab0DqxKaw7S8Wt5mKf&gclid=Cj0KCQjw953DBhCyARIsANhIZoaV-Jij3KcRqt0wnir5ZlVtOqxvrWmIVLh0qN7XRWCixCp4ve3GDe8aAhHXEALw_wcB

 

[malacoda]

I've used a lot of pool filter sand both in my pool's filter, and in my freshwater tanks. It's very, very clean, and needs little if any rinsing. It's not like play sand.

My concern would be that pool filter sands offer nothing in terms of pH buffering, though I'd also say that sand buffering pH is not as important as often stated, in my opinion. I would also recommend an inexpensive aragonite sand or crushed coral substrate, if the OP did not want to go bare bottom.

Here's the CaribbSea aragonite sand on sale for $7 for 10 pounds. Yes, I get the OP has a large tank, and this sand does come in 40 pound bags too, but the 40 pound bags are about $40 each, so the "best deal" would be the smaller 10 pound bags right now:

https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/caribsea-aragonite-aquarium-sand-10-lbs-2153529?store_code=2790&mr:device=c&mr:adType=pla_with_promotionlocal&cm_mmc=PSH%7CGGL%7CCCY%7CCCO%7CPM%7C0%7C8ypVcagMTUstCaMjC7diBH%7C%7C%7C0%7C0%7C%7C%7C22487711163&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22487748708&gbraid=0AAAAAD97F17OTU7ab0DqxKaw7S8Wt5mKf&gclid=Cj0KCQjw953DBhCyARIsANhIZoaV-Jij3KcRqt0wnir5ZlVtOqxvrWmIVLh0qN7XRWCixCp4ve3GDe8aAhHXEALw_wcB

Just be aware — the sand linked here is NOT the same as the and that comes in 40lb bags...

Both say 'argonite' on the bag.

But the sand linked is their 'Florida Crushed Coral' sand which has a grain size of 2.5mm - 5.5mm.

The dry sand that comes in the 40lb bags is 'Special Grade Reef Sand' — which has listed grain size of 1mm - 2mm.

This may/may not be relevant depending on whether or not you plan to keep fish that burrow into (wrasses) or ingest (sea cucumbers) the sand.

Marine Substrates - CaribSea, Inc.

ARAG-ALIVE!™ ARAGONITE CORALINE™ OCEAN DIRECT™ AQUACULTURE GRAVEL ARAG-ALIVE!™You can now bring the world’s most exotic reefs into your home with CaribSea’s Arag-Alive!™ substrates. Eight environmentally accurate ecoscapes, developed through CaribSea’s cooperation with public aquariums and...

caribsea.com

(I too am about to set up a new tank, and have been shopping around hard to try and find more affordable, argonite sand. Unfortunately, it seems brands are very limited and all appear to have MAP policies.)

 

[Fish Fan]

Just be aware — the sand linked here is NOT the same as the and that comes in 40lb bags...

Both say 'argonite' on the bag.

But the sand linked is their 'Florida Crushed Coral' sand which has a grain size of 2.5mm - 5.5mm.

The dry sand that comes in the 40lb bags is 'Special Grade Reef Sand' — which has listed grain size of 1mm - 2mm.

This may/may not be relevant depending on whether or not you plan to keep fish that burrow into (wrasses) or ingest (sea cucumbers) the sand.

Marine Substrates - CaribSea, Inc.

ARAG-ALIVE!™ ARAGONITE CORALINE™ OCEAN DIRECT™ AQUACULTURE GRAVEL ARAG-ALIVE!™You can now bring the world’s most exotic reefs into your home with CaribSea’s Arag-Alive!™ substrates. Eight environmentally accurate ecoscapes, developed through CaribSea’s cooperation with public aquariums and...

caribsea.com

Good point, and I may have linked the wrong stuff. But I've used those small bags of aragonite, and what I got the grain size was all uniform, and about 2mm or so. Maybe they have changed things since I last used it, or again I could have just grabbed the wrong link. Thanks for your reply!

EDIT: I think my point was that there's inexpensive aragonite and crushed coral options that I'd suggest over pool filter sand. Pool filter sand isn't exactly cheap either, and you likely wouldn't save much at all by using pool filter sand.

 

[malacoda]

Good point, and I may have linked the wrong stuff. But I've used those small bags of aragonite, and what I got the grain size was all uniform, and about 2mm or so. Maybe they have changed things since I last used it, or again I could have just grabbed the wrong link. Thanks for your reply!

And thanks for yours, @Fish Fan! The one you posted would save me ~$40 if I mix it 50/50 with the 200lbs of Special Grade I was planning on buying. I wouldn't have noticed without your post!

 

[Fish Fan]

And thanks for yours, @Fish Fan! The one you posted would save me ~$40 if I mix it 50/50 with the 200lbs of Special Grade I was planning on buying. I wouldn't have noticed without your post!

LOL! Well good, glad I was helpful to someone for once

 

[goosemans]

Cheapest I’ve seen is 40lb for $33 on brs

 

[weldrick208658]

Your predator tank is probably going to end up being a high nutrient environment from the messy and abundant feedings. You might want to consider bare bottom.

Thinking more about it now I think I might just end up doing like a 0.5 inch sand bed

 

[UncommonSense]

Thinking more about it now I think I might just end up doing like a 0.5 inch sand bed

You can always just do a large refugium full of rock to serve as your primary bio filtration, and PH buffer!

That would let you use little to no sand/crushed rock/etc in the display!