• You liked BFD7 now you should join this forum and of course become a club member to see what CCA is all about.
  • Thank you to everyone who registered and showed up for the BIG Fish Deal #7.

Garnet Sand?

mchambers

Former CCA member
Some of you may remember that one of our past members, Avatar/Sam, used to have some beautiful red sand in several of his tanks. It was garnet sand.

I've been thinking about trying to find some garnet sand, and I discovered yesterday that Home Depot carries a brand of garnet sand called Black Bull.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/BLACK-BULL-Blast-Media-80-Grit-Abrasive-Garnet-Sand-SBGARN/203494096

Am wondering if anyone has tried it or another brand. I'd be particularly interested in knowing how bottom dwellers do with it.
 

Digital

Members
Crushed garnet is used in water jet cutters. I'm really surprised someone has used it in tank. Seems like it could problematic.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 

mchambers

Former CCA member
As I said, Sam used garnet sand in some of his tanks and there are reports on the WWW of folks using it, including some corydoras keepers. I'm just curious about this particular brand.
 

b considine

a dude playing a dude disguised as another dude
The fact that the label says "grit abrasive" would make me nervous for use with corys.

Blaise
 

Jmty

Members
is that the same they use for sand blasting?if so i been using it with cories and eartheaters for about a year now with no problems.
 

mchambers

Former CCA member
It's one type used for sandblasting. Black Diamond is another.

All sand is abrasive, of course. I don't know whether this sand is particularly sharp. Maybe I'll buy a bucket and find out.
 

Greengirl

Members
I've always wanted to try garnet sand too. Sam raved about it and said he would have used it in every tank. When I decide I hate my gravel (which is blue and ugly so I already hate it) I will do a massive redecorating with garnet sand. I'm glad we can find it locally.
 

Tony

Alligator Snapping Turtle/Past Pres
I miss Sam. :/

I think that this may be different stuff in terms of its finish. The stuff Sam got was naturally polished (IIRC correctly, it was taken from river beds). Not sure if this is the same. Either way, it may be worth a shot. Heck, I'd just take a screwdriver to the store, open the can there and check it out.

Black Beauty is the most commonly used sandblasting media. It is slag, I believe. Folks use it in tanks supposedly without any harmful effects. I've never tried it though.
 

mchambers

Former CCA member
Sam's Sand

I miss Sam. :/

I think that this may be different stuff in terms of its finish. The stuff Sam got was naturally polished (IIRC correctly, it was taken from river beds). Not sure if this is the same. Either way, it may be worth a shot. Heck, I'd just take a screwdriver to the store, open the can there and check it out.

Black Beauty is the most commonly used sandblasting media. It is slag, I believe. Folks use it in tanks supposedly without any harmful effects. I've never tried it though.
I miss Sam, too, as do a lot of folks here, I'm sure.

I worry that the Black Bull sand is not as nice as what Sam had, in terms of finish and color, but it is pretty fine (80 grit), which makes me think it would be okay for bottom dwellers. Maybe too fine, so that it makes a mess.

The screwdriver is a great idea, except that it looks like the stores don't usually have the sand in stock, so you have to order to have it delivered to the store. At that point, I think the screwdriver wouldn't work. ;-)

Still, I may try it.
 

Leffler817

CCA Members
I've had a problem with corys and Mystic II pfs which I had thought was safe but the corys had no barbels in that tank. :confused: :confused: :confused:
 

Thai

Members
Black bull is very fine and not ideal grit size to use as substrate, it's almost powder, I was looking for garbet sand for my tank for the longest time and gave up.
 

Digital

Members
You could buy a small rock tumbler and actually do a few batches to see how long it needs to be tumbled to round off the sharp edges. I'd literally start in short increments because you can easily tumble a gem to nothingness.

I had thought about doing something similar with the small rose quartz you can buy by the lb at the stone store.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
Top