Looking For Pool Filter Sand

[punman]

I usually get it from a Pool Supply place off Blackfoot Tr but they are out for a couple of weeks. I can wait - no hurry, but wonder where everyone else buys from.

[Blue Ram]

I got mine at Oasis Pools & Spa - 6103 Centre St. SW

[Mighty Prawn]

Does it look nicer than Target Playsand?

-Hideo

[jvision]

PFS is usually a little coarser than Targe Playsand. Otherwise, it looks pretty much the same

[seajays]

Check to see if you have a company called SIL Industries in Calgary . Look for a product called Granusual( spelling). $11 per bag in Edmonton. It is a off white. Easy to clean.

Edited June 13, 2006 by seajays

[RD.]

PFS is usually a little coarser than Target Playsand. Otherwise, it looks pretty much the same.

That depends on the PFS. The Target brand PFS that I was previously using in my tanks wasn't nearly as natural looking as the Target play sand that I now use. The PFS was also MUCH more expensive, with the Target Play Sand costing $4.50 for 55 lb's, vs $20 for 50 lb's of the Target PFS.

http://www.targetproducts.com/facilities/calgary.htm

[punman]

Target Pool Filter was the last type I bought but I was charged less than $10 for 50 lbs so I didn't mind that.

[RD.]

Dwayne, I like the Target play sand so much better, that I would have gladly paid 3-4 times as much as the Target PFS. Not only does it look better, IMO it's much easier to clean, as it's a bit larger in grain size and holds to the bottom better than the PFS. I believe that the Target office in Calgary has samples of all of the various sands that they sell, so you might want to check that out.

[punman]

Interestiing to hear that as I had always read about play sand being messier and poorer than pool filter sand.

Edited June 15, 2006 by punman

[RD.]

Same here. I happened to be at RDfishguy's house one day and asked him what substrate he was using, and he had an extra bag that he gave me. I honestly couldn't believe that it was sold as play sand.

No ultra fine grains like most play sands, and no endless hours of pre-rinsing the sand. One light rinse & it's good to go. Ryan didn't even rinse his.

Here's a pic of the sand. (with a a few of your moorii)

[pat]

I brought the Target play sand on Tuesday and I dumped it straight into the 10G as a test.

And Ryan is right, there is really no need to rinse. The water clear up within second.

[jvision]

I find that as long as you add Play Sand BEFORE adding water, there's no problem w. clouding.

[RD.]

It really depends on the brand of play sand, Target play sand is definitely not your typical play sand. Some of the play sands on the market are loaded with fine clay particles & the grain size of the sand is very small. That combo can make for a very cloudy tank, no matter how many times you rinse, or how you set your tank up.

With the Target play sand I added approx 8" of water to my tank, put the sand in, then drained the water out & added my rocks. On the re-fill the tank was crystal clear. In my kids tank I added the sand directly to her tank full of water, and it took approx 24 hrs before it was 100% clear. (I did this with fish in the tank)

Having rinsed aragonite until my knuckles turned blue, and it still wasn't clean, I was amazed at how clean this brand of play sand was. Other than the odd piece of dried grass etc, it's about as clean as sand gets straight from the bag.

[punman]

Pat, did you get your sand from the Target plant in Calgary?

[pat]

Pat, did you get your sand from the Target plant in Calgary?

I brought it from Home Depot. Just under $5 a bag.