My Kingdom for some Sand...
- Thread starter Mr.Blik
- Start date
Fred,
Thanks for the head-up, good looking out!!!
Sorry, but I dont share your love of BB, dont try and turn me over to the "dark side" LOL J/K. I will take a look at the stuff at taht HD, only 30 minutes from the house!
Cali: if someone on MR had the "good stuff" I would not mind a small mark-up. I just get the impression that no one has it; however, if I am wrong educate me. :scratchch
Chasesng: I am not trying to go "cheap." but when the alternative cost 4-5 times the "southdown" I think exploring all option is the most prudent thing to do. Besides rather spend the bills on other things, and I am.
Sand, Sand everywhere I turn and not a grain that fizzles!
Thanks for the head-up, good looking out!!!
Sorry, but I dont share your love of BB, dont try and turn me over to the "dark side" LOL J/K. I will take a look at the stuff at taht HD, only 30 minutes from the house!Cali: if someone on MR had the "good stuff" I would not mind a small mark-up. I just get the impression that no one has it; however, if I am wrong educate me. :scratchch
Chasesng: I am not trying to go "cheap."
but when the alternative cost 4-5 times the "southdown" I think exploring all option is the most prudent thing to do. Besides rather spend the bills on other things, and I am.Sand, Sand everywhere I turn and not a grain that fizzles!
blik....dont get me wrong. me myself and i were all trying to go cheap which is why i made a monstrous effort to find the southdown stuff. everybody keeps talking about it as being the perfect sand and "dirt" cheap. i wanted some. i scoured the tristate area with phone calls, visits, and web searches.
but i'm firmly convinced that its legend now. i highly doubt any of the HD's carry it anymore. they sell thru too much volume and they cant replenish it anymore. my strong suspicion is that the only places you mite find it are out of the way garden centers that mite have some old inventory. and since they're small, they mite not have sold out their inventory.
everybody keeps thinking they've found it and getting others hot to trot. but to no avail. go ahead and look, but i recommend you approach with many grains of salt. enuf said by me on the topic
but i'm firmly convinced that its legend now. i highly doubt any of the HD's carry it anymore. they sell thru too much volume and they cant replenish it anymore. my strong suspicion is that the only places you mite find it are out of the way garden centers that mite have some old inventory. and since they're small, they mite not have sold out their inventory.
everybody keeps thinking they've found it and getting others hot to trot. but to no avail. go ahead and look, but i recommend you approach with many grains of salt. enuf said by me on the topic
- Location
- Howell, NJ
maybe southdown sold its name to the argonite companys that sell to the fish stores... hmmmm :scratch:
The search continues...
Captians Log....Day 11...my search for the elusive "Southdown" sand continues. Some say it is a myth, a cruel hoax meant to turn the minds of DSB lovers to madness. All search parties have failed. I few close calls have come our way, but in the end "NO Fizzle." Provisions are running very low and I fear that the dream of a fluffy "Southdown" DSB is slipping through my fingers...grain by grain.
If you can read this message, please send help! (beer, pizza and "Southdown") My soon to be 110 Oceanic must have a DSB if it is to have any chance of surviving.
Captians Log....Day 11...my search for the elusive "Southdown" sand continues. Some say it is a myth, a cruel hoax meant to turn the minds of DSB lovers to madness. All search parties have failed. I few close calls have come our way, but in the end "NO Fizzle." Provisions are running very low and I fear that the dream of a fluffy "Southdown" DSB is slipping through my fingers...grain by grain.
If you can read this message, please send help! (beer, pizza and "Southdown") My soon to be 110 Oceanic must have a DSB if it is to have any chance of surviving.
- Location
- Ossining, NY
Mr. Blik,
I ain't gonna stop until I find it - even if that means I have to travel down to Pittsburg to get it.
House
I ain't gonna stop until I find it - even if that means I have to travel down to Pittsburg to get it.
House
- Location
- Brooklyn, NY
I think there is a true scarcity. I seem to remember reading somewhere... sorry so vague... that the source location for mining it was no longer viable. ESV no longer carries their version of the sand ( same I believe) for the same reason. I'll try to find out the whole story. FWIW, ESV might have something new in the works sand wise... maybe a preview at the swap:biggrin: RD
FYI
A freind and I have also been on the search for the elusive Southdown. We came into contact with this rare breed a number of years ago, and when it was time for some reworking of the tanks we started searching for it a couple of weeks ago.
We have come close twice in the last few days.
1st we found Old Castle, allegedly Southdown renamed and repackeged. This was found in a Home Depot in Westchester. Package says that there may be some silca, and has the "not for aquarium use" warning (As it is my professional opinion that no one should do anything for fear of liability, I take such warning with a grain of silca-I mean a grain of salt) Now the test - we have bubbles. But the inquisition does not end there... The grain size is much larger than SOuthdown and it feels a lot rougher when you run your hand through it.
Next we found Yardright, wich I had been told long ago was just as good as the Southdown. This was found in an Agway in the vicinity of Garden City. A bag is purchased, some vinegar is found and we have......... bubbles. But once again the grain size is larger than the Southdown and feels very rough.
As indicated each of these was compared to southdown. We had a few pounds left over from the last time we went looking for it (Before anybody asks me for the sand, when I say a few pounds I mean two or three pounds). When you compare them the grain size is much larger, it is still in the vicinity of being "sugar" size but it definately on the large end. Furthermore, the "feel" of the sand was off. Instead of being smooth and silky, it was rough and harsh.
After all was said and done, we deceided that we would just have to cough up the money and purchase aquarium specific (i.e. much more expensive) sand.
A freind and I have also been on the search for the elusive Southdown. We came into contact with this rare breed a number of years ago, and when it was time for some reworking of the tanks we started searching for it a couple of weeks ago.
We have come close twice in the last few days.
1st we found Old Castle, allegedly Southdown renamed and repackeged. This was found in a Home Depot in Westchester. Package says that there may be some silca, and has the "not for aquarium use" warning (As it is my professional opinion that no one should do anything for fear of liability, I take such warning with a grain of silca-I mean a grain of salt) Now the test - we have bubbles. But the inquisition does not end there... The grain size is much larger than SOuthdown and it feels a lot rougher when you run your hand through it.
Next we found Yardright, wich I had been told long ago was just as good as the Southdown. This was found in an Agway in the vicinity of Garden City. A bag is purchased, some vinegar is found and we have......... bubbles. But once again the grain size is larger than the Southdown and feels very rough.
As indicated each of these was compared to southdown. We had a few pounds left over from the last time we went looking for it (Before anybody asks me for the sand, when I say a few pounds I mean two or three pounds). When you compare them the grain size is much larger, it is still in the vicinity of being "sugar" size but it definately on the large end. Furthermore, the "feel" of the sand was off. Instead of being smooth and silky, it was rough and harsh.
After all was said and done, we deceided that we would just have to cough up the money and purchase aquarium specific (i.e. much more expensive) sand.
- Location
- Ossining, NY
Agreed,
Ol castle is not truly southdown, insofar as the grain size, but it is still aragonite. BTW, all will contain traces of silicate. Grain size is different for sure, though.
House
Ol castle is not truly southdown, insofar as the grain size, but it is still aragonite. BTW, all will contain traces of silicate. Grain size is different for sure, though.
House
- Location
- NY
:bump: Has anybody found the holy grail yet?
master
master
- Location
- NY
drunktank said:
Not necessarily SD, but landscape, playground grade aragonite.
master
- Location
- NY
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