Home Depot, Southdown, and Economics

[randy holmes-farley]

That's funny!

I was just at Home Depot a few minutes ago, and didn't find any Southdown sand for an experiment I'm planning, but didn't think to snoop around back!

Randy

 

[Anonymous]

hi.
I heard that CaribSea has an agreement with SD that SD will not sell the sand for aquarium use... a non-completing agreement of some sort. If HD knew about the agreement, and you show them a bag of CaribSea, they are obligated not to sell you any SD sand... am I right?

 

[aakks]

The agreement caribsea has is with AES which is in Ft. Pierce, FL. They are not supposed to sell it to anyone for aquarium use. AES brings the sand in from the bahamas and supplies both southdown and caribsea. The agreement is not with southdown.

I suspect the "don't use in aquariums" warning southdown is supposedly using lately came from some pressure from caribsea via AES. This is just a guess though, I don't really know.

Peter

 

[MattM]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by aakks:
<strong>I suspect the "don't use in aquariums" warning southdown is supposedly using lately came from some pressure from caribsea via AES. This is just a guess though, I don't really know.</strong><hr></blockquote>

I think this is exacly right.

In another thread someone suggested that the label is there in to protect Southdown from lawsuits by aquarists, but if you read a bit about Southdown online this is pretty laughable. They have about 100 lawsuits pending right now. Their division that makes cement here and in Mexico is being sued for a wide array of environmental abuses in almost every location they have. That they would fear a suit from an aquarist is not realistic.

I think the label is there due to some AES/Carib-Sea/Southdown marketing agreement.

 

[aakks]

I've seen that argument bounced around too. While I admit its a possibility, it just doesn't seem as likely. Like I said, though, I don't really know.

Peter

 

[Anonymous]

hi.
I hope SD was not forced to add copper nitrate or something to the sand to make CaribSea happy...

 

[Marcosreef]

How many bags did you get Matt?

 

[MattM]

I was at my local HD a week or so back and noticed about 1-1/2 pallets of Southdown sand in the garden area. I went back to day and it was nowhere to be found.

I was surprised it would sell out that fast and decided to ask when they might be getting more. It turns out that the guy I asked is the buyer for the garden department. He says, "We still have that. Management made me put it out behind the store, you want it?"

I ask why it's back there and he gives me the whole story:

Why did he buy it? "The Quickrete Play Sand has a label right on the bag about the dangers of inhaling silica dust. I figured the Southdown is probably safer for kids 'cause it doesn't have the same warning."

Why did management get pissed at him? "The Southdown is $4.27 a bag and the Quickrete is $1.99 a bag. They said no one is going to pay more than twice the price for sand so I'm not supposed to order it anymore. I tried to explain about the silica warning, but they only care about the price."

No conspiracy to keep Southdown out of hands of us aquarists. They don't want to carry it because it's too expensive! Someone should show them the price tag on a bag of Carib-Sea

[ April 19, 2002: Message edited by: MattM ]</p>

 

[MattM]

I got 10 bags today, and they are holding a couple more for me. We have a new show tank to setup and we want to re-bag some into smaller containers for customers that just need a couple pounds for a refugium.

 

[MattM]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Seven Ephors:
<strong>hi.
I hope SD was not forced to add copper nitrate or something to the sand to make CaribSea happy...

</strong><hr></blockquote>

Man, wouldn't that suck for the first guy to discover it!

 

[Anonymous]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote

I hope SD was not forced to add copper nitrate or something to the sand to make CaribSea happy...

Could they still put the phrase sterialized playsand on the bag if they did?

 

[Anonymous]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by SKBok:
<strong>Could they still put the phrase sterialized playsand on the bag if they did?</strong><hr></blockquote>

I would imagine that all sterilized means is free of bacteria, so yes.

 

[Marcosreef]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by MattM:
<strong>I got 10 bags today, and they are holding a couple more for me. We have a new show tank to setup and we want to re-bag some into smaller containers for customers that just need a couple pounds for a refugium.</strong><hr></blockquote>

I'll have to stop by and check it out. Will you be documenting the show tank? Just Kidding on the sand quantity.

I went to see if HD in Nashua had any a week ago and I saw nothing. I don't need any, I was just curious.