# Pictures Needed: Play Sand with Black Background



## zfarsh (Mar 31, 2011)

Hi,
Does anyone have pictures of a aquarium with Pool Filter Sand preferably, with a BLACK background, and preferably a planted tank. I really need to see how this design would work out before i try it. Would also like to see Play Sand with Black Background. I might end up mising some pool filter sand with Ecocomplete black sand/small gravel as well that i already have, but quantity of black would be much less.
Thanks in advance everyone


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## sik80 (Mar 16, 2010)

sounds like my tank! Here it is with pool filter sand:



















All details are in my aquarium profile (click 'aquariums' next to my username)


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

sik80, that is one GORGEOUS tank!!


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## zfarsh (Mar 31, 2011)

yea, nice tank you have. now if i could also see the play sand with the black background.

You guys think this would be nice for Fancy Goldfish, or is it way too light??


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

That tank does have a black background. ;-)
I've read numerous places that it isn't good husbandry to keep goldies on sand. They are substrate rooters and swallow sand too easily, which isn't good for them.


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## sik80 (Mar 16, 2010)

aunt kymmie said:


> sik80, that is one GORGEOUS tank!!


why thank you!

Have to agree that goldfish would probably dig up the rooted plants. Also, what you can't see in the pics is that fish poop shows up quite a lot on the pale sand - with goldfish pooping a lot it would maybe look untidy

re: play sand - it'd probably look the same as mine. The advantage of pool filter sand is that it doesn't contain any small particles under a certain size (0.2mm i think), meaning that there's less compaction and more water flow through the substrate. This has the advantage of reducing the likelihood of anaerobic spots developing and providing a better environment for plant root growth. Small grain gravel has the same advantages


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## zfarsh (Mar 31, 2011)

thanks guys, i think maybe the pool sand wont be the best option for my planted goldfish tank with black background. I really need some pictures of play sand with black background. Do you guys know a nice very small gravel (1mm max) that is either dark color, such as brown or black, and that is cheap?


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

sik80, excellent tank!

While my tanks are not as nicely planted as sik80's (I have plant munching cichlids!) I do have play sand in them and black backgrounds so you'll get the gist of it. 

Sorry about the bad reflection in this one. 









another tank


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

Here are my two tanks with gray playsand and black backgrounds.

Byron.


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## zfarsh (Mar 31, 2011)

Hey Byron, I LOVE it. Which sand is this exactly, cause this is what i want, just like yours. Is it from Home Depot, we have the King Play Sand, but i dont know if it is the same:

KING - KING play sand 20kg - 13003020 - Home Depot Canada

Pls tell me, I WANT I WANT I WANT


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

zfarsh said:


> Hey Byron, I LOVE it. Which sand is this exactly, cause this is what i want, just like yours. Is it from Home Depot, we have the King Play Sand, but i dont know if it is the same:
> 
> KING - KING play sand 20kg - 13003020 - Home Depot Canada
> 
> Pls tell me, I WANT I WANT I WANT


I got mine from Home Depot but it is not the sand in the link. That says it is tan, mine is dark gray. It looks quite dark dry, and actually in the aquarium it is darker than what it appears in the photos, i think my cheaqpo camera picks up the light more and makes it appear lighter.

I threw the bag away, it is I believe Quickrite or something similar. I just did a check online and HD only lists the King tan sand now, maybe they are changing suppliers. You might find the gray sand at a local store, or maybe at Lowes if you have one of those (we don't in Vancouver, yet).

I have not seen the tan sand but I certainly like the gray. It is nearly identical to the sand in the streams of Amazonia along the Rio *****, so an ideal substrate.


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## zfarsh (Mar 31, 2011)

Byron, are you sure it was Play Sand and not just an ALL Purpose Sand? I live in Toronto and although they have Lowes, the brand is hillview or something for play sand. At home depot, the also have Sankrete all purpose sand i think, but it doesnt mention what color:

KING - KING SAKRETE all-purpose sand 30kg - 13001130 - Home Depot Canada

I really need your help figuring this out, as i really love this color. It seems as if there are many colors, like gray, brown, white in it. If pool filter sand was dark, i would have gotten that. The alternative (black) is very expensive from aquarium shops, though black is my favorate, i really like the one in your aquarium too.


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

zfarsh said:


> Byron, are you sure it was Play Sand and not just an ALL Purpose Sand? I live in Toronto and although they have Lowes, the brand is hillview or something for play sand. At home depot, the also have Sankrete all purpose sand i think, but it doesnt mention what color:
> 
> KING - KING SAKRETE all-purpose sand 30kg - 13001130 - Home Depot Canada
> 
> I really need your help figuring this out, as i really love this color. It seems as if there are many colors, like gray, brown, white in it. If pool filter sand was dark, i would have gotten that. The alternative (black) is very expensive from aquarium shops, though black is my favorate, i really like the one in your aquarium too.


No, that's not the package. The package was all brownish in colour, like one of those brown paper bags, with dark writing, not colourful. And it was playsand, and I think the name was Quikrite or something similar. I will look next time I'm in HD, which will probably be early this week. Might even buy a bag or 2 of it, if they are discontinuing it. At $7-8 for a bag it is not expensive. I am toying with re-doing my 5-foot 115g, and thinking a 2-inch sand substrate in the front with a deeper enriched substrate in the back for the plants, with some sort of natural-looking "division" that will prevent mixing, to create a Rio ***** riverscape for discus. With this in mind, I happened to walk down the sand isle last time I was in HD about 2 weeks ago, and this playsand was still there, a couple shelves of it.

It does not affect water chemistry so it is inert. And the darker colour is ideal for fish. My big objection to "sand" in the past has been the basic white pool sand which I would never use with fish, much too bright.


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## zfarsh (Mar 31, 2011)

Hi Byron,

Pls let me know once you do go to home depot on your findings, so i can get the exact same thing. Few more questions:

1) Is there only the bare sand in it, or did you add anything else because it looks like there are white little sand in it too (not too much), which gives it an amazing look?

2) Do you stir the stand time to time, or no need?

3) What dept do you currently use, or planing to use for the sand?

4) Which "deeper enriched substrate" are you planing to use? I will have low light plants, and many that wont need an enriched substrate, but i may put vals in there too, in the back, so i may get some dividers for the back, or maybe crayon holders, that i may hide them in the back with the enriched substrate, not sure yet though.

5) I will have Fancy Goldfish, Bristlenose Plecos, and Loaches in my tank, so alot of sifting and buriying from the fish, that should be safe right?

Thanks again


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

> Hi Byron,
> 
> Pls let me know once you do go to home depot on your findings, so i can get the exact same thing. Few more questions:
> 
> 1) Is there only the bare sand in it, or did you add anything else because it looks like there are white little sand in it too (not too much), which gives it an amazing look?


It is a mixed sand, much like the dark aquarium gravel actually. There are grains of black, dark gray, some white.

In tracking down that other thread mentioned below, I came across a comment in yet another thread that this sand is Quickrete and available from Lowes in the US; we don't have a Lowe's in Vancouver yet.



> 2) Do you stir the stand time to time, or no need?


No, I don't. This is a concern if the substrate is deep, which is one reason I want a dual substrate in the 115g. My 10g and 33g are about 2 inches deep. I have lots of plants (the 10g obviously, the 33g will grow in, it is newer) and plant roots prevent compaction; also tons of Malaysian livebearing snails that burrow throughout the substrate; plus, some anaerobic patches are necessary for plants, so as long as these do not spread everywhere, it is fine, but obviously they must be left alone.



> 3) What dept do you currently use, or planing to use for the sand?


As above, it is about 2 inches. If I do the 115g as planned, it will be 2-3 inches.



> 4) Which "deeper enriched substrate" are you planing to use? I will have low light plants, and many that wont need an enriched substrate, but i may put vals in there too, in the back, so i may get some dividers for the back, or maybe crayon holders, that i may hide them in the back with the enriched substrate, not sure yet though.


I have Flourite Black in the 70g now. Flourite also makes a dark brown one they call "Flourite Dark" which has the appearance of mud, ideal for a riverbank. And the plants will be large Echinodorus, those in the present 115g, that are heavy feeders. I have good luck with Corkscrew Vallisneria in my gravel substrate tank, but with harder water (mine is very soft) and an enriched substrate, it will grow like a weed.



> 5) I will have Fancy Goldfish, Bristlenose Plecos, and Loaches in my tank, so alot of sifting and buriying from the fish, that should be safe right?


Loaches and pleco, fine. The loaches will be in paradise over sand. Goldfish are not within my experience, but from other members with goldfish knowledge, I gather the issue is keeping it clean. You can't "vacuum" sand like you can gravel, it will all suck up. With my small fish, I have no issues, plus those wonderful snails do an incredible job. There is a fairly recent thread about this, with comments from Lupin who is well versed in goldfish:
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/...-sand-goldfish-68219/?highlight=goldfish+sand

Byron.


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## zfarsh (Mar 31, 2011)

Ok, i called Lowes in Toronto, and they have apparently Quikrete Play Sand and Construction Sand. I was told the play sand is tan, but maybe they made a mistake on the phone. Do you think it is the same as yours? I am not sure what the difference is between the play sand and the construction sand.


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

zfarsh said:


> Ok, i called Lowes in Toronto, and they have apparently Quikrete Play Sand and Construction Sand. I was told the play sand is tan, but maybe they made a mistake on the phone. Do you think it is the same as yours? I am not sure what the difference is between the play sand and the construction sand.


I'm beginning to think they consider the sand "tan" and I consider it gray. I can see why they would say tan, there is when dry a tan aspect to this sand. I haven't been to HD yet to check on the info on the bag, if I do and it says "tan" I'll tell you.

The construction sand is also gray (to me;-) anyway) but I would avoid it; I saw it, it is coarser but has more sharpness to it. I like the playsand, and it is certainly working for the pigmy and dwarf corys.


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## zfarsh (Mar 31, 2011)

Hey Byron,

Someone in another forum posted a pic of the play sand, not sure if it is King or Quikrete though. In his aquarium it is defenetly nice, but i just liked your better cause it is darker and more river like. I will talk to my wife about it, see what she thinks of this tan, cause its definetly nice with that black background and further from white, which is what i was hoping for. The pic from jeaninel, the playsand looks whiter, then the pic i am including, so this is very confusing to say the least Have a look at the attached pic.


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

The sand in that pic is definitely not what I have.

Light sand reflects light, which is why I avoid it. This can stress fish, if extreme they appear "washed out" because they lighten their cell pigments in an effort to be inconspicuous. I would only use it in a SE Asian swamp type setup where I would have thick floating plant cover to dim the light a lot. I have seen this at the Vancouver Aquarium, but there is very little light overhead to be realistic, and it is effective.

That colour sand would also be authentic for some Amazonian streams north of the Rio *****. They have scarcely any substrate plants, just sand, leaf litter, sticks and logs, and there is overhead vegetation that diffuses the light. Some Cory species that come from these streams have colouration that matches and they blend in with the substrate. Corydoras adolfoi, Corydoras duplicareus, Corydoras metae, Corydoras melini and similarly-patterned species. Viewed from above in their habitat streams, they look like sticks on the sand; intended to fool predators such as birds and upper water fish.

This is another reason why i emphasize knowing the fish that are going into the aquarium first, then build the tank for them. I like substrate plants in my tanks, so I have to compromise with darker substrates because of the overhead light. It relaxes the fish, and that relaxes me.


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## zfarsh (Mar 31, 2011)

hopefully the quikrete playsand at lowes in toronto will be dark like yours, cause my wife already told me she doesnt like it as much as yours too.


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

zfarsh said:


> Hey Byron,
> 
> Someone in another forum posted a pic of the play sand, not sure if it is King or Quikrete though. In his aquarium it is defenetly nice, but i just liked your better cause it is darker and more river like. I will talk to my wife about it, see what she thinks of this tan, cause its definetly nice with that black background and further from white, which is what i was hoping for. The pic from jeaninel, the playsand looks whiter, then the pic i am including, so this is very confusing to say the least Have a look at the attached pic.


The pic I provided was not a good representation. It's not white sand. The pic came out much brighter than it actually is (sucky camera probably). The photo you showed above is closer to what mine looks like.


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