penance

Hi guys

I picked up this bag of black sand at my LFS and would like your opinion on reviews if you have used this this is for my freshwater aquarium where it does state "safe for fresh or salt water"

Chewyoda

I've never seen black sand before and I've never had sand in my freshwater aquarium. But weather the sand is good for your aquarium really depends on what your fish prefer.

penance

I'm using the sand for either the red cherry shrimp or the dwarf puffers which will be stocking my tank soon.

I presoaked the sand according to the instructions but it still clumps and floats to the top, the floating doesn't really bother me but the clumps do but I figure when I start planting and decorating that'll go away.

themostazn

That is what happen to me. I think it depends on the sand brand because the first bag i bought i rinse and soaked but the sand clumps up together then makes the sand float. I then bought a second type of bag but this time I boiled the sand 2 times then let it soak and rinse, i then put the sand in and i sunk to the bottom with no problem, no floating or clumps. Try to buy the finer sand because i think it helps. The first bag were like half a sugar size.

penance

I gave up on the black sand and it was definitely a pain to rinse out of the tank as well because I forgot how sand like to stick so I replaced it with black gravel which suits me fine.

There were all these little air bubbles on the black sand and everytime I poked one the sand would float to the top >.< sooo annoying it had to go, too much prep work just to scape a small tank ... right now it looks nice with the driftwood, onion plant and marimo balls I added