Fine substrate - Im a bit lost - What have you got?

HI folks,
My aquarium arrives next week so this weekend I need to find some substrate. I am decided on some quite fine stuff that better suits eartheaters and catfish etc and don't want white but am open to suggestions from quite light right up to almost black.

Other than that, I'm not sure what to get and have noticed its comedy money nowadays at £5 for a small bag... and for my 155cm x 50cm base I guess I will need a LOT of it as I want it at least a 1cm deep, probably more like 2cm.

Inspire me folks... and if you have links to alternative products to the LFS in the UK, please feel VERY free to share them.

 

Not sure if this is available by you but a lot of folks here like Black Diamond Blasting Abrasive. You can usually find it in hardware stores or tractor supply stores. Just needs a good washing but it's relatively inexpensive and you get a LOT.

 

I use pool filter sand, $10 for a 50lb bag for me. I got mine at a pool supply store. And I love it, looks very natural. Welcome to the forum!
Edit: here's a photo of mine-

 

+1 for PFS. My corys love it.

 

I use pool filter sand, $10 for a 50lb bag for me. I got mine at a pool supply store. And I love it, looks very natural. Welcome to the forum!
Edit: here's a photo of mine-

Is the anything smaller than 50lbs? Do you have to switch sand out every so often or can I use the same sand I started with? I have a betta, some mollies, and some apple snails will they eat coarse sands?

 

Lady Monster, the 50lbs is just what my pool supply store sold it for, it would depend on where you get it, but I imagine some places probably sell 25lbs. I don't think you need to switch it out, you might have to add some extra every now and then if you suck a lot up when you do waterchanges, but it hasn't been a problem for me. I have everything you have minus the apple snails and haven't had a problem with it. My betta with pick some up in her mouth and spit it out sometimes, but that's it. I personally like having it in the 50lbs bag, because if you don't use all of it you have extra for another tank.

 

Thanks guys - I like the look of the Black Diamond but don't seem to be able to get it here. Will look at pool sand.