What I could call a "Good Deal"

http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=20545;category_id=2409
at bigalsonline, I found this black sand. It's $14.00 or so for a 20 lb bag. now, at any other store that sells pet products, I have found the same type of sand but they are selling a dinky little bag, I think about 5 lb or something for $8. If you do the math, you save money buying from big Al's online, and they have really nice products. the other really cool thing is, they use recycled boxes! I hate it when companies will produce new boxes, it's such a waste! I love it when they will go out of their way to find used or recycled boxes, it helps the environment. They also pack some of the prodcucts with plastic bags filled with air, I guess to avoid using those terrible packing peanuts. I ordered a package from there, it came with the air bags. Check the link out, I think a lot of people here that live in the states or Canada will want this sand since I have seen a few threads talking about it. I don't know if I will use this sand. My Black Axie is very dark, he might get lost in it lol. But he might not if I mix in white rocks or something.

I love Big Al's. I buy all my aquarium supplies from them.

I found that the black moon sand/white sand plus shipping is cheaper to order from Big Al's than to have the local pet stores order it in for me.

I bought the white version of this sand for my axolotl tank.

Rheann did you read the new thread called "Colored sand"? 3M has a crushed quartz sand product that comes in all sorts of colors that is safe for fresh water aquariums.

thats the same sand i use Rheann quick advice when you wash this sand wash it 3-4 lbs at a time its very dirty or put it in a big bucket let it sit overnight in water stir it jolt it whatever. It settles with ease in 1-2 days in a new tank so thats not an issue, but the dust accumalates above the sand so it looks bad then if not thoroughly cleaned. Enjoy!

Hi Dev, Hi Cynthia I have the black sand now. They didn't have white or tan at the pet store, I didn't want to have to lug another 50 lb bag of tan sand from the home depot up the stairs again lol. The black sand is very lovely. I just bought it. I posted a thread into the free for all about it. I washed it really well, it stained my tub black! And my hands! Eww! I will get the filter running shortly for it, i have stopped to take a break because it's very tiring. I didn't see the thread about the colored sand. I have seen blue sand and purple and white in the stores, it's very colorful. All they had this time at the pet store was the purple and black, and I really didn't want purple so i went with black. yes it is very dusty and dirty. Thanks guys

Rheann, just becareful that shipping charges don't turn around to bite you. I've never bought from Big Al's, but their prices are comparable to www.aquariumguys.com, and I've never had a problem with them. But anywhere you buy from, it's best to order a bunch of stuff (like filter media, and various needed replacement componants or decorations, fun stuff), and save on shipping.

Also, you guys with sand substrate, how do you go about cleaning up poo? Does the sand get sucked up in a siphon? I think I might change over to sand... Siphoning between the riverrock's getting old fast.

Hi Joan I'll try out aquarium guys and see how they are too. I plan to order some corner filters, just as soon as I figure out some things about them, I'll either get them from bigal's or aquarium guys, not sure yet, and I'll have to wait a white to get them. Sand is pretty easy clean up. When you use the tury baster, it's a lot easier to clean with the sand than it is with rocks because there isn't obsitcals as I like to call it. Sand is also very pretty and seems to show fish and Axies off better, or at least it seems that way to me I use a syphon where you have to turn it once to get a water flow started, as long as I don't stick it too far into the sand it does a pretty decent job of cleaning for me because if I stick it too far in the sand disapears too lol. Right now my water is black from the black sand. i have added my filter, I will wait a few days, or hours to add the decorations, just when ever the water shows a lot of clearing. It's going to look outstanding when it's finished, I think I have got the worm problem settled for now. If they come back, I'll rage war some other way lol.