TL;DR – Be careful of the type of substrate you purchase and ensure it is appropriate for your aquarium friends.
On the hunt looking for black substrate to start a nano tank which will determine if I replace my current substrate in my 78 gallon for black substrate. There is nothing wrong with the current substrate (would highly recommend what's in there now), but you know, sometimes we all need a little change.
After doing what I thought was enough independent research, I came to the conclusion Black Diamond blasting sand would be a good one. Bought a 50 lb bag for less than $15 and washed it like hell per recommendations.
After washing approximately 3 pound of this stuff like hell, it was put in a 400 degree oven for a few hours to dry out. During the time it was in the oven my hands felt terrible and were inflamed. I had used my hands to wash the sand for a while until I got another tool.
Curious, I got the ear wax camera recently purchased because the texture of blasting sand, surprise, wasn't as soft as the light sand. Looking at the blasting sand with said camera, it appeared to be tiny shards of glass. FYI, so many use cases for these tiny ear wax cameras.
Immediately upon view, I knew I would not use it. My nano is going to be the future home of an African Dwarf frog, and the 78 would continue to house a Blue Eyed Lemon Bristlenose Pleco, rabbit snails and corydoras. It made me sick to think I almost used this as their substrate, it would have been absolute torture for these bottom dwellers and their dermis.
Blasting sand is typically made of mineral slag or recycle crushed glass, but not having a geologist background I didn't understand how sharp it would be. TIL.
I decided to purchase an actual brand from a big box pet store sold specifically as aquarium substrate. Opening it up to wash it, I took a pinch of the pet store substrate, and it just looked and felt like larger shards of glass. Used the ear wax camera again to evaluate the substrate. Larger pieces of shards of glass. Buyer beware, there are companies bagging up blasting sand and selling it to you at a huge price increase and you might be hurting your bottom dwelling community.
I decided I'd go to one last big box pet store and look for one last brand of black substrate. To my contact lensed eye, the granules looked smoother. I bought a bag and using the ear wax camera yet again evaluated the texture.
Pictures in order
- CaribSea sand (current)
- â Imagitarium
- â Aqua Natural
- â Black diamond blasting sand
Hopefully this post helps more people carefully evaluate the needs of their tank inhabitants and ensure the substrate is appropriate for them. My CRP's, Congo, and cherry tetras wouldn't have been affected. I originally bought CaribSea specifically because it was recommended for corydoras and it really brings out their curious and clownish personalities.
Edited: Clarity
Posted by theincognitonerd