black sand aquarium safe?

[BIG GREEN]

On 6/30/2021 at 10:28 PM, Craziiininja said:

It looks like little pieces of metal floating and a oily substance thats what makes me nervous. I have expensive fish

I have had no issues with the oil looking stuff, I use it in all my tanks 8 of them no issues 

[Craziiininja]

Maybe im just being paranoid the blasting sand looks great but still unsure if i can trust it.

[BIG GREEN]

On 6/30/2021 at 9:21 PM, BIG GREEN said:

Get a 5 gallon bucket  and this  Elastic Top Paint Strainer, 5 Gallon Size, 2 Per Pack - Trimaco Paint Strainer - Amazon.com  makes clening black diamond sand easy

@Craziiininja, this is the best way to clean it, do like 5 to 10lbs lbs at a time

[Craziiininja]

The water in the bucket is crystal clear just maybe some small particles floating

[Craziiininja]

Some small brown stuff floating as well

[Craziiininja]

I really want black substrate so i guess im gonna risk it for the biscuit lol

Edited July 1, 2021 by Craziiininja

[ARMYVET]

I have heard that before about it but so Many people say it’s completely safe …I would rinse the hell out of it before I used it. 

[Craziiininja]

Yeah i defenitely am rinsing it a ton

[Odd Duck]

I wash it by putting about 1/2 the bag in a bucket.  Put the garden hose on pretty high flow and start moving the hose around in the bucket, pushing down to the bottom.  It will fluidize the sand and the trick is getting the water flow just right for the depth of your bucket.  Too much flow and you lose too much sand over the side.  Too little flow and you’re fighting to push the hose around in the sand because it isn’t sufficiently fluidized.  Then I just repeat the same thing in what’s left in the bag.  
 

No matter your container, rinse until the water runs clear.  I’ve rinsed 5 bags this way and have black sand (medium grit) in 7 of my tanks now, from 2 gallons to 100 gallons and that’s dirt bottom capped with the sand, so not full depth sand.  Working very well for me on moderately to heavily planted.  I’ve also rinsed pool sand the same way.  It’s easier and faster than rinsing through a sieve, for me.  The pool sand did rinse a bit faster, but it only takes about 10-15 minutes to rinse the whole bag of black sand this way. All oil traces cleared.