manufacturing aquarium sand

[Water Box Dreams]

Aquarium stores will hate me for this post maybe but I have been manufacturing my own aquarium sands on and off for 30 years. Would be interested to know if anyone else does? Its pretty simple you just need a bucket and a spade, dig up some soil near you and wash it about a thousand times and you end up with sand. Most soils are about 1/3 sand and there are as many different sands as there are soils. I am no geologist but most sands will be the local bedrock I imagine.

Below is a sand I sourced recently. Its from the same soil as the local terrestrial moss in this tank - hence why the moss section looks the same - its the same sand/soil. Have bought many things from stores but never sand. Have never found a sand on sale more attractive than what I can get locally, however I have been tempted by a few bulk landscape suppliers for gardens and builders. You sometimes see some nice sands on sale.

Edited August 23, 2021 by Water Box Dreams

[GardenStateGoldfish]

That seems incredibly water intensive, I couldn’t imagine that being cheaper than buying sand however that is a really fun fact and good to know! 
 

I get my sand from a local place for free so I’m a bit spoiled 

[Water Box Dreams]

Yes if you pay for water may not be cheap, but for a small aquarium it won't ruin you. That amount shown left over in the bucket took about 20 litres and half an hour of washing. Its a 20L bucket. The latest batch was 3x whats shown left over in the bucket - about 60L to wash in total, washing about 10-15 times.

Edited August 23, 2021 by Water Box Dreams