WalMart white sand

[Lady Hobbs]

I've read often that people buy the white sand for their fish tank in big bags at WalMart. I had 4 bags of this stuff loaded in my cart today until I read what it said on the side of the bag.......Do not use in fish tanks. Careful with this guys. Regular play sand is fine but not the white stuff.

I got to unload it all again but I did buy their fish tank gravel....$9.95 @ 25 pounds.....100 pounds of it. $16 cheaper than the fish gravel at the store I usually go to.

[Drumachine09]

Walmart has good prices on their stuff, just their fish stock is of poor quality.

The heaters are $5 less than anywhere else, and i love em. 12 dollars for a 50 watt vs 17-20.

[Lady Hobbs]

I was sure I read that Home Depot had white gravel for fish tanks but the only white gravel I found there was almost a powder. Too fine for tanks. And of course their regular play sand. I was so happy to find the white sand at Walmart but alas, could not use it.

[cocoa_pleco]

i just found out pretty much the same thing.

Before i took down my old 33g and sold the fish, I felt like i had to give the person my black ghost knifes favorite cave since he was so attached to it. I was gonna buy another one today, and i read "not recommended for aquarium use"

[Algenco]

Try a Pool Supply, you want the Grade 20 stuff. Walmart has pool sand, but it is too fine.

[Lady Hobbs]

No pool supplies here in N MI. Pools here are indoor.

[Algenco]

No pool supplies here in N MI. Pools here are indoor.

They have to get their supplies somewhere? You want pool filter sand, grade 20

[bscman]

Just a thought, too...

Many times that "not recommended for fish tanks" is a simple liability phrase put on the package to cover their butts...I've seen it a few times with different things.

The sand probably just isn't washed thoroughly enough to dump into an aquarium. Someone may come along, buy it, and not pre-wash it...next thing ya know, mr. fishy is dead and there's an angry customer on hold.

That phrase just keeps them from having to buy new mr. fishy.

[Lady Hobbs]

This is true. But since they make sure they state NOT for aquarium use, then I have to assume the way it's cleaned or processed can be harmful to the fish. With the regular Playsand, nothing like that is noted so we can assume that's safe. A warning on the label would definately deter me from even trying it. There's too many other things that can be used to take a chance.

[A340]

Walmart has good prices on their stuff, just their fish stock is of poor quality.

The heaters are $5 less than anywhere else, and i love em. 12 dollars for a 50 watt vs 17-20.
You should come to the Walmart's up here, great selection of fish and healty ones to boot. Malawi's, Oscars and they even have a couple of brackish tanks now with Scats!

[TehTANK]

Hobbs! That is exactly what I used in my fish tank and my fishies are fine and loving life right now. I used the stuff that stated "not for aquariums." I used it anyway and they have been doing just fine. I understand you want to be careful. I am just and example that it is alright to use if you wash it good enough.

[Lady Hobbs]

Really? Did anything change like the pH or anything? I could stand mine going down but it doesn't dare go up.

[Algenco]

I have 1 tank with the Walmart pool sand (Too fine) and another with the grade 20 that I got from a pool supply. Both tanks are doing fine, plants growing.

Pool sands are Quartz and should have no effect on PH.

I think the disclaimer is two-fold

1. Prevent any damage suits from damage to impellers. If you have the intakes close to the substrate with fish that root around in the sand, it could damage an impeller.

2. Price, if marketed for Aquarium use the price would at least double!

[Lady Hobbs]

I wondered myself about the size of the grain. It looked a bit too fine to me as well but thanks for confirming. My plan was for some larger cichlids and they may stir it up too much.

[SkarloeysMom]

You should come to the Walmart's up here, great selection of fish and healty ones to boot. Malawi's, Oscars and they even have a couple of brackish tanks now with Scats!

Our local Walmart took out all their tanks. I remember looking at the tanks when they had them and seeing dead fish floating all over. I'd never buy one from them. They also never had anyone to help you with the fish. Probably that's why they got rid of their tanks. They do have good prices on their supplies though but a very small selection.

[Algenco]

I wondered myself about the size of the grain. It looked a bit too fine to me as well but thanks for confirming. My plan was for some larger cichlids and they may stir it up too much.


Look for Grade 20 pool sand, that is what a lot of people are using in their African Cichlid tanks. The grains are about the size of the head of a straight pin