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Re: black sand
> From: freshwaterff at earthlink_net
>
> And now, for my next question... Several years ago, while digging the
> hole for a client's pond, I ran across several veins of heavy, fine,
> black sand. It was in some stabilized sand dunes in Carlsbad, CA. Of
> course, I saved quite a bit of it and am now tripping over its containers
> in my greenhouse. I know that it is full of Fe (it is extremely weighty,
> >/= 75 lbs/ cu.ft.)and I guess my question is, does anybody out there
feel that there would be any advantage in using it as a substrate, or
> substrate additive, for my aquarium plants, or is it just a waste of
> time? It is so fine that I'm certain that it will sift through the
> gravel in the aquarium and wind up in a layer on the tank bottom. Thank
> you very much for your help. D. Curtright.
>
I used a black sand called something like Marvel black beauty.
It was very high in Fe and was highly magnetic. It was also very
sharp. A little piece stuck to a magnetic scraper would scratch
the glass. It also found its way into small crevices in plants
and damaged them.
I finally quit using it after an autopsy showed it had shredded
the inside of a fish. Other than the sharpness and magnetism,
it was great.
Jon Wilson