Epic Overhaul/Builds: 3D Backgrounds 300g-125g-120g

[honda237]

These are the only pics I took today. MFK member sonny503 came over this morning and hooked me up in a major way! Most people don't give you 100+ lbs of your favorite Lapis Lustre sand. Much less offer to drive it over and drop it off... Such a cool guy, thanks so much brother! I am usually the guy to hook everyone else up, that was so cool of you!

Sonny dropped off two tubs that needed a little effort but how cool was it to get set up like that? All I needed to do was filter out the gravel mixed in.

View attachment 550469

Again, my favorite orange spoon tool thingy's that I use every day on the big tanks..

View attachment 550470

View attachment 550471

I used a large, in take net to dump through and catch the large chunks/gravel.

View attachment 550472

View attachment 550473

The net thing in action. It worked really well but made the tank super cloudy. Some of the sand was new. It looks allot worse than it is. 1 water change it's almost clear again..

View attachment 550474

This was all the stuff I filtered out of the sand.

View attachment 550477

FTS, I have never mixed in unwashed sand before. Wow... Everyone does it once I guess..

View attachment 550475

View attachment 550476

The tank is completely clear now. More pics tomorrow.. Obviously the sand is not long term in this tank, I am stashing tons for the 300 gallon later... for the record

that nasty, i've mixed in play sand unwashed, then add the water and my tank barely clouds up, but yet i get the prewashed sand in the bags.
Nice updates, can't wait to see them done.

 

[Muni]

Where does that sand come from originally (like distributor/retail company)?

My google-fu revels it's made by a company called RMC-Lonestar. That might help you find a distributor.

I believe they are in California.

 

[Conner]

that nasty, i've mixed in play sand unwashed, then add the water and my tank barely clouds up, but yet i get the prewashed sand in the bags.
Nice updates, can't wait to see them done.

No way you could have used play sand without a problem. I've used about a dozen bags of the stuff. I washed one of them for 45 minutes straight, and it still clouded up my water.

The only sand I've ever used that I could just dump it straight in without washing and NOT have a huge cloud of dust was pool filter sand, and it still clouds the water somewhat.

 

[Rgaray5396]

I just read this whole thread. Freakin sweet!!!

 

[JK47]

I was going to say that's a lot of sand for that tank. You'd have like a 8" deep sand bed going there...

Where does that sand come from originally (like distributor/retail company)?

lol yeah it's a waaay too much. Adding lots of cold water washed sand in crashes the temp really fast so I didn't want to put it in the 300g. When I mix it all together I should have just the right amount for the two tanks.
300g = 250 lbs
120g = 100 lbs

It's made by a company called Cemex. This is the model # 1C. Here's a pic of the bag.

 

[sponger_2]

hey i was curious to know why you used a T instead of a Y for the fx5's? I would think that the Y would have less flow restriction to it.

 

[JK47]

that nasty, i've mixed in play sand unwashed, then add the water and my tank barely clouds up, but yet i get the prewashed sand in the bags.
Nice updates, can't wait to see them done.

I know right it was almost comical how bad it was. If you want stuff free you gotta work for it right?

My google-fu revels it's made by a company called RMC-Lonestar. That might help you find a distributor.

I believe they are in California.

I will look them up thanks! I would love to pick a pallet of this stuff.

I just read this whole thread. Freakin sweet!!!

Thanks and welcome!

hey i was curious to know why you used a T instead of a Y for the fx5's? I would think that the Y would have less flow restriction to it.

I was actually looking for a "Y" that's funny, I could not find one locally though. That's the nice thing about softline is you can change things easily while the tank is setup.. when you track down certain pieces.

 

[Muni]

I'm gonna need about 250 pounds of sand for my 300 Gallon. I want white though. Inside of my tank is gonna be black. So I want white to brighten it up and for the contrast. Do you know if they make a white or where I can find a decent white sand in the NW since your semi-local to me.

On a side note JK47. Just ordered my glass today. It'll be in Tuesday.

 

[Muni]

Heres a link to mcmaster-carr for the barb. It's 1/2 inch if thats what you need. Just guestimated.

I think its a 10 pack you can split it with someone if you want.

--->Clicky<----

 

[JK47]

I'm gonna need about 250 pounds of sand for my 300 Gallon. I want white though. Inside of my tank is gonna be black. So I want white to brighten it up and for the contrast. Do you know if they make a white or where I can find a decent white sand in the NW since your semi-local to me.

On a side note JK47. Just ordered my glass today. It'll be in Tuesday.

Then you want the quickrete media sand. Its bright white and $7 for 100 lbs locally from Home Depot brown bag with green labeled writing on it. MAKE SURE you get the "media" sand.

I have it in my 10g (pics below I just took for you). It's a little too fine for geos but perfect if you don't have sand sifters IMO.