lowes quikrete play sand toxic?

[Rocksor]

I've used Target brand play sand from Home Depot over the years, and never gave it more than a quick rinse in a pail, then scooped into the tank. I never separated anything? Never once had any issues. I've even done this a few times with fish in the tanks, again, no issues.

I used the this play sand and it required a lot of rinsing to remove the oily residue.

 

[pescado209]

How long did you rinse the sand for?

iv been rinsing it for the last couple days .

If the problem is due to some additive in the sand I doubt that the parameter readings will reveal much if anything.

that's kinda of what I'm thinking too. had my girl do a another WC and pull out all the bodies when I left for work this morning.

 

[pescado209]

I used the this play sand and it required a lot of rinsing to remove the oily residue.

View attachment 1306892

that's the stuff I bought. is was on sale so I bought 6 sacks for $20. thinking I should take it back...

 

[krichardson]

You might have to do a,complete tear down and wash out,I probably would at this point.I'm afraid that whatever the stuff is might seep into the silicone.

 

[Rocksor]

iv been rinsing it for the last couple days .

How long is each rinse? 5 minutes? Multiple rinses in a day? Did you ever smell or see an oily sheen in the rinse water? It would be a lot of work to rinse the other unopened bags. I would return those.

 

[Stephen St.Clair]

I've used Quikcrete small grain pea gravel for one of my tanks. Good stuff. I researched the Quikcrete play sand product. It apparently is rinsed and dried before packaging, and is pure sand mined from river beds and beaches.
Maybe the sand was shipped and stored with bug spray, fertilizer, oil products or what ever poisons the big box stores sell, and somehow became contaminated. I doubt if much consideration is given regarding product separation.

 

[pescado209]

How long is each rinse? 5 minutes? Multiple rinses in a day? Did you ever smell or see an oily sheen in the rinse water? It would be a lot of work to rinse the other unopened bags. I would return those.

set up a water drain system in my 40g double tank stand. iv been filling the tank stiring the sand and draining several times a day over 4 day period. this way I tested for leaks and all the floating sand and dust drained out . had the the water pretty clean so I added added my fish and a ac50 with filter floss .there was no noticable oil slicks or shine to the water .

I've used Quikcrete small grain pea gravel for one of my tanks. Good stuff. I researched the Quikcrete play sand product. It apparently is rinsed and dried before packaging, and is pure sand mined from river beds and beaches.
Maybe the sand was shipped and stored with bug spray, fertilizer, oil products or what ever poisons the big box stores sell, and somehow became contaminated. I doubt if much consideration is given regarding product separation.

maybe this is what happened. really lost on the cause at this point and really bummed out.

 

[pescado209]

You might have to do a,complete tear down and wash out,I probably would at this point.I'm afraid that whatever the stuff is might seep into the silicone.

I hope not these are 2 brand new 40g breeder tanks . the guppies have only been in it since last Friday.

 

[RD.]

What a bummer. Good thing it's safe for children to play in.

 

[duanes]

If the sand was shipped in a truck with bags of weed killer, bags of bug killer, or some other toxic chemical also delivered to the same place, on top of the bags of sand, or situated near it and sifted down, or blew on the breeze, all the rinsing in the world probably wouldn't get rid of it. And all it takes is a few grains.
It might even be that the truck carried something on the previous trip and left a residue.
It also could be the quarry it came from was down wind from some spraying.
Possibilities are endless.