Pool Filter Sand - Nepheline Syenite - in community tank?

[joeygirl]

Hi - am getting ready to transfer over some community fish that I inherited into their new home.

Someone told me that they use pool filter sand and all is well in their tanks.

I picked a bag up at my local pool store and the bag reads: Nepheline Syenite.

I have the following fish:

2 pearl gourami
4 dwarf blue gourami
3 plays
2 mollies
8 neon tetras
8 rummynose tetras
2 serape tetras
2 julicory cats
1 pleco
2 danio
2 blue german rams

My question is: after the acceptable period of cycling, will this sand be adequate for these fish? I have read many contrary reports on the web. Some say my water will be very hard due to the minerals in the sand, others say they have tried it and have not had any problems.

Before I place these fish into this new tank, I would like to be 100% confident in this substrate.

Any advice would be most appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

Annie

 

[Jrob]

unsure what nepheline syenite is... if it's just a brand or if that's a chemical you read?

in either scenario...i used PFS in my 150g when i had my yellow labs and clown loach crews in there. absolutely loved it. it's easy to clean because it's heavy and won't get sucked up in your vacuum. My only con- is that it's color is just chalky and not very conducive to having colorful fish.

I now use sand that i got from Lake Superior in my 30 when i went on vacation. it's a dark red and brown with streams of black...however it is VERY light. It gets sucked up allll the time.

End of story----i can't wait to get my 150 back up and running with pfs.

 

[joeygirl]

Hi Jrob,

from what searching tells me : Nepheline syenite is a quartz-free aluminium silicate that primarily consists of the minerals nepheline, microcline and albite.

This is no clearer for me - I have sent an email to the mining company with hopes of a quick reply.

Will post the answer when I get it in case someone else comes across this product.

I have carib black cichlid sand in my other tanks and the fish love it. It cost me a small fortune but the tanks are much larger and show very well. I was hoping to save some $$$ and went with the pool filter sand option for my new community tank - just want to be sure before putting in the fish.

 

[Drstrangelove]

http://www.sibelco.be/Web/Sibelcobe/Site.nsf/lwebkey/Sibelco_MSDS_01_Nepheline%20syeniet_Sort001500-Matrix%20340/$File/MSDS_Nepheline_%28EN%29.PDF?Openelement

Not being a chemist, I can't tell you whether it's safe or not.

 

[Jrob]

yeah, sorry haha...that helps me very little...
i would like to do the same...all black carib sand... maybe with a little bit of white carib sand just mixed in for variation or even the dark all purpose sand from home depot some people use that comes in that dark red color