Crayola Play Sand

Crayola Play Sand was found at my local wal-mart for just under $7 for a 20lb bag.
I opted to use one full bag of the blue in my 10 gallon.

Other colors (Green, Purple, Pink, & the Blue I used) can be viewed here--> http://Crayola Sand

If you'd like specific information regarding this product go here--> http://Crayola Contact

The 3 attached photos were taken literally seconds after adding it to the 10 gallon and mind you this was AFTER tons of rinsing that seemed to make no difference whatsoever.



What I've Noticed:
This stuff is MUCH finer than any sand that I've used in the past (pool filter sand, playsand, & even CaribSea Tahitian Moon Sand) and I'm already wondering if it'll swirl about when I go to do partial via the Python No Spill Clean n' Fill. As for the color, you can see for yourself that it's quite vibrant when added to water.

Questions for others who have used this:
1. why after tons of rinsing am I still ending up with these microbeads of sand? Both on the top layer of the substrate and across the surface of the water too.
-->I have already tried "squishing" them between my hand and it seems pretty futile. When I try to "net" them out that takes away nearly ALL of the substrate amazingly.
2. will it simply settle over time?
3. any suggestions on what to do in order to "force" it to settle?
4. does it "swirl" about when fish swim over it due to it's "lightness"? (will it "swirl" about when trying to siphon for partials)?

First photo = full tank shot
Second photo = surface shot (showing sand beads on surface of water)
Third photo = substrate shot (showing sand beads on surface of substrate)

 

UPDATE:
all the microbeads of surface sand have now sunk, however I still have a majority of the substrate covered with them.

Their is nothing in this tank, I used it moreso as a "test" setup...and from the looks of it thus far, it appears I'll be returning the 5 bags of pink that I picked up for the 90g.

 

hmm...i stirred it constantly while running high presssured water through it. I did the same too, by letting alot of the water spill off.
i'm down to substrate surface ones now that i can't seem to "smoosh" down & they float all over when the surface is disturbed?

 

2ND UPDATE
I'm left with about 25% of the substrate covered in microbeads of sand...it appears that they are "dissolving" on their own. Yay!

 

pretty and safe, I saw a post elsewhere where a crayola rep posted in regards to it's safeness so to say.

The thing I don't like in regards to it's use in aquariums is that it's too fine...I'm pretty sure if I go to siphon it most of the sand will be sucked out in comparison to Tahitian moon sand which gravitates back down. I haven't tried it yet, but when I do I'll be sure to deny/confirm that.

I COULD see this used in a hermit crab tank though!

 

thanks for the confirmation, that's what I was worried about- it being so light that it sucked up easily when siphoning. I too like using sand because it's easier to suck up the waste off it (doesn't get buried down in like say with gravel).

I'm sure for small fish the sand would work, but I'm pretty sure with the discus "blowing" around tahitian moon that they'll surely have this stuff swirling and in my intakes in no time. Wish it was "heavier" so to speak.

 

Maybe they are making it lighter just in case kids bury theirselves in it?
I know I watched a show the other night (early am hours) and it had to do with trauma/disasters and dude dug a hole on a beach & the sand collapsed around the trench and buried him.

Oscars would have this stuff all inside your intake= burned up filter.

 

I only had one the discus in there for 3 days to give him a break, he kept trying to go muck with the pair that bred and wasn't learning his lesson. Seemed fine when he was in there with the sand (no negative effects noted that is), but after 3 days and someone almost banging a chair into the tank I opted to add him back to the main rather than chance a broken tank and water spilling everywhere.

I returned my extra bags that I had planned on using in the 90g because it was just too fine and I didn't want 90% of it in my sink clogging it up (python no spill clean n' fill).

I've read elsewhere where people had used it and they didn't have any issues, but if I were you i'd keep testing it with all those losses...including testing your water source- or simply swap it out.

 

see, I wouldn't think of testing pH as mine always tests light yellow (api freshwater master test kit- liquid).
I think that's why I have such good luck with the discus.

after a bit of reading about the crayola sand I found out the following:

Here's a safety data sheet on the product itself--> http://crabstreetjournal.com/xoops/uploads/4c78b54e-83dc-7148.pdf

Myself, if I had lost that many things in my tank I think I'd contact crayola and give them a heads up...maybe they'll know something about the shift in pH that you're experiencing with it?

Also, as a side note even after it sat in my 10g it still "bubbled" when I siphoned through it.