Coal Slagle n organic dirt

[Tyler777]

Can I use " black diamond coal Slagle " as a tank sand ?
Also I got some live plants from a woman who had organic garden dirt under sand for nutrients for the plants.
Is it safe if I put organic dirt n coal skag as sand in my tank bfore I start cycling it ?

 

[Uberhoust]

I have heard of it being used, but have never used it myself, it is difficult to obtain here. I do have some concerns about it, first it is a by product that is generated by the burning of coal, so it might contain some nasty elements or compounds that could affect your fish or plants, emphasis on might. The other concern I have with it is that it is a glass like product and it is highly abrasive, I don't think it would be good for fish that dig or live on the bottom.

I wouldn't use dirt from a garden in my tank, hard to say what organic and decomposing materials will do to the aquarium chemistry.

To summarize: I wouldn't use the organic soil, but for the right tank I would try the coal slag, but it would be an experiment where I would be willing to change the substrate at a moment's notice. I wouldn't use either if I had bottom fish, like loaches or corys.

 

[Tyler777]

I have heard of it being used, but have never used it myself, it is difficult to obtain here. I do have some concerns about it, first it is a by product that is generated by the burning of coal, so it might contain some nasty elements or compounds that could affect your fish or plants, emphasis on might. The other concern I have with it is that it is a glass like product and it is highly abrasive, I don't think it would be good for fish that dig or live on the bottom.

I wouldn't use dirt from a garden in my tank, hard to say what organic and decomposing materials will do to the aquarium chemistry.

To summarize: I wouldn't use the organic soil, but for the right tank I would try the coal slag, but it would be an experiment where I would be willing to change the substrate at a moment's notice. I wouldn't use either if I had bottom fish, like loaches or corys.

That's why I asked for advice and opinions. I never used it bfore but I read bout people using it n saw YouTube video of a guy setting up his tank with the coal Slag, but like I said I know nothing bout it so I decided to ask you guys first

 

[Uberhoust]

Well...It seems like you might have to experiment. I think it is more or less safe but it is an industrial product that you are supposed to wear personal protective equipment when you use it. I don't think anyone can state if it affects the fish long term because there are not enough people using it right now for aquarium applications. It is certain though that this is not a good product for bottom dwelling fish, it is too abrasive in a way that would never occur in a natural habitat. When you start using your own collected substrate or substrate from materials not specifically designed for aquarium use you are in a user beware situation, and I don't think anyone will say without hesitation that it is good.

I personally believe experimentation would be good. It would be a good post if you tried it and posted your opinions based on your results. I decided I would like to try it but I cannot get a local supplier to bring it in unless I was going to get a pallet of the stuff.

 

[Tyler777]

Well...It seems like you might have to experiment. I think it is more or less safe but it is an industrial product that you are supposed to wear personal protective equipment when you use it. I don't think anyone can state if it affects the fish long term because there are not enough people using it right now for aquarium applications. It is certain though that this is not a good product for bottom dwelling fish, it is too abrasive in a way that would never occur in a natural habitat. When you start using your own collected substrate or substrate from materials not specifically designed for aquarium use you are in a user beware situation, and I don't think anyone will say without hesitation that it is good.

I personally believe experimentation would be good. It would be a good post if you tried it and posted your opinions based on your results. I decided I would like to try it but I cannot get a local supplier to bring it in unless I was going to get a pallet of the stuff.

Well, I guess I don't have a choice and experiment with it bcause my wife is on vacation n while I was at work she used those products into two tanks with bettas n other fishes in them.
So I guess I will have to wait n see what happens hopefully the fish will survive.

 

[Tyler777]

This is what we got

 

[Tyler777]

This is the first tank my wife did without telling me. In the pics u can see 3 different layers. First black layer is organic dirt, second layer is normal sand n 3 layer is coal slag.
I hope the fish will survive this wife's experiment

 

[Tyler777]

This is the other tank she experienced with but only added coal slag.
And yes there are some corys there

 

[Uberhoust]

The color is awesome but I would worry about the mouthparts on the cories. The tank with the different substrates might be interesting, ie wonder what will happen. With such a large buried organic layer I would watch for Hydrogen Sulfide production and ammonia release. Time will tell.

Have you noticed anything with the fish in the tank with only the coal slag.

I wish I could get that material here. I would try it with my shrimp. Much darker than what I have now.

 

[Tyler777]

The color is awesome but I would worry about the mouthparts on the cories. The tank with the different substrates might be interesting, ie wonder what will happen. With such a large buried organic layer I would watch for Hydrogen Sulfide production and ammonia release. Time will tell.

Have you noticed anything with the fish in the tank with only the coal slag.

I wish I could get that material here. I would try it with my shrimp. Much darker than what I have now.

The fish in the tank with only coal slag seem to be doing fine so far. But in the next few days I will find out not only if the fish are ok but specially if the corys r ok

 

[Uberhoust]

It might be a bit for the cories to show an issue. Their barbels get eroded off when they dig or filter through the substrate.

 

[Tyler777]

It might be a bit for the cories to show an issue. Their barbels get eroded off when they dig or filter through the substrate.

I'm gonna check em up tomorrow n if they're being weird I will put em in a different tank

 

[Lcc86]

If your wife changed it while you were away can you not just change it back? I wouldn't want anything abrasive with bottom dwellers myself, @Uberhoust is right, damage to barbels will take a while to show up.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

I've used soil under Black Diamond sand before. I've never had great luck with cories, for some reason, despite trying various different substrates. The tank with Black Diamond was the only time I've ever kept a whole population of cories (pandas, in that case) alive and healthy, with long, healthy barbels, even after two years on this stuff. Take that for whatever it's worth: There are a ton of other variables, so it isn't exactly a scientific study, but yes, it can work, and it's hard to argue with success. I'm all for experimenting and outside the box thinking. The price is hard to beat, especially for a large tank where you might need several dozen pounds of sand. Dedicated fish-safe substrates are notoriously expensive. I've used this stuff in two different setups, both of which ran for several years and had healthy, active fish and vigorously growing plants.

That said, I can't really recommend it, either. It's true that it is sharp and abrasive; it's used as blasting sand industrially which should tell you something. Also, there is the possibility of industrial contaminants in coal slag, since it isn't intended to be fish-safe. Say the machine that crushes the slag has a malfunction and leaks hydraulic fluid or some other petrochemical all over the sand. Who cares, right? It's just blasting sand. But it might kill your fish.

It can work. But you are taking a risk.

 

[Tyler777]

If your wife changed it while you were away can you not just change it back? I wouldn't want anything abrasive with bottom dwellers myself, @Uberhoust is right, damage to barbels will take a while to show up.

Ok

I've used soil under Black Diamond sand before. I've never had great luck with cories, for some reason, despite trying various different substrates. The tank with Black Diamond was the only time I've ever kept a whole population of cories (pandas, in that case) alive and healthy, with long, healthy barbels, even after two years on this stuff. Take that for whatever it's worth: There are a ton of other variables, so it isn't exactly a scientific study, but yes, it can work, and it's hard to argue with success. I'm all for experimenting and outside the box thinking. The price is hard to beat, especially for a large tank where you might need several dozen pounds of sand. Dedicated fish-safe substrates are notoriously expensive. I've used this stuff in two different setups, both of which ran for several years and had healthy, active fish and vigorously growing plants.

That said, I can't really recommend it, either. It's true that it is sharp and abrasive; it's used as blasting sand industrially which should tell you something. Also, there is the possibility of industrial contaminants in coal slag, since it isn't intended to be fish-safe. Say the machine that crushes the slag has a malfunction and leaks hydraulic fluid or some other petrochemical all over the sand. Who cares, right? It's just blasting sand. But it might kill your fish.

It can work. But you are taking a risk.

Thank you my friend but I think I'm gonna go with real aquarium sand