Pavestone Paver Sand?

[onidrase]

My dad picked up pavestone paver sand for me instead of pavestone play sand (I was at work, and just asked for him to grab me some pavestone playsand cause he's always out whenever I get home) and I'm skeptical on if it's safe or not.

If it is safe, I'd like to use it. It says it's safe for use in sand boxes, so I don't know if there is much of a difference.

However, I'm seeing a bit of both sides, some people saying it's safe, some people saying it's not.

On a separate forum that I'm not a part of during a quick google search, a few vouched that they use paver sand as well, and the only difference is that the grains are a bit larger.

However, what my boyfriend found is "paversand like (enviorbond or polymeric) has polyimers in it that when sprayed with water harden like cement to prevent movement of pavers and weed growth. bad idea in a fish tank full of water"

I'm a little confused, regardless. I'm unsure of what to do. Should I just find a way to take the stuff back, or give it a go?

oh, and it's also listed as "step 2," not "paver base"

I don't know what that means, but it might be important.

 

[frapadoodle]

Check the bag closely to be sure it is only sand. I just switched my tank over to sand using paver sand. If it has no bonding agents(which I have never heard of, and I am a landscaper) the sand is normally a bit finer than play sand so may take longer to remove the silt. After a week sand is fine, plants are fine, and fish is fine. But if you're worried see if they will exchange it.

 

[onidrase]

Check the bag closely to be sure it is only sand. I just switched my tank over to sand using paver sand. If it has no bonding agents(which I have never heard of, and I am a landscaper) the sand is normally a bit finer than play sand so may take longer to remove the silt. After a week sand is fine, plants are fine, and fish is fine. But if you're worried see if they will exchange it.

Where can I look to find out if it is only sand? I've pretty thoroughly looked over the bag and everything, I can't find out if there is any additives or not. It's this stuff right here: http/www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100343385/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=pavestone%20sand&storeId=10051

 

[frapadoodle]

That's what I used, leftover from a pathway. It is sand. Perhaps a bit of fine pebbles in it. Step two is the fill material. Step one is rock dust. Just rinse it thoroughly and it should be fine.

 

[thereverendturtle]

As long as it doesn't say polymeric it should be safe. It sounds like its just a coarse sand maybe a #20 or #15. I would most likely return it in favor of the play sand, just to keep piece of mind, but that's just me.

 

[Ruskull]

Judging form that link you gave it's roughly the same price as actual playsand so why take a chance? Just return it & get some quality playsand. Even if the "step 2" is okay to use it's probably not as nice looking. My playsand has little sparkely particles

 

[onidrase]

Judging form that link you gave it's roughly the same price as actual playsand so why take a chance? Just return it & get some quality playsand. Even if the "step 2" is okay to use it's probably not as nice looking. My playsand has little sparkely particles

I actually quite like the look of it. It's a nice almost brick red color.

I would easily go and get playsand in the morning, but I still can't drive and work mornings, and all my rides are free in the morning and booked in the afternoon, which is when I get off work. So I kinda have to ask people favors. this is a favor I asked, and it didn't turn out quite right, and I'd feel bad to ask my dad to return 100 pounds of sand for 100 pounds of different sand. Especially if this sand is usable.

 

[Ruskull]

Judging form that link you gave it's roughly the same price as actual playsand so why take a chance? Just return it & get some quality playsand. Even if the "step 2" is okay to use it's probably not as nice looking. My playsand has little sparkely particles

I actually quite like the look of it. It's a nice almost brick red color.

I would easily go and get playsand in the morning, but I still can't drive and work mornings, and all my rides are free in the morning and booked in the afternoon, which is when I get off work. So I kinda have to ask people favors. this is a favor I asked, and it didn't turn out quite right, and I'd feel bad to ask my dad to return 100 pounds of sand for 100 pounds of different sand. Especially if this sand is usable.

Well now you did it, you'll have to post pics of your tank with this new brick red sand. I can't wait to see how it looks.

If you're worried about it turning into a big lump of cement, why don't you do a test with a small amount in a jar or something? It's probably okay but you can never be too safe.

 

[onidrase]

Judging form that link you gave it's roughly the same price as actual playsand so why take a chance? Just return it & get some quality playsand. Even if the "step 2" is okay to use it's probably not as nice looking. My playsand has little sparkely particles

I actually quite like the look of it. It's a nice almost brick red color.

I would easily go and get playsand in the morning, but I still can't drive and work mornings, and all my rides are free in the morning and booked in the afternoon, which is when I get off work. So I kinda have to ask people favors. this is a favor I asked, and it didn't turn out quite right, and I'd feel bad to ask my dad to return 100 pounds of sand for 100 pounds of different sand. Especially if this sand is usable.

Well now you did it, you'll have to post pics of your tank with this new brick red sand. I can't wait to see how it looks.

If you're worried about it turning into a big lump of cement, why don't you do a test with a small amount in a jar or something? It's probably okay but you can never be too safe.

I threw a handful in a little tupperware container with some water, and it hasn't turned into a rock or anything, however, it's not very consistent in grain size, so chances are in the aquarium it'll be very dense, which might be why people are getting the idea that it has additives that make it stick together. Running my fingers through it, it's no more clumpy than playsand, though. I'd like some sort of proof that it isn't safe, though. I haven't found any yet. Plenty of people in google search miscellaneous forums are saying they use it in their tanks, but I don't know what brand they use or anything.

 

[onidrase]

I sent a message to the manufacturers in this regards asking what makes this sand different from their playsand. Hoping for good results. I'll keep you guys posted.

 

[Ruskull]

Cool, keep us posted.

 

[tribalbrit]

If it's the very fine bagged sand that you put between the paving, it's actually a silica sand originally used in the making of china clay. I personally would not use it in my tank, as I think over a period of time it would become almost solid.

If it is the courser washed or grit sand used under the paving, again I would not use it as this contains various salts that may be harm full to the fish.

In short. take it back and get some play sand. IMO.

 

[onidrase]

here's the reply I got from pavestone:

Austin,
Our paver sand does not have any polymeric properties. You are correct that it simply uses different size aggregates to lock in the pavers. As far as whether it's safe for fish tanks, I'm not able to confirm since that is not the primary purpose of this product. Hope this helps, let me know if you have any more questions.

however, I switched out for their playsand anyway, before they even sent this reply. Just felt I should let you guys know the conclusion

 

[Ruskull]

Dang! I liked the idea of a reddish sand too...............

Thanks for the update.

 

[onidrase]

I enjoy the reddish color too. I still have the bags, I guess, dad didn't bring them back. I'll use a bag on my ten gallon, to see how it looks, but I'm sticking with the playsand for the big tank.