I just got back into having fish and decided to go with all live plants, which I've never done before. 10 weeks in and I have four tanks going. I used this sand in my 30gallon and put it into a 6.5gal upgraded betta tank today. It is beautiful and I'm thrilled with my purchase!
Pros:
1. Very fine for sensitive bottom dwellers like Cory Cats. Mine play and frolic constantly, leaving happy little trails all over the tank. They love it! My mystery snails and Malaysian trumpets love it too!
2. Plants love it! My plants are going crazy in this tank and taking longer to get going in the tanks with Eco Complete and Tahitian Moonlight (also beautiful, btw). I rearranged a few plants today and they had roots 6 inches long after about 8 weeks in the tank. The soft sand makes it easy to place plants without damaging them.
3. The light color is really pretty and makes it easy to spot various critters. It's kind of beachy in a way and a great contrast to my tank with the black Tahitian Moonlight sand in it.
Cons:
1. Somewhat tricky to clean. Take my advice, which I got from someone else, and buy a mini gravel vacuum. It is perfect to stir up the sand to clean without sucking it all up and out of the tank.
2. Not really a con but some more advice: WASH IT FIRST!!! I did this by pouring the bag into a big 5 gallon bucket I got on the cheap from Walmart. Get a stool (it takes a while) and take the bucket to your outside hose. Use the strongest, most focused nozzle you have. Have a seat and shoot the water with force down into the sand. Use the water to churn it up. You'll be shocked at the fine particles that come out! Carefully pour the water out (don't worry... the sand will stay in the bucket) and then do it again. Rinse until the water runs clear. Trust me. You'll thank me later!
You really can't go wrong buying this sand!
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From the manufacturer
Caribsea Super Naturals Aquarium Sand
Description:
Create a supernatural experience by re-creating the natural world in your home. Enjoy a piece of the Rio Negro as it winds its way through dark and brooding jungles. Own a sliver of the sunlit Sri Lankan gravel streams famous for sapphires and rubies. Dramatic black sand rivers and beaches grace the flanks of verdant tropical islands capped by smouldering volcanoes.
Videos
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0:58
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Aquascaping the New 500 Gallon Tank with Caribsea Sand!
Cichlid Bros
Videos for this product
1:18
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Caribsea Sunset Gold! Great Sand for Aquascaping! #fish
Trevor Norris
Compare with similar items
This Item  Caribsea Super Naturals Aquarium Sand, 20-Pound, Crystal River |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | — | $14.23 | $26.99 | $64.99 | $16.99 | $11.85 |
| Delivery | — | Get it May 9 - 10 | Get it as soon as Saturday, May 11 | Get it May 10 - 14 | Get it as soon as Saturday, May 11 | Get it as soon as Saturday, May 11 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| Value for money | ||||||
| Easy to clean | ||||||
| Softness | ||||||
| Easy to use | ||||||
| Sold By | — | Petco | AQUARIUM SUPPLIERS LLC | Classic Sand & Play | Amazon.com | Amazon.com |
Reviews with images
Loved It!
I bought the Torpedo Beach sand hoping for a pretty white sand and it was. I have to say, I didn't rinse it. I didn't have fish yet and decided just to chance it. The water was a little cloudy that day, and there was a very little bit of trash that floated to the top and was easily scooped out with a net. The water was clear by the next day. My aquarium was so beautiful with this sand! But then the diatoms set in after about a month to two months of having the aquarium up and going. My beautiful sand turned a very dark brown. From lots of research online, it sounds like this is something that either has to resolve on its own or you take your substrate out and wash it on a regular basis. Some people might have time to, but I do not. So I'm looking at trying to get gravel to replace what used to be beautiful white sand.UPDATE: The horrible diatom bloom is starting to die down and the white is coming back. I decided that I'll keep the sand after all. :)I still love the sand and for people with established aquariums this probably won't be a problem. I still love it and maybe will return to it someday after my aquarium is settled in.UPDATE: 9/1/2018I never did get around to switching to gravel. I found that red cherry shrimp adore diatoms. They keep the surface of my sand looking pretty and white. There is still brown along the glass where the shrimp can't get to, but it's not worth disturbing my now planted aquarium. This tank was a cichlid tank for a short time until I moved them into a larger aquarium and the sand stayed pretty decent looking with the yellow labs constantly moving the sand around. But without either the sand being moved constantly or the shrimp cleaning the sand, it starts turning brown very quickly.
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Reviewed in the United States on September 30, 2018
Size: 20-PoundColor: Sunset GoldVerified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2016
Size: 50-PoundColor: Torpedo BeachVerified Purchase
I bought the Torpedo Beach sand hoping for a pretty white sand and it was. I have to say, I didn't rinse it. I didn't have fish yet and decided just to chance it. The water was a little cloudy that day, and there was a very little bit of trash that floated to the top and was easily scooped out with a net. The water was clear by the next day. My aquarium was so beautiful with this sand! But then the diatoms set in after about a month to two months of having the aquarium up and going. My beautiful sand turned a very dark brown. From lots of research online, it sounds like this is something that either has to resolve on its own or you take your substrate out and wash it on a regular basis. Some people might have time to, but I do not. So I'm looking at trying to get gravel to replace what used to be beautiful white sand.
UPDATE: The horrible diatom bloom is starting to die down and the white is coming back. I decided that I'll keep the sand after all. :)
I still love the sand and for people with established aquariums this probably won't be a problem. I still love it and maybe will return to it someday after my aquarium is settled in.
UPDATE: 9/1/2018
I never did get around to switching to gravel. I found that red cherry shrimp adore diatoms. They keep the surface of my sand looking pretty and white. There is still brown along the glass where the shrimp can't get to, but it's not worth disturbing my now planted aquarium. This tank was a cichlid tank for a short time until I moved them into a larger aquarium and the sand stayed pretty decent looking with the yellow labs constantly moving the sand around. But without either the sand being moved constantly or the shrimp cleaning the sand, it starts turning brown very quickly.
UPDATE: The horrible diatom bloom is starting to die down and the white is coming back. I decided that I'll keep the sand after all. :)
I still love the sand and for people with established aquariums this probably won't be a problem. I still love it and maybe will return to it someday after my aquarium is settled in.
UPDATE: 9/1/2018
I never did get around to switching to gravel. I found that red cherry shrimp adore diatoms. They keep the surface of my sand looking pretty and white. There is still brown along the glass where the shrimp can't get to, but it's not worth disturbing my now planted aquarium. This tank was a cichlid tank for a short time until I moved them into a larger aquarium and the sand stayed pretty decent looking with the yellow labs constantly moving the sand around. But without either the sand being moved constantly or the shrimp cleaning the sand, it starts turning brown very quickly.
Images in this review
Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2022
Size: 20-PoundColor: Crystal RiverVerified Purchase
This is my first time buying white sand. I usually buy black sand or use eco complete. I thought let me try a different substrate and bought this for it’s high reviews. It didn’t disappoint.
Of course I had to clean it up. I cleaned it in 5 batches. The water was milky white for a while so I added the clarifier. Next morning it was still a little cloudy but by day 3, it was clear.
One bag of 20lb sand will fill the bottom of a 20g regular tank (24”x16x12). It’s about 2 inches high.
The attached photo is my tank in progress. I’m going to make it heavily planted, but you can see the clarity of the sand. Simply great!
UPDATE: After a few weeks, it continues to be white-whitish. I do not vacuum the sand floor, but when I rummage through the sand, the whiteness comes up. This is great for plants. I use a DIY Osmocote+ root tab, so the plants grow well.
Of course I had to clean it up. I cleaned it in 5 batches. The water was milky white for a while so I added the clarifier. Next morning it was still a little cloudy but by day 3, it was clear.
One bag of 20lb sand will fill the bottom of a 20g regular tank (24”x16x12). It’s about 2 inches high.
The attached photo is my tank in progress. I’m going to make it heavily planted, but you can see the clarity of the sand. Simply great!
UPDATE: After a few weeks, it continues to be white-whitish. I do not vacuum the sand floor, but when I rummage through the sand, the whiteness comes up. This is great for plants. I use a DIY Osmocote+ root tab, so the plants grow well.
Images in this review
Top reviews from other countries
Amazon Customer
Sand
Reviewed in Canada on March 1, 2024Size: 20-PoundColor: Torpedo BeachVerified Purchase
Vanessa
Great buy
Reviewed in Canada on August 29, 2023Size: 20-PoundColor: Crystal RiverVerified Purchase
Vanessa
Reviewed in Canada on August 29, 2023
Images in this review
Denis Fournier
Really nice sand.
Reviewed in Canada on December 6, 2023Size: 20-PoundColor: Torpedo BeachVerified Purchase
Kenneth K.
lots of fine grains
Reviewed in Canada on October 19, 2023Size: 20-PoundColor: Torpedo BeachVerified Purchase
Abdulwodod Abdulqadir
Fish
Reviewed in Canada on December 8, 2023Size: 20-PoundColor: Torpedo BeachVerified Purchase
