# Filter Sand and Substrate



## GHNelson (11 Mar 2010)

Hi all
I came across this http://www.specialistaggregates.com/fil ... 1_162.html
Its what I'm looking for but its 20kg bags and a bit expensive.
hoggie


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## dw1305 (12 Mar 2010)

Hi all,
Is their a swimming pool seller near you? the "Swimming Pool Filter sand" is 100% silica sand and should be cheaper (~ Â£20), even if you get it off Ebay and have it delivered, it has very round grains and I've used it a lot. 

Another source is "horticultural limes free sand", you may need to have a look at this first as the last lot I bought was like dust. It should come in 3 particle sizes - "grit sand" (fairly coarse), "Sharp sand" (possibly what you want) and "silver sand" (fine like play-pit sand), and the word to look for is "quartzite". You may also find that it has been crushed,  rather than water washed, and in that case it will have very sharp edges.

http://www.william-sinclair.co.uk/gardening/products/sand_and_grit.

cheers Darrel


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## GHNelson (18 Mar 2010)

Hi
Thanks for the info,no swimming pool suppliers around here.
Only need 10 to 12 kgs.Quartzite maybe what I'm looking for.
I want it golden in colour and rounded about 2mm to 3mm in grain size.
Ill keep looking.
cheers 
hoggie


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## dw1305 (19 Mar 2010)

Hi all,
Quartzite will be inert, but pale grey/off white. If you want yellow and round grains your best bet is possibly a sand quarried from the "greensand", or from the "Bagshot beds". Sea sand would also potentially do, but you would need an E. coast source (the West coast sand is nearly all shell sand).

The greensand  has some iron in it and can be any colour from red (ferric oxides) to green (contains glauconite an iron potassium  mineral). There are several sand pits around here (Wilts), but I'm not sure if any of them are still being worked commercially. A band of "Greensand" runs along the chalk in S. Britain, and there are loads of sandpits in the Bedfordshire etc. <http://www.greensandtrust.org/SandpitProjEd.html>, and the Bagshot beds are worked around Poole harbour and Surrey.

cheers Darrel


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## GHNelson (19 Mar 2010)

Thanks Darrel
Appreciate that,will have a look at your link.
Cheers 
hoggie


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