FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Hey Matt were does your dad get his sand ( since he lives close to me) for his potting mix? We have sandblaster sand at work but it is real fine more like a powder. I think It needs to be a little courser.

My dad hasn't actually used sand in his mix yet. He's only used perlite. I think sandblaster sand would work, but you'd have to find the larger grit stuff.

The title of this topic was awesome. Is I mean. Reading the title was so funny.

Anyways...

Sandblasting sand is usually mined silica sand, and it works great. But it does come in various grades or sizes. A good size is where the grains are about as wide as a toothpick, wider than a straight-pin. But any size (average diameter) of silica sand can be used, although the percentage of sand in the mix might need to be adjusted depending on size, for optimal growing medium characteristics (retention of both water and air, for example).

Where does your dad live, Matt?

grant wrote:Where does your dad live, Matt?

My dad lives in Festus, MO. It's about 40 miles south of St. Louis, MO.

I read somewhere that you can also use swimming pool filter sand. Is this true?

It really all depends on the type of sand. I tried to get some swimming pool filter sand and it was brown. You want to find white sand. It should look like little pieces of quartz with minimal brown pieces.

Well Really, you can use any sand. If you wash it in tap water for 6 days, then on the seventh day wash it with distilled water.

Rpe,
I live in Arnold, MO, so I am quite near you.

I got some perfect pool filter sand from Leslie's Pool Supply in South County.

It's not particularly cheap for sand, $10 for 20 lbs (if I remember correctly, might have been 25 lbs), but it was perfect for my Ceph's and I have begun using it for my VFTs and the 'vinegar test' came up clean.

Caleboy 123 wrote:Well Really, you can use any sand. If you wash it in tap water for 6 days, then on the seventh day wash it with distilled water.

But doesn't the sand release mineral into the soil overtime? Or does the seven days of washing clean it out already?

lemonlily wrote:

Caleboy 123 wrote:Well Really, you can use any sand. If you wash it in tap water for 6 days, then on the seventh day wash it with distilled water.

But doesn't the sand release mineral into the soil overtime? Or does the seven days of washing clean it out already?

Washing the sand should clean out all of the minerals.

Oh, that's good to know.

Dang I just wanted to ask Matt a question. I didn't expect so many other post. For now on I will put Matt on every post I do. HeHeHe

Ahahahaha!!! That was because the title was "Matt." (Hint hint, look at the title!) I didn't ask him questions in this thread though. Yay me!!