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Post by canuk1w1 on Mar 12, 2014 18:37:53 GMT -5
I rang up Plant World to see if they had "indoor sand" in stock and found out it is really re-bagged play sand. That'd explain why the seedlings planted in peat/sand are slow. Good thing I planted in LFS as well. Until the nurseries re-open and I can get horticultural sand, looks like I am planting in just LFS. On the plus side - I have ample clean peat!
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Post by shoggoths on Mar 12, 2014 21:27:57 GMT -5
I find the playsand grit too small but other than that what is the problem ? Also, here, playsand comes already washed. I admit I prefer filter pool silica sand but it is coming really harder to find.
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Post by hal on Mar 12, 2014 21:37:21 GMT -5
I got some Play Sand TM at Home Depot and after washing it, ended up with about 1/3 the volume, leading me to believe it was mostly soil and clay.
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Post by Raymond on Mar 12, 2014 21:39:55 GMT -5
I buy constructors sand because my garden centre was out of play-sand... did one of you guys buy it all? well it's really soft and thick and in my bog right now. Zip problems I don't know much but I have been using it forever now
(ranting) But re-bagged sand... was it used or just re-bagged and killed the planet with the pollution to create another bag just to replace another bag that will be sold as something else yet can it really be called something else when it was one thing before, thats like repackaging apples because they were not in the right orientation so we must save the customer from noticing this problem so even if....ramble ramble
But a Question how much did it slow down your plant? ... very noticeable to some not growing well?
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Post by Apoplast on Mar 12, 2014 22:30:41 GMT -5
Hi Ray - I am currently dealing with toxic sand issues. I got sand blasting silica sand, but it has still been slowly killing my plants. I'd even cleaned it, but over time, I've been loosing plants potted with it. The process was slow and it took me a while to realize it because different species seem to have differential susceptibility to the solutes. The first big indicator was my pygmy dew gemmae that just wouldn't take. I've lost close to 50 species at this point and just can't re-pot fast enough. The effects are subtle until it's effectively too late. I am now a huge proponent of testing your sand before using it (I'll try to post on a quick protocol to test it once I have tried enough types of sand out).
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Post by canuk1w1 on Mar 12, 2014 23:00:26 GMT -5
With mine it is noticeable in the 'dew seedlings. D. binata started in LFS are over an inch tall, those in the playsand/peat mix still have their first carnivorous leaves. D tokaiensis are worse - only one seedling has sprouted in the playsand/peat whereas the LFS seedlings will need re-potting in the next week or two. The toxicity is especially visible with D. regia. The seedlings in the "Shoggs special" mix (coir fibre, charcoal, perlite) are all doing well, LFS just slightly behind. I think I saw one in one of the four playsand/peat pots I sowed. I've started an obsessive search for silica sand but I'm starting to think of going peatless for indoors. LFS is good for almost everything, doesn't require alot of rinsing and its much cleaner to work with.
This stuff was apparently just rebagged (killing the planet...) from the playsand they sell in 40lb bags. Caveat emptor, I really should have asked the source instead of just assuming it was different (and what i wanted) because they weren't calling it playsand.
My othewr mistake was not checking the archives. I found an old post from 08/09 in which Lloyd mentions he washed silica sand below 20. Fingers-crossed I hear back form someone that'll sell us a 50lb or 100lb bag.
Martin, I saw something about silica sand being carcinogenic and being banned but that was only one item. However it causes silicosis, I don't believe it is carcinogenic (Lloyd, please correct me if I'm wrong...) so I'm skeptical of this claim. But it does seem harder to find the coarse stuff, I can find #40 easily. I may experiment with some of the other blasting aggregates like glass. (thinking aloud here - I suspect the chemistry of the sand may be doing something beneficial I wouldn't get from the glass but it would provide excellent drainage for the peat)
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Post by lloyd on Mar 12, 2014 23:18:16 GMT -5
I used playsand for years and it didn't seem obviously bad. Probably some repotting had to be done because of it. I would be worried that sandblasting stuff might have impurities. I'm sticking to washed silica sand for as long as my supply lasts.
Silica sand:
Wash thoroughly & keep slightly damp to avoid dust (silicosis risk)
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Post by canuk1w1 on Mar 13, 2014 11:31:03 GMT -5
Success!!! canpipe.com/pdf/well-sand+gravel.pdfCanadian Pipe & Pump Supply. Their number is 416-244-6476, I spoke with Rob. $10 for a 50lb. bag. They are only open weekdays and close early (15h00/16h00) on Fridays. I reckon a bag of #8 or #12 for our uses? Hal, Lloyd, I'll PM you and post in the group buy - a few other folks in the GTA may want to get in on this.
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Post by amanitovirosa on Mar 28, 2014 19:57:02 GMT -5
...Gentlemen, (and Ladies, if there are any) Silica sand is readily available at any building supply place. You know the guys that sell brick, stone, cement etc. Not homedepot for sure, in the GTA, JV, Mason's Masonry, Beaver Valley all have it. On a side note, has anyone ever used the coarser coloured aquarium gravel in their mixes? I like the different colours and think they would look really cool with my plants but am worried about the toxicity. I know the bag says 'non toxic' but I don't believe them. Any info is much appreciated.
Thanks, Gabriel
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Post by hal on Mar 28, 2014 21:00:44 GMT -5
On a side note, has anyone ever used the coarser coloured aquarium gravel in their mixes? I like the different colours and think they would look really cool with my plants but am worried about the toxicity. I know the bag says 'non toxic' but I don't believe them. Any info is much appreciated. I'm fairly certain it's fine if it can be used in an aquarium with fish. I've only ever used the natural stuff.
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Post by lloyd on Mar 28, 2014 22:24:16 GMT -5
I visited about 10 building supplies in the north west area of Toronto, none had silica sand. I guess you just have to go further out to find it.
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Post by amanitovirosa on Mar 28, 2014 22:34:52 GMT -5
...which ones??? If you're having a hard time getting this stuff I can give places and addresses, in the GTA.
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Post by Maiden on Mar 28, 2014 23:23:19 GMT -5
I got some Play Sand TM at Home Depot and after washing it, ended up with about 1/3 the volume, leading me to believe it was mostly soil and clay. Exact. Anyway, each time i used sand in my soil mixes, a month later the media was so compact, my plants just idle in the pots. I mostly use perlite and orchid mix mixed with peat.
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