[visionist]

Dustins fish tanks says use pool filter sand for a dirted tank, I could not find any suitable pfs locally(was silica pfs anyways and they could not tell me the size or color or anything). I found a larger grain silica sand locally for cheap. Most pieces seem to be 2mm to 4mm with some smaller as well. Would this be as good as pfs?

 

[discuspaul]

If it is in fact used as pool filter sand, it is not very 'fine-grained', but nonetheless it should be 'fine' to use, if you get my meaning. It certainly appears dense enough, and with no silt/dust, so should be clean and need little or no rinsing.
Give it a try - I think it would be quite OK. And it's a great color for producing a 'natural' look.
I would very likely use it myself, and not be concerned about using it as a substrate.

 

[visionist]

If it is in fact used as pool filter sand, it is not very 'fine-grained', but nonetheless it should be 'fine' to use, if you get my meaning. It certainly appears dense enough, and with no silt/dust, so should be clean and need little or no rinsing.
Give it a try - I think it would be quite OK. And it's a great color for producing a 'natural' look.
I would very likely use it myself, and not be concerned about using it as a substrate.

This one was just sold as bulk silica sand by my LFS. I did not buy the questionable PFS .

 

[discuspaul]

This one was just sold as bulk silica sand by my LFS. I did not buy the questionable PFS .

No problem. 'Bulk' silica sand sold by your LFS should be quite ok -no doubt it's inert sand, and quite honestly, it looks great. I'd say...go ahead & use it - I'll bet it will look just superb !
I love white quartz-based silica sand and use it in all my tanks - have done so for years - here's a look at my tanks - I believe yours will look something like this - maybe even better !

http://s1105.photobucket.com/albums/h357/discuspaul/Sept2011
http://s1105.photobucket.com/albums/h357/discuspaul/Anubias

 

[Tzac]

You can use strait up aquarium gravel as a cap and not have leaching problems once the tank settles out a bit. So yeah I'm sure it's fine.

 

[visionist]

No problem. 'Bulk' silica sand sold by your LFS should be quite ok -no doubt it's inert sand, and quite honestly, it looks great. I'd say...go ahead & use it - I'll bet it will look just superb !
I love white quartz-based silica sand and use it in all my tanks - have done so for years - here's a look at my tanks - I believe yours will look something like this - maybe even better !

http://s1105.photobucket.com/albums/h357/discuspaul/Sept2011
http://s1105.photobucket.com/albums/h357/discuspaul/Anubias

Thanks for the advice, your tanks look nice!

 

[visionist]

You can use strait up aquarium gravel as a cap and not have leaching problems once the tank settles out a bit. So yeah I'm sure it's fine.

It wasn't a leeching issue I was concerned about, it was more of a "size of sand" issue.