What's new
TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Made a mistake repotting with Plastering sand- need help

So I repotted my plants two days ago. Around 20 plants. Instead of using peat/perlite mix for the sarrs, drosera, and vfts I went with peat/sand mix. Apparently I bought the wrong kind of sand because I used "Western States Wholesale washed plastering sand". I did 3:1 ratio peat/sand for the sarrs and drosera. Then I did a 1:1 ratio peat/sand for the vfts. I also replanted a few mexican pings with vermiculite, peat, sand, perlite, pumice, gypsum at 1:1:1:1:1:1. Do I need to replant all of these again using a different sand? Also, if I do, can you tell me a type of sand I can get from either Lowes or Home Depot? thanks you
 
Last edited:
I'm not familiar with the plastering sand so unfortunately I cannot answer your first question.

I get all my sand from pool supply stores. They come in big bags labeled "pool filter sand." Shop around because some bags of pool filter sand seem more coarse than others.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
If it is quartz or silica sand it is probably ok. It appears that company sells bags of swimming pool sand (limestone - no good) and "crystal quartz sand" too. See if you can find the MSDS (Materials Safety Data Sheet) which will list what it is composed of. I see "washed sand" listed in their catalog but all it says is that it is sand from riverbeds that has been screened for mesh size.
 
Last edited:
If it is quartz or silica sand it is probably ok. It appears that company sells bags of swimming pool sand (limestone - no good) and "crystal quartz sand" too. See if you can find the MSDS (Materials Safety Data Sheet) which will list what it is composed of. I see "washed sand" listed in their catalog but all it says is that it is sand from riverbeds that has been screened for mesh size.

Swimming pool filter sand is never limestone based. Bad things happen.
 
If it is quartz or silica sand it is probably ok. It appears that company sells bags of swimming pool sand (limestone - no good) and "crystal quartz sand" too. See if you can find the MSDS (Materials Safety Data Sheet) which will list what it is composed of. I see "washed sand" listed in their catalog but all it says is that it is sand from riverbeds that has been screened for mesh size.

To add on to this, what is the exact product you used? I can't find anything in the actual catalog called washed plastering sand. I'd recommend repotting if you can't find it just to be sure.
 
Swimming pool filter sand is never limestone based. Bad things happen.

It's not filter sand, but sand mixed into the plaster for swimming pools.
 
Ah, yes that would likely be limestone based.....
 
To add on to this, what is the exact product you used? I can't find anything in the actual catalog called washed plastering sand. I'd recommend repotting if you can't find it just to be sure.
On the bag it just says Western States Wholesale washed plastering sand. I got it from a local green thumb nursery. Can you tell me a brand of sand I can get from Lowes or Home Depot? Preferably one that is already washed.

QUIKRETE 50-lbs Play Sand from Lowes seems like a good choice?
 
Last edited:
I use the home depot play sand. Safe and cheap.
Just make sure to wash the sand in a bucket or something with distilled water
Untill it stops being cloudy
 
  • #10
Ok I'm repotting as we speak. Should I repot the mexican pings as well?
 
  • #11
Looks like plastering sand is really just a grade of sand size (125-250um). I suspect that most of the sand used is typically a bit larger, but I've received plants with similar or even finer particle size sand before and the plants seemed plenty happy. That being said, I imagine that a 1:1 with peat may end up with something that is a bit dense over time, and it sounds like you've repotted these anyway. For the Pinguicula you've used such a small ratio of it that I don't see it posing a problem.

All this is, of course, assuming that you're dealing with silica or quartz sand. A concern is that you may have limestone (CaCO3) sand which keeps things on the alkaline side, while we generally tend to keep CP substrates fairly acidic. People will frequently test their sand with an acid which will create CO2 gas an visibly/audibly fizz. People frequently use vinegar for this purpose due to its ease of availability. If you want to prove to yourself that vinegar is sufficiently acidic, drop some on some baking soda or an antacid tablet and behold the fizz.

---- Semi-relevent rambling follows.----

As a general note, Warren's suggestion to look things up in the MSDS (or SDS as they're arbitrarily changing the name to) is an excellent one! This goes for most materials or chemicals you buy. Sometimes certain information will be generic or outright wrong*, but the contents information should always be correct.

*For example, I have a bottle of very fine mesh Palladium powder which is rather flammable. In one section of the (M)SDS it correctly suggests using a CO2 extinguisher to put out fires. In another section it incorrectly suggests using water. And for almost all chemicals the medical response section will just tell you to move to fresh air, rinse eyes for 30 minutes, do not induce vomiting, call a health professional. These sheets have the unenviable position in the tug-of-war of preventing litigation for insufficient information and preventing litigation providing suggestions that someone can use to hurt themself.
 
Last edited:
  • #12
To be on the safe side you could just use some vinegar acid in a glas and pour some sand into it. If you see a stream of bubbles coming up there is probably lime present. If not its ok.
 
  • #13
Looks like plastering sand is really just a grade of sand size (125-250um). I suspect that most of the sand used is typically a bit larger, but I've received plants with similar or even finer particle size sand before and the plants seemed plenty happy. That being said, I imagine that a 1:1 with peat may end up with something that is a bit dense over time, and it sounds like you've repotted these anyway. For the Pinguicula you've used such a small ratio of it that I don't see it posing a problem.

All this is, of course, assuming that you're dealing with silica or quartz sand. A concern is that you may have limestone (CaCO3) sand which keeps things on the alkaline side, while we generally tend to keep CP substrates fairly acidic. People will frequently test their sand with an acid which will create CO2 gas an visibly/audibly fizz. People frequently use vinegar for this purpose due to its ease of availability. If you want to prove to yourself that vinegar is sufficiently acidic, drop some on some baking soda or an antacid tablet and behold the fizz.

---- Semi-relevent rambling follows.----

As a general note, Warren's suggestion to look things up in the MSDS (or SDS as they're arbitrarily changing the name to) is an excellent one! This goes for most materials or chemicals you buy. Sometimes certain information will be generic or outright wrong*, but the contents information should always be correct.

*For example, I have a bottle of very fine mesh Palladium powder which is rather flammable. In one section of the (M)SDS it correctly suggests using a CO2 extinguisher to put out fires. In another section it incorrectly suggests using water. And for almost all chemicals the medical response section will just tell you to move to fresh air, rinse eyes for 30 minutes, do not induce vomiting, call a health professional. These sheets have the unenviable position in the tug-of-war of preventing litigation for insufficient information and preventing litigation providing suggestions that someone can use to hurt themself.

Thank you for your response. I really appreciate all the detail
 
Back
Top