Sundew Woes

[TheFury]

Do you have pets in NY? How 'bout aquariums. Try pet supply stores and look at fresh water aquarium sand. Comes in different colors, and if it's safe for fresh water aquaria, then it will work fine for CP.

A-quar-I-ums?? What are those?? LOL, yeah I think we have a few of those in NYC. And I have a pet store nearby that sells aquarium sand. Estes brand marine sand, I believe. I was afraid aquarium sand would be too fine, but I'll take that as an endorsement of the product.

Anyone know about other blasting media that I linked to in my post above?

Thanks for the replies, everyone.

[Joseph Clemens]

I see that the Estes has a product of "freshwater" aquarium sand, (watch out for saltwater aquarium media - those are sometimes made of calcium carbonate), Estes aquarium sands come in many colors, and #5 bags sell for around $3.00. I have used this product, in several colors, with good results.

And, don't forget that LFS and milled sphagnum can be suitable alternative media for many Drosera species, with added perlite, or just plain. Even 100% peat moss works quite well, in most circumstances.

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I used to get 12 grit silica sand, like a small gravel, and it was wonderful, but I haven't been able to locate that size particle for more than two decades, now.

[TheFury]

Awesome, thanks Joseph. I'll pick up a small bag of Estes freshwater aquarium sand. Although for the long term, to avoid problems with minerals, mold, and algae, I may just opt for pure LFS rather than dealing with the sub-optimal peat and sand that I have access to here in NY.

This blasting grit here (the black beauty grit) has a mesh size of 12-40. Not a uniform 12 grit silica like you had, but it appears to be quite coarse. It's a bit of a "mixed bag," though, since the mesh size goes up to 40. I wonder if it's something that would work for CP.

Sorry to be annoying about asking about this blasting media so much. I'm just kinda interested in what sorts of different things people have tried as aerators in their CP mixes besides perlite and sand. Slightly off topic, I know; maybe this should be its own thread.

[Joseph Clemens]

I have managed to get a small batch of silica sand that is almost 12 grit, by sifting the largest pieces from a #100 bag of the coarsest sand I could find. I got about a gallon of very coarse sand from the bag.

I have heard stories that the black beauty blasting grit, sometimes used to fill ashtrays, has been toxic when used in freshwater aquaria. I would approach with caution and with plans to analyze its potential for excreting noxious substances.

[TheFury]

A man full of answers. Thanks!

[SDCPs]

A man full of answers. Thanks!

You want the facts? JC is your man!