Re: sand

From: BREWER_CHARLES@ecomail.damneck.navy.mil
Date: Mon Oct 06 1997 - 05:58:52 PDT


Date: Mon, 6 Oct 1997 08:58:52 -0400
From: BREWER_CHARLES@ecomail.damneck.navy.mil
To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com
Message-Id: <aabcdefg3863$foo@default>
Subject: Re: sand


     Mike,
      You might consider perlite if you are not able to find good enough
     sand to use. As for the sand, go to your nearest swimming pool company
     and ask for filter sand. It comes in 50 pound bags for about 5 bucks a
     bag. Another place to try would be a sand blasting company. They
     should carry the white silica sand that you need. BTW, usually pool
     filter sand is silica sand. Be careful in using silica sand as it can
     surely cause lung infection. Take the necessary step and wear a mask
     when working with this stuff. I wet my sand down prior to using it and
     I still wear a mask. Hope this helps.
                              Charles

As I'm sure everyone knows, sand is often called for as an ingredient in
CP planting mediums; however, I have had a lot of trouble finding a good
sand to use. The only two I have seen available are "Play Sand" and
"Potter's Helper" sand; both of these have actually been recommended to
me several times, and I have used them.
Well, recently I tested them, and they were both VERY alkaline! There
must be limestone involved. They were so strong, in fact, that in a
peat:sand(1:1) mix, they overpowered the peat and made the mix alkaline!



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