Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand

Everything You Need to Know About This Popular Aquarium Substrate

Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand has become a go-to substrate choice for many freshwater and saltwater aquarium owners. The sleek, dark color creates a gorgeous backdrop to brightly colored fish and plants. This fine-grained sand is also easy to clean and maintain over time.

But before you rush out to buy a bag, it’s important to understand the pros and cons of using black sand in your tank. In this complete guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand – from where to buy it and how much it costs to whether it’s safe for certain fish, plants, and invertebrates. Read on to learn if this substrate is the right choice for your freshwater or saltwater aquarium.

Where to Buy Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand

Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand is sold exclusively at PetSmart stores and through their website. A 20-pound bag typically costs $20-25 depending on if it’s on sale.

You can also sometimes find it available through third party sellers on Amazon, eBay, or specialty aquarium sites. But the pricing may be inflated compared to buying it directly from PetSmart.

PetSmart often runs sales and promotions on their Imagitarium brand substrates. Sign up for their newsletter or loyalty program to get alerts on discounts. Buying during a sale event can save you quite a bit on this substrate.

You can check local store inventory of Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand on the PetSmart website. Enter your zip code to see if it’s in stock at a location near you. If not, you can easily order online and have it shipped to your home.

Is Imagitarium Black Sand Safe for Freshwater Aquariums?

The good news is Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand is designed to be safe for use in freshwater aquariums containing fish, plants, and invertebrates. It’s inert and won’t affect water chemistry or pH when properly rinsed before use.

The fine grain size makes it a good choice for species like cory catfish and loaches that sift through substrate. It won’t harm their sensitive barbels like coarser gravel or crushed coral can. The rounded edges of the grains also prevent it from abrading the underside of fish.

This black sand is also suitable for planted tanks when mixed with nutrient-rich substrates or supplemented with root tabs or liquid fertilizers. Many aquascape creators use it as a striking foreground or midground accent around live plants.

Just be sure to rinse it extremely well before use, as the fine grains tend to be a bit dusty right out of the bag. Thorough rinsing prevents any clouding of the water when first filling the tank.

Overall, Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand provides a safe, inert option for most standard community freshwater aquarium setups.

Using Black Sand in Saltwater Tanks

While designed predominantly for freshwater use, Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand can also work well in certain saltwater aquarium setups.

It’s an excellent background substrate in FOWLR tanks or fish-only systems containing hardy species like damsels, clownfish, tangs, and wrasses. The inky black color makes colors pop on saltwater fish.

You can also use it as an accent or foreground in reef tanks when combined with live sand or aragonite substrate. This allows you to create striking contrast between the white live sand and black accent sections.

However, Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand lacks the beneficial bacteria and porous structure that reef inhabitants need to thrive. It won’t support denitrifying anaerobic bacteria critical in a reef environment.

So it’s best used combined with at least 1-2 inches of live sand across the majority of the tank bottom. That way fish, corals, and clean up crew still have access to a live substrate as needed.

Grain Size and Texture

Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand has an extremely fine grain size, similar to fine grade play sand. Each grain measures approximately 0.5-1mm in diameter.

This fine texture allows it to naturally conform to the shape of decor and creates a very smooth surface. The small grain size also enables thorough cleaning by detritivores like snails and shrimp. Debris rests on top instead of sinking below the substrate surface.

The smooth, rounded grains help prevent injury to sensitive fish that sift through and root around in substrate, like loaches. Sharp irregular grains can damage barbels and fins but these quartz granules are soft and inert.

When placing Decor or plant roots, the sand shifts and gives easily to anchor firmly. The fine texture also enables dense plantings and detailed aquascapes.

Overall the ultra-fine grain size makes Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand an excellent choice for heavily planted community tanks and fish species that interact directly with the substrate.

Rinsing the Sand Before Use

While Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand is an inert substrate, the extremely small granules tend to be quite dusty right out of the packaging.

It’s critical that you thoroughly rinse the sand before adding it to your tank. Otherwise the fine dust that washes off can make the water cloudy for days on end.

The best method is to rinse it in multiple small batches. Don’t attempt to rinse the entire 20 lb bag at one time.

Place a half cup to one cup of the sand in a fine mesh strainer and run cool water over it, churning with your fingers continuously. The goal is to agitate the sand to lift off as much of the fine dust as possible.

Continue rinsing each small batch until the water runs clear and no more dusty residue is present. This prevents the cloudy particles from ever entering your aquarium.

Rinsing a full 20-pound bag using this small batch method can take 30-60 minutes. But it’s vital for clear water. Once the sand itself is clean, you can add and distribute it in the tank without clouding issues.

Impact on Water Chemistry and pH

One of the biggest benefits of using Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand is that it’s chemically inert and won’t impact water conditions like pH, hardness, or alkalinity.

The material is essentially colored quartz grains that are stable and non-reactive in water. No chemicals or dyes are used to produce the black color.

This makes it safe for any aquarium inhabitants that prefer specific water chemistry ranges, like Tetras, Discus, or shrimp. It won’t leach anything into the water to alter conditions.

The only potential impact is that the thicker grain size could lead to increased anaerobic regions in the deepest substrate layers. This can contribute to higher nitrates in an unmaintained tank.

Regular deep cleaning of the substrate surface through stirring and gravel vacuuming is recommended to prevent this. Overall, Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand is an ideal choice for tanks requiring stable water chemistry.

Using Black Sand in Planted Aquariums

The inert nature and fine grain size of Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand make it well suited for planted freshwater aquarium setups.

The rounded quartz grains won’t abrade or damage delicate plant roots or rhizomes as they spread through the substrate. Valisneria, swords, crypts and stems will root nicely given proper fertilization.

However, Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand itself contains no nutrients. So it will need supplementation through root tabs, liquid ferts, or enriched substrate in the deepest layers.

Many aquascapers use black sand as a striking foreground and midground accent around lush green plants. Contrasting colors create dimension and depth.

To get the healthiest plant growth, mix in a nutrient rich substrate like Eco-Complete or Fluorite beneath 1-2 inches of the black sand. This provides nutrients at the root zone.

With good lighting and fertilization regimen, Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand can help create a stunning planted tank that pops with color contrast.

Using Black Sand with Shrimp, Snails, and Bottom Dwellers

The ultra-fine grains of Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand make it a great choice for housing shrimp, snails, loaches, and other bottom-dwellers.

Species like Corydoras catfish, kuhli loaches, and shrimp sift through and forage in fine substrate. The smooth sand won’t abrade their sensitive undersides or barbels like coarse gravel or crushed coral.

Snails also benefit from the ease of gliding across the fine grains. Food particles and debris sit neatly on top of the sand for easy scavenging instead of sinking below the substrate line. This helps keep the tank clean.

Just be aware that fine sand can become compacted over time. Adding Malaysian trumpet snails will help sift and aerate the substrate. Limiting bottom feeder stocking density prevents overly concentrated waste.

Regular gentle disruption of the top 1⁄2 inch of sand through motion and vacuuming is also important. This prevents toxic gas pockets and areas of low oxygen from forming.

Overall, the grain size of Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand makes it well suited for invertebrates and bottom dwelling species as long as good maintenance practices are followed.

How Much Sand Do You Need?

Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand is sold in 20 lb bags. But how much sand you need depends on the size of your aquarium. Here are some general guidelines for purchasing enough bags to give 1-2 inches of coverage:

• 10 gallon tank: 1 bag
• 20 gallon tank: 1-2 bags
• 29 gallon tank: 2 bags
• 40 gallon breeder: 2-3 bags
• 55 gallon tank: 3-4 bags
• 75 gallon tank: 5-6 bags
• 90 gallon tank: 6-7 bags
• 125 gallon tank: 8-9 bags

Always round up and buy an extra bag just to be safe. It’s better to have too much than not enough. Any extra sand can be rinsed and stored for future substrate touch-ups or replacement.

Spread the sand in an even 1-2 inch layer across the entire tank bottom. Angle it slightly higher at the back for a natural sloping look. Deeper layers tend to compress and can promote anaerobic spots.

Reviews of Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand

Overall, reviews of Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand are quite positive across fishkeeping forums, blogs, and YouTube channels. Here’s what users praise about this substrate:

• Striking midnight black color provides contrast and makes colors pop
• Extremely fine grains size is smooth and comfortable for sensitive fish
• Rinses clean easily when done in small batches
• Allows for heavily planted tanks and detailed aquascaping
• Doesn’t affect pH or water chemistry
• Good value for a black substrate compared to more costly branded options

The biggest complaints relate to the extremely dusty composition and difficulty rinsing 20 lbs at once. As long as you follow the proper rinsing techniques, this isn’t a major issue.

There are also rare reports of black dye leaching from some bags. This appears to be very uncommon but can be mitigated by thorough rinsing.

Overall most aquarists highly recommend Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand, especially for planted tanks with schooling fish that interact directly with the substrate surface.

Is Imagitarium Black Sand Dyed or Natural?

There is some debate around whether the vivid black color of Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand is the result of natural mineral composition or added dye. According to PetSmart, no dyes or paints are used.

The fine grains are crafted from a type of extremely dark volcanic rock that is milled and sieved into uniform granules. This natural volcanic origin results in the distinctive jet black coloration.

However, some rare user reports indicate the sand can leach traces of black dye during the first few rinses or temporarily discolor tank water at setup. This suggests a dye may be present even if not intentionally used in production.

The occasional dye leaching seems to diminish after a few rinses and water changes. Long-term, the sand remains inert and does not affect water chemistry.

While the exact production methods are proprietary, the consensus is Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand derives its color primarily from natural dark minerals. Just take care to rinse thoroughly to avoid any potential dye leaching issues affecting water clarity or quality.

Mixing Black Sand with Other Substrates

A major advantage of using Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand is that its neutral black color complements most other substrate options. It can be readily mixed and matched to create custom substrate beds.

In freshwater tanks, black sand often serves as a top layer or accent over nutrient-rich substrates like Flourite or Eco-Complete. This allows plants to root in the fertile lower layer while the black sand provides striking contrast.

In saltwater tanks, it can be combined with live sand, crushed coral, or aragonite as a decorative accent. Mixing substrates promotes beneficial anaerobic regions needed for reef habitats.

The fine grain size enables distinct separation between layers. It will settle on top of coarser substrates while sinking beneath finer ones. Just rinse each component thoroughly before layering.

Regardless of tank type, mixing Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand with other substrates creates gorgeous contrast and customization options in your aquascape design.

How Does Imagitarium Compare to Other Black Sands?

Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand is moderately priced compared to other popular black aquarium substrates like Tahitian moon sand, black diamond blasting sand, or black fluorite sand.

It’s less expensive than the CaribSea or Seachem branded black substrates, coming in at around $1 per pound. However, it lacks the high nutrient concentrations and bacteria found in those specialty sands.

Blasting sands and mineral sands tend to have more irregular sharp grains compared to the smooth, rounded Imagitarium sand granules. This makes it a better choice for soft-bellied fish.

While not as nutrient rich as the priciest black sand options, Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand provides an affordable, attractive, and safe alternative suitable for most setups.

Preventing Cloudy Water at Setup

While Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand can initially cause cloudy water if not rinsed properly, there are a few setup tips to prevent this issued:

• Rinse sand thoroughly in small batches before adding to tank
• Place a plate or paper towel on top of the sand bed while filling to minimize disruption
• Angle a diffuser toward tank walls while adding water to reduce splashing
• Fill tank slowly and leave filters off during setup; wait 8 hours before turning on
• Consider adding water clarifier like Seachem Clarity during initial setup
• Always rinse filters in old tank water during changes to preserve beneficial bacteria

Following these simple steps will maintain crystal clear water when first using Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand in a new tank setup. Take your time for best results.

Ideal for Betta, Guppies, and Nano Tanks

The fine grains and smooth texture of Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand make it well suited for nano tanks housing delicate species like Betta fish, guppies, and shrimp.

In small tank volumes, coarse abrasive substrates can damage long flowing fins. But the Imagitarium sand provides an appropriately sized soft surface.

Its darker color also helps shy species feel secure, promoting active behavior in tanks with lighter wall and Decor colors. This is especially helpful for timid male bettas.

Fast-moving nano fish like ember tetras dash easily across the sand while shrimp sift smoothly through the grains. No rough edges catch delicate fins or swimmerets.

For 5-10 gallon planted nano tanks, Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand is an ideal substrate to safely house miniature fish, shrimp, and Betta species.

Substrate Cleaning and Maintenance

Over time, debris and mulm will accumulate in any aquarium substrate and must be removed. With Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand, the fine grains require gentle cleaning approaches.

Avoid aggressively disturbing the sand bed, as this can release trapped debris into the water column. Use a delicate touch.

For maintenance, carefully hover above the surface using a gravel vacuum or siphon during water changes. This will lift away any debris sitting on top of the sand.

Every 4-6 months, you can swirl the top 1⁄2 inch lightly during a water change. This disrupts any gas buildup or anaerobic spots. But take care not to over-agitate, which can cause clouding issues.

Removing snails like Malaysian Trumpets before cleaning can help prevent rapidly burying themselves and stirring up the sand bed during the process.

With a soft touch, Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand can be kept debris-free and smelling fresh for years to come.

Does Imagitarium Sand Support Good Bacteria?

While not specifically designed as a live substrate, Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand can host populations of the beneficial bacteria that convert waste materials like ammonia and nitrite.

The porous grains provide surface area for nitrifying bacteria to adhere and colonize. However, denitrifying bacteria populations are typically lower due to the lack of chemical components to promote anoxic lower levels.

To seed initial bacteria growth, adding a bit of mature media from an established tank is helpful when first setting up with black sand. This gives colonies a head start on beneficial waste processing.

Also be sure to minimize tank cleaning for the first 2-4 weeks after setup. This allows bacteria colonies time to develop without too much disruption.

With proper tank cycling, Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand can harbor vibrant nitrifying bacteria to help process waste and byproducts efficiently. Just focus on building populations using seeding and fishless cycling approaches initially.

Can You Use in Reef Tanks with Corals?

While the sleek black grains look stunning, Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand lacks some properties needed for optimal reef and coral health in saltwater tanks.

It does not buffer or affect water chemistry like live sand and crushed coral substrates. The grains also lock in fewer metabolizing anaerobic bacteria that help process nitrates and byproducts.

For these reasons, it’s best used just as an accent or foreground in reef tanks. Make sure any corals and anemones have access to at least 1-2 inches of live sand beds across the majority of the tank bottom.

When kept to a minimum ratio mixed with live sand, Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand can provide a dramatic backdrop and dimension to coral reef tanks. Just don’t use it alone or in deep layers across the entire substrate area.

The Striking Black Substrate Your Aquascape Needs

For freshwater planted tanks, community species, and nano setups, Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand provides a uniquely hued, smooth and easy-to-maintain aquarium substrate. Its affordable pricing and availability at PetSmart stores make it a convenient option.

By following the proper rinsing, layering, and cleaning techniques outlined here, you can avoid potential issues with water clarity when using this fine black sand. Take your time setting up new tanks for best results.

The jet black grains will create a stunning background to brightly colored fish, lush plantings, and decorations. Aim for a layered look by combining Imagitarium Black Aquarium Sand with complementary substrates in your tank.

So if you’re seeking a dramatic black accent for your next aquascape project, give this versatile and beautiful sand a try. Just be prepared for rinsing to become your newfound bicep workout!