herebedragons69 Posted January 19, 2021 Author Share Posted January 19, 2021 My pool girl just sent photos of their pool filter sand. I'm not using it. Warnings of cancer and organ failure if inhaled. Another point for Atabites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyr Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 8 minutes ago, dameonjamie said: My pool girl just sent photos of their pool filter sand. I'm not using it. Warnings of cancer and organ failure if inhaled. Another point for Atabites. Sure - if it's quartz sand. The Cowboy Junkies' song "Mining for Gold" talks about getting silicosis from mining gold (as you are digging into quartz). My understanding is ... beach sand is not quartz. I suggest this proves that lead shot is in fact safer to use - as you can't inhale its dust - as long as you don't touch it ... you are not getting 'lead poisoning'! Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herebedragons69 Posted January 19, 2021 Author Share Posted January 19, 2021 1 minute ago, andyr said: My understanding is ... beach sand is not quartz i'm not drying out beach sand in my oven. it will just get wet again because that's what it wants to do and rust out my stands. if everyone took beach sand there would be nothing left for turtles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herebedragons69 Posted January 19, 2021 Author Share Posted January 19, 2021 I think a bag of uncooked rice is the safest, least expensive, most non toxic, most non corrosive choice, most ethical choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyr Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 (edited) 12 minutes ago, dameonjamie said: i'm not drying out beach sand in my oven. it will just get wet again because that's what it wants to do and rust out my stands. Sand is not hygroscopic ... so it will not absorb water from the air (let alone from inside a sealed tube). 12 minutes ago, dameonjamie said: if everyone took beach sand there would be nothing left for turtles. Aah, so you're a greenie? 3 minutes ago, dameonjamie said: I think a bag of uncooked rice is the safest, least expensive, most non toxic, most non corrosive choice, most ethical choice. Absolutely amazing! You eschew kitty litter ... yet you choose rice? I hope it's brown rice. Andy Edited January 19, 2021 by andyr 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddyev Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 Won’t rice absorb moisture ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herebedragons69 Posted January 19, 2021 Author Share Posted January 19, 2021 29 minutes ago, andyr said: Sand is not hygroscopic ... so it will not absorb water from the air (let alone from inside a sealed tube). sand is mined from quartz. if you inhale it your organs will fail. that might be ok at @andyr's house of lead but organ failure at my house is frowned upon. 31 minutes ago, andyr said: I hope it's brown rice. Apparently jasmine and basmati uncooked rice will last 4-5 years. I think I've cracked it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_mac Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, dameonjamie said: My pool girl just sent photos of their pool filter sand. I'm not using it. Warnings of cancer and organ failure if inhaled. Another point for Atabites. Pool filter sand yes... but the recommendation for various other types of sand still stands, without the health risk. 1 hour ago, dameonjamie said: i'm not drying out beach sand in my oven. it will just get wet again because that's what it wants to do and rust out my stands. if everyone took beach sand there would be nothing left for turtles. As Andy mentioned, sand is not hygroscopic... 1 hour ago, dameonjamie said: I think a bag of uncooked rice is the safest, least expensive, most non toxic, most non corrosive choice, most ethical choice. ...but rice is... hence the commonplace recommendation to put a wet phone inside a bag of uncooked rice to help absorb all of the water. Bad idea if you're worried about your filling material attracting water and potentially developing bacterial growth or mould etc. Edited January 19, 2021 by pete_mac 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyr Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, pete_mac said: ...but rice is... hence the commonplace recommendation to put a wet phone inside a bag of uncooked rice to help absorb all of the water. Bad idea if you're worried about your filling material attracting water and potentially developing bacterial growth or mould etc. Good point, Pete! 1 hour ago, dameonjamie said: sand is mined from quartz. if you inhale it your organs will fail. that might be ok at @andyr's house of lead but organ failure at my house is frowned upon. As a Type 1 diabetic, Dameon, my pancreas has already failed (36 years ago). So "(further) organ failure at my house is also frowned upon"! You say that "sand is mined from quartz ". Of that I have NFI ... but, if you care to search for it, another definition of 'sand' ... is that it is parrot fish excreta (parrot fish chew coral). But - and I repeat - my recommendation for fill material is lead shot ... not sand. As long as you handle it 'responsibly'. Andy Edited January 19, 2021 by andyr 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telecine Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 2 hours ago, dameonjamie said: My pool girl just sent photos of their pool filter sand. I'm not using it. Warnings of cancer and organ failure if inhaled. Another point for Atabites. You can contract silicosis from silica dust. Sand isn't dust though or we would all be dead from visiting the beach. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telecine Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 11 minutes ago, andyr said: Good point, Pete! As a Type 1 diabetic, Dameon, my pancreas has already failed (36 years ago). So "(further) organ failure at my house is also frowned upon"! You say that "sand is mined from quartz ". Of that I have NFI ... but, if you care to search for it, another definition of 'sand' ... is that it is parrot fish excreta (parrot fish chew coral). Andy The humphead parrotfish can produce 90 kg (200 lb) of sand each year. So the most ecologically friendly option would be to buy one and feed it some coral. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Volunteer sir sanders zingmore Posted January 19, 2021 Volunteer Share Posted January 19, 2021 On 17/01/2021 at 2:11 PM, buddyev said: Bunnings sell tubs of garnet used for sandblasting https://www.bunnings.com.au/flexovit-10kg-garnet-sandblasting-grit_p6330485 Do they have the one without the garnet? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telecine Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 17 minutes ago, sir sanders zingmore said: Do they have the one without the garnet? Yes, that would be the empty bucket version. 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyr Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 9 hours ago, Telecine said: Yes, that would be the empty bucket version. Haha! On special - at half price. Andy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilW Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 HI, I know you have concerns about paving sand, but that's what I used and it was totally dry. Specifically I used Jointing Sand from Bunnings, and as long as it's been stored out of the weather it should be fine. N 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregWormald Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 (edited) No matter what you use it's best to be careful and safe during the filling process. I'd be doing it outside and if necessary wear a mask. Once the filling is sealed in the stands you won't breathe or touch it at all. Remember that all compost and potting soil comes with similar cautions. Edited January 25, 2021 by GregWormald Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herebedragons69 Posted January 31, 2021 Author Share Posted January 31, 2021 I went with the Atacama Atabites in the end. 1 x 7kg tub between 2 stands filled them each (3.5kg each) about 2/3 full. I'm happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyr Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 10 minutes ago, dameonjamie said: I went with the Atacama Atabites in the end. 1 x 7kg tub between 2 stands filled them each (3.5kg each) about 2/3 full. I'm happy. How do you know 2/3rds full is the optimum level of fill, Dameon? (Surely, if the fill damps vibrations in the stands then, if the stands are only 2/3rds full ... there's still 1/3rd left to vibrate - since it has no damping?) Andy Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herebedragons69 Posted January 31, 2021 Author Share Posted January 31, 2021 7 minutes ago, andyr said: How do you know 2/3rds full is the optimum level of fill, Dameon? I wrote to Atacama and asked for their recommendation. They advised to start with 1 tub divided between 2 stands and go from there. I will add more if required. I have seen differing schools of thought on this. Some, like you, have advised filling them right up. Others say that optimum fill level is 3/4 full. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussievintage Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 On 19/01/2021 at 7:00 PM, andyr said: My understanding is ... beach sand is not quartz. That is exactly what it IS, unless it's coral sand from up North. On 17/01/2021 at 2:58 PM, dameonjamie said: Thanks for this. I have seen many references to lead shot. I think my wife would crack me one if she heard me say I wanted to bring lead into her house. Fear of lead is a funny thing. Nobody worries about touching lead sinkers when they go fishing. In it's normal form as shot or weights it is quite safe. On 19/01/2021 at 9:37 PM, Telecine said: You can contract silicosis from silica dust. Sand isn't dust though or we would all be dead from visiting the beach. Exactly 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunno77 Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 This thread has been a good laugh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herebedragons69 Posted January 31, 2021 Author Share Posted January 31, 2021 Thanks everyone for your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyr Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 1 hour ago, dameonjamie said: I have seen differing schools of thought on this. Some, like you, have advised filling them right up. Others say that optimum fill level is 3/4 full. Perhaps you need to read what I wrote more carefully, D. I did not say "fill them right up"! I asked you: 1 hour ago, andyr said: How do you know 2/3rds full is the optimum level of fill, Dameon? What I would suggest is the right way of going about stand filling is 'bracketing'. IE: * fill them to 1/2 way ... listen * fill them to 3/4 ... listen again. Make a decision which sounded better: * if 1/2 sounded better ... add 1/8th and listen again. * then remove 1/4 and listen again. Decide whether 5/8th sounded better than 3/8th ... and so on! Which of course is a right royal PITA - so rarely gets done. Andy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herebedragons69 Posted January 31, 2021 Author Share Posted January 31, 2021 2 minutes ago, andyr said: Perhaps you need to read what I wrote more carefully, D. Thanks for clarifying. Sounds like good advise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audiofeline Posted February 5, 2021 Share Posted February 5, 2021 For the record, some of my experience filling speaker stands and audio racks: Sand: I used river sand from Bunnings. I put it on an old oven tray, and put it in a warm oven before filling so it was dry. Expected MrsFeline to object, but all was OK! I wanted to ensure there was no moisture so there wouldn't be any rust or mould growth. The health warnings for the sand are real, but sensible precautions should be OK - wear a dust mask (we should have lots of these around now), wear gloves/wash hands and hose-down the area used to fill (if done outside, which would be recommended). Filling: when filling, tap the side of the stand with a rubber mallet (or a hammer buffered with cloth so it won't mark the paint). This will settle the fill, it's amazing how much more space is created. After I filled to the very top, I then poured a layer of PVA glue to seal, so no moisture could get in, and they wouldn't spill if knocked over. The PVA would be easy to remove if you wanted to empty at a later date. Would also reduce concerns of lead poisoning. I filled the audio rack upside-down, and didn't completely fill because I had to leave space at the bottom for the spikes to retract into the stand. The PVA worked well as a seal. When I had steel speaker stands, I filled them with lead shot. If I were to do it again, after filling with lead shot I would then put dried sand in to fill the gaps to make it ultra-solid (which might be over-kill). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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