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Sold by: Pets Connect
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(6 ratings)
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Carib Sea ACS00940 Ocean Direct Natural Live Sand for Aquarium, 40-Pound

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 641 ratings

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  • This method preserves real live sand with its own original, natural bacteria
  • Package Weight: 18.37 kilograms
  • Age range description: all stages
  • Package Dimensions : 11.43 L x 50.8 H x 35.56 W (centimeters)

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Carib Sea ACS00940 Ocean Direct Natural Live Sand for Aquarium, 40-Pound
Carib Sea ACS00940 Ocean Direct Natural Live Sand for Aquarium, 40-Pound
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Price$33.80$14.23-8% $16.47
Typical:$17.87
-5% $19.17
Typical:$20.21
$15.52$31.43
Delivery
Get it Apr 4 - 8
Get it Apr 3 - 4
Get it as soon as Monday, Apr 1
Get it as soon as Monday, Apr 1
Get it as soon as Monday, Apr 1
Get it as soon as Monday, Apr 1
Customer Ratings
Value for money
4.5
3.9
4.1
4.3
Easy to clean
4.3
4.0
3.6
4.1
Softness
4.6
4.3
4.2
Sold By
Petco
Petco
Amazon.com
Monster Pets
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Gingerbread Tropical Fish & Coral

From the manufacturer

Carib Sea Ocean Direct Substrates

Ocean Direct utilizes “Sea Breathe” technology, which preserves real live sand with its own original bacteria . Every grain of Ocean Direct is coated with bacteria and encapsulated by capillary action in a thin film of real ocean water. The thin film is open to the atmosphere for unparalleled gas exchange. This results in high counts of natural and beneficial bacteria with no noxious buildup of metabolic by‑products. Ocean Direct provides you with a thriving, natural aquarium in minutes!

About Us

In reality, CaribSea began in 1950’5 Cuba where Greenfield a Navy fighter pilot and early adopter of SCUBA gear, and his wife Nancy were stationed. Both were California natives with a taste for adventure and diving the fabulous reefs of the south coast of Cuba was a natural. Florida was the epicenter of the emerging fiberglass boat industry and just happened to be the best diving in the continental U.S. South Florida became home and the Florida Keys an every weekend destination. The home aquariums multiplied but a high quality substrate was always a problem and, as it turned out, a problem for everyone else too. With so many potential materials available and the proximity of a world renowned marine institute and laboratory just down the street (the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science), a product was born.

Now CaribSea Inc. is in the hands of a second generation of aquarists, scientifically trained and with decades of experience. Since 1975 CaribSea has remained on the edge of closed system development by matching substrate mineralogy and hardscapes to the universe of microbiology. When I see a living coral reef thriving in someone’s living room and reflect on the primitive systems of our past, I have the satisfaction of knowing CaribSea played its part in the revolution. CaribSea is constantly changing and evolving but what remains the same is the commitment to producing the most advanced and very best quality products in our field.

Looking for specific info?

Product Description

Different than all other live Sand products on the market. This live Sand utilizes patent pending sea breathe technology; which preserves real live Sand with its own Original bacteria. Every bag of Ocean direct is alive and breathing with up to 1000 times more beneficial bacteria than other preservation methods. Every grain of Ocean direct is coated with bacteria and encapsulated by capillary action in a thin film of real Ocean water. The thin film is open to the atmosphere for unparalleled gas exchange. This results in high counts of natural and beneficial bacteria with no noxious buildup of metabolic by-products. Ocean direct provides you with a thriving, natural aquarium in minutes!

Packaged in a breathable bag with a thin film of real ocean water (sand will be damp) to preserve 1,000 times more living bacteria than other preservation methods - no added chemicals or special processing. Ocean Direct aragonite live sand ensures faster, safer initial cycling and better bio-filtration throughout the life of your reef system. Delivers millions of living bacteria per pound, reduces nitrate, enhances buffering for the life of your system, and discourages nuisance algae. Also aids coral growth and resists the precipitation of carbonate minerals. 77% of Original Grade Substrate - Typical Size: 0.25 - 6.5mm. Oolite Substrate - Typical Size: 0.25 - 1.0mm.

Product details

  • Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
  • Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.6 x 4.3 x 2.5 inches; 4.3 Pounds
  • Item model number ‏ : ‎ 00940
  • Date First Available ‏ : ‎ January 2, 2005
  • Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ Caribsea
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000YJMYPG
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 641 ratings

Important information

Directions

May be rinsed before use

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
641 global ratings

Customers say

Customers like the value, appearance and quality of the pet supplies. For example, they mention that it looks beautiful, the color is vibrant and natural, and that it provides a nice beige/white sand bed. That said, opinions are mixed on the s s quality and cleanliness.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

46 customers mention32 positive14 negative

Customers are mixed about the sand quality. Some mention it's good, has a good mix of fine and larger san, and is beautiful. Others say that it'd not really live sift, has lots of crushed corals, shells, and other debris.

"Love this brand of sand good mix for a good quality sand. The color is really vibrant and natural I can see some whole shells mixed in...." Read more

"...It is very fine but that works well for deep sand beds and substrate critters...." Read more

"...This sand has lots of crushed corals. Starfish's and other sand sifting organisms don't do well with crushed corals...." Read more

"Overall a good buy, much better than store prices. The sand is nice quality and there were even little complete shells in it that look good...." Read more

37 customers mention32 positive5 negative

Customers like the value of the pet supplies. They say it's a great product, good sand, and a decent deal for the amount of substrate you get. Some customers also mention that the substrate may take a while to settle, but it'll be well worth the wait.

"...It took a few days for the “dust” to settle but well worth the wait!..." Read more

"...It made me feel like I got an excellent product for super cheap...." Read more

"It’s a decent deal for the amount of substrate you get but I sincerely doubt it’s as “live” as they claim it is. My bag showed up pretty dry...." Read more

"Liked the value for the amount. But was vary dirty and hard to clean. Had sticks and stuff in it. I would buy it again but would clean it a lot more." Read more

29 customers mention29 positive0 negative

Customers are satisfied with the appearance of the sand. They mention that it looks beautiful, the color is vibrant, and natural. The sander provides a nice beige/white shady sd bed. Some say that it's coarsed and looks white under lights.

"...The color is really vibrant and natural I can see some whole shells mixed in. It was easy to clean and place in the tank...." Read more

"This sand is beautiful. It set my salt water tank up perfectly for anemones...now it’s time for some clownfish!..." Read more

"...all in all it looks good in your tanks but I would use on initial set-up instead of trying to add later...." Read more

"...that I'm even giving this two stars, is the that the sand does truly look really good...." Read more

27 customers mention21 positive6 negative

Customers like the quality of the pet supplies. They mention that it's a great substrate, and works well. Some say that the product was intact when they received it, and that it works well as a buffer.

"...I am adding it to my chicken feed. This has helped to make their eggshells stronger." Read more

"This seems to be working well. I strongly recommend washing this sand. We tried the first batch that we put in without washing and it was not good...." Read more

"...is better than the other brands with real ocean bacteria and seems to buffer well." Read more

"...Other than that I am happy with it. It is very fine but that works well for deep sand beds and substrate critters...." Read more

21 customers mention8 positive13 negative

Customers are mixed about the cleanliness of the pet supplies. Some mention that it has good bacteria, is easy to keep clean, and comes with a packet of live bacteria. However, others say that it is very dusty, hard to clean, has sticks and muck in it, and looks like dust floating around.

"...So my point, you get good bacteria and also lots of dead bacteria which will contain Ammonia, nitrites or nitrates...." Read more

"...It was easy to clean and place in the tank. Only downside as with any sands is waiting for the cloudiness to dissappear...." Read more

"...adding this to an established tank already, be careful it makes you water SUPER muddy with just a little bit...." Read more

"...It’s a great color and easy to keep clean." Read more

35 customers mention5 positive30 negative

Customers are dissatisfied with the water resistance of the pet supplies. Some mention that it was all dry when they received it, while others say that it had barely any moisture left. Some say that the sand was semi-wet.

"...This doesn't have liquid water in the bag; this has just moisture or mostly dry sand...which still has bacteria...." Read more

"...the package, the normally damp CaribSea Ocean Direct sand was as arid as the Sahara, and I imagine anything beneficial is long gone...." Read more

"sand came mostly dry, which I thought was odd. i checked out a bag at a local fish store and there was liquid in it...." Read more

"...My bag showed up pretty dry. There was barely any moisture in the sand left and it hasn’t done a thing to introduce nitrifying bacteria to my tank...." Read more

It was Alive....at Some Point...
3 Stars
It was Alive....at Some Point...
I felt reassured when I saw that my order of sand was delivered in an authentic CaribSea Ocean Direct box. It made me feel like I got an excellent product for super cheap. However, after opening the package, the normally damp CaribSea Ocean Direct sand was as arid as the Sahara, and I imagine anything beneficial is long gone. Such a bummer, but I figured something more or less in this arena would happen, given the price I paid. It's probably some mom-and-pop shop trying to clear inventory. And this wasn't some shipping error, this sand has been dry for a while. It's not a total loss, though, since 40 pounds of graded sand for $28 is still a steal. I can always buy seed bacteria or live rubble rock for a nitrifying bacterial power-up, but still, it's disappointing.
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Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2023
Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2017
6 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2021
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5.0 out of 5 stars Just wait for it!
Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2021
This sand is beautiful. It set my salt water tank up perfectly for anemones...now it’s time for some clownfish! It took a few days for the “dust” to settle but well worth the wait! Unfortunately- the first bag I ordered got lost in mail but they sent me another order very quickly! Thank you! Great company and great customer service. I would buy from them again no problem!
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Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2015
9 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2021
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5.0 out of 5 stars A perfectly cromulent Reef or African Lake Cichlid sand. Yes, it will raise pH and cloud water
Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2021
OK, full disclosure... The single bag wasn't enough for my 75 gallon reef setup.

This is probably the best value on Amazon for calcium carbonate based aquarium sand from a trusted manufacturer... it was when I bought it anyway.

Regardless, this is excellent reef or African Lake Cichlids that require high carbonate hardness and high pH water. Oh, and aquarium husbandry is more about keeping water chemistry consistent with the needs of its inhabitants than anything so don't complain if you just can't seem to keep any Neon Tetras alive in your aquarium with this sand (your neon teras that only thrive in the tannin stained, low-pH environment that the Amazon River is).

Yes, like any other calcium based sand that I've used in my 12 years of reef keeping, professional or personal, this sand will definitely cloud your water for about a week (if you actually have flow like you should in a reef tank).

You've been informed.
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One person found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2011
5 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2023
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3.0 out of 5 stars It was Alive....at Some Point...
Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2023
I felt reassured when I saw that my order of sand was delivered in an authentic CaribSea Ocean Direct box. It made me feel like I got an excellent product for super cheap. However, after opening the package, the normally damp CaribSea Ocean Direct sand was as arid as the Sahara, and I imagine anything beneficial is long gone. Such a bummer, but I figured something more or less in this arena would happen, given the price I paid. It's probably some mom-and-pop shop trying to clear inventory. And this wasn't some shipping error, this sand has been dry for a while. It's not a total loss, though, since 40 pounds of graded sand for $28 is still a steal. I can always buy seed bacteria or live rubble rock for a nitrifying bacterial power-up, but still, it's disappointing.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2019

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MANUEL
5.0 out of 5 stars Bella
Reviewed in Italy on October 19, 2022
anthony worth
3.0 out of 5 stars Good product
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 29, 2021
Jordan
5.0 out of 5 stars Good stuff
Reviewed in Canada on October 22, 2019