Exo Terra Riverbed Sand, 10-Pounds – Real Riverbed Sand with No Added Dyes or Chemicals
$15.11
Price: $15.11
(as of Mar 26, 2025 18:03:03 UTC – Details)
Riverbed Sand, 10-Pound, Brown, for Small Breeds
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
Product Dimensions : 1.5 x 9.2 x 2.5 inches; 10 Pounds
Item model number : PT3107
Date First Available : July 16, 2008
Manufacturer : Rolf C. Hagen (USA) Corp.
ASIN : B001B599D2
Country of Origin : South Africa
Natural Sand: Riverbed Sand is ideal for many types of aquatic turtles as it is their preferred substrate in the wild. Soft-shell turtles especially prefer the fine sand for digging and burrowing. No added dyes or chemicals.
Ideal Grain Size: The riverbed sand is very fine and can be easily secreted when ingested, unlike gravel or pebbles which can cause indigestion.
Other Uses: Other types of water and ground-dwelling reptiles, such as frogs and salamanders, will also benefit from Riverbed Sand because of its soft nature. A rough surface, such as gravel, can easily injure skin tissue.
Sand Usefulness: The sand serves as an excellent substrate for river or aquatic reptiles and turtles, helping them stimulate natural behavior.
Size: Available in a 10-pound plastic bag.
Customers say
Customers appreciate the pet toy’s sand quality and color. They find it soft and suitable for fish like cories, loaches, and axolotls. Many of them love the natural reddish brown color and find it provides a nice environment for turtles. However, some customers have reported issues with dirtiness, water clarity, and filter size. There are mixed opinions on value for money.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
13 reviews for Exo Terra Riverbed Sand, 10-Pounds – Real Riverbed Sand with No Added Dyes or Chemicals
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$15.11
Katie –
So beautiful
I love this sand. Itâs a little pricy, but I decided it was worth it since I wanted a darker color for my aquarium. It took quite a while to wash, but it was worth it. I used a pillow case to wash mine, which worked perfectly! Just make sure to rinse it well until it runs mostly clear. The cloudiness in my picture is from adding fritz- the sand settled very quickly!I put it in my axolotl tank since itâs super fine and safe for them. My little guy seems to like walking on it so far. 🙂 Iâm very happy I went with this sand!
Katherine –
Not sure what to think about the sand
Iâm not sure if I read the reviews and I usually do before I purchase something but I saw the bag and the price so I purchased it. ( thinking it was a great price for what I need for a new soft shell turtle) Well I read we should always clean the sand and Iâm doing that but even though I keep rising the sand over and over I canât get rid of the color that the water keeps drawing from the same and the foggy-ness is the water and Ive only rents about 2 cups or a little over and I gave up using the water I have for our turtle tank. To save money Iâm using tap water, leaving it out for 3 days or longer but Iâve stopped trying to clean the sand with the water and started rising the almost 3 cups of sand with tap water. I still canât get the murky color out. Not sure when or if it will be ok to put the sand in the tank.Should I keep the turtle out the tank for sand and water to settle?Will I need to let the sand and water settle for the water to become clear?Will it clear up? My filter wonât be here in a few days but I hope the water settles so it doesnât wear out my new filter?I read this sand is clean without chemicals & etc. Not harmful for the animals itâs intended to use for but more info ( directions ) on the bag would be helpful! I would like to know how many times to rinse the sand or to know about when to indicate when itâs OK to add the sand into the tank! The price was great compared to pet stores but after I finished writing this Iâm going to read and review the listing on here because if I donât find any information I need now than itâs probably best buying the sand from a pet store even if the cost is higher. Again Iâm not sure but if I have to rinse off the sand 20x to achieve the water to look clear than itâs best to buy an more expensive sand so you wonât have. I did not realize the color of the sand too. The sand seems great for non aquatic animals.
Djuna K Graves –
DO NOT BUY. MUST BE WASHED
The info does not mention the sand has to washed before adding to your tank. So 50 gallons of brown murky water later, i have to remove it all and purchase another type of substrate. Don’t waste your money. Alot of sand is already prewashed. Look for that. Lesson learned.
J.L.B. –
It’s sandy!
A very very fine sand. Soft and dusty. It’s working out well for a south American set up. It does cloud the water, but it’s natural and I like it that way. Thanks ð
Mildred –
would repurchase, but initial setup is a pain
I’m using this in my musk turtle’s tank and have not had any issues. As other reviews said, this sand requires extensive rinsing before it is sufficiently clean to add to your tank. If you do not take the time to properly clean this sand, it can and will clog up filters and discolor your tank. Overall, I am satisfied with the texture and quality of this sand.
Corrine Gattarello –
Wrong type of sand for my aquatic frogs
I purchased the riverbed sand in brown. I washed the sand prior to putting it in tank until the water ran clear. After I added water to my tank it remained cloudy and did not either completely settle or remained murky after 65 gallons of water replaced. It is still cloudy. I have resolved to think I made a wrong decision adding this type of sand for my fish tank. So needless to say I am removing both 10# bags of sand, unfortunately. I feel the sand is just too fine and too brown to get a good resolve.
Jamie B. –
Looks great critters love it
After rinsing the dust out and setting it in the tank it looks good with water. I’ve used it in multiple tanks. My fish love it and so do my turtles.
SmileJerkFace –
Works for what I needed
I got this for my axolotls tank setup up.It works great and looks awesome. You do have to clean it until the water runs clear,I read the reviews before ordering and learned from others mistakes. I recommend and will continue to use this in my axolotls tank setup
Christina Verner –
Purchased for a 20 gallon turtle aquarium. Rinsed the sand in a 5 gallon bucket until the water ran relevatively clean (less than 10 minutes). When added to the tank, it did cloud the water, but cleared quite quickly (probably within 30 minutes). My turtle digs/ moves around in the sand, and the water remains clear. *I’ve only added half of the cleaned sand (shown in picture).
Patrick Becker –
keine Fremdkörper, trockner Sand, schnelle Lieferungsehr zufrieden
Amazon Customer –
Semplicemente perfetto come ogni prodotto di questa marca: tutte le volte che ho acquistato, da altri marchi, prodotti per la mia tartaruga (pseudemys nelsoni), me ne sono pentito.Exoterra dà una affidabilità totale invece: la sabbia è fine e perfetta, studiata per far tollerare l’ingerimento alle tartarughe, che potranno così espellerla senza problemi (avevo prima una ghiaia che ha causato blocchi intestinali alla piccola tartaruga).L’aspetto è molto bello, la sabbia non viene “tirata su” dal filtro anche se si utilizza un filtro molto potente, ha il giusto peso per tornare subito a terra dopo che la tartaruga la smuove: questo permette di non causare intorbidimento dell’acqua e di conseguenza rischio di congiuntivite all’animale.Come quantità 4.5 kg mi sono bastati per un acquario con base 25cmX35cm.Suggerisco molti lavaggi prima dell’inserimento in vasca in quanto la sabbia è molto polverosa; potete lavarla in un secchio alto mettendo un tubo aperto a pelo d’acqua, dando ogni tanto una smossa a tutta la sabbia sul fondo. Sarebbe un problema non farlo perché in acquario conserverebbe “per sempre” tutta quella polverosità .Per concludere, la tartaruga lo adora e adora scavare!!
Richard Coles –
Best price on the internet again from the online reptile shop.Delivery was 2 days, outstsanding service. Quality product. Soft and fine sand with a nice Colour.I used 2 bags for 4×2 ft tank.
Jay Simard –
Bien nettoyer avant de mètre dans l’aquarium 1h de lavage facile