The best replacement for sand is gravel.

The best alternatives to sand are rated as following:
★★★★★  gravel
★★★  salt
★★★  crushed coral
★★★  dirt
★★  cartridge pool filters
★★  de filter
★★  soil
★★  clay
★  silt
★  gravel substrate
★  cartridge filter
★  sands
★  cartridge
★  water weight
  vermiculite
  cartridge pool filter
  potting soil
  de pool filters
  chestnut uggs
  regular sand
  snow
  gravel planted tank
  ich
  gravel aquarium
  ice melt
  qara
  feather fill
  strip furniture
  clay soil
  topsoil
  rock salt
  stone dust
  mud
  water heat capacity
  de
  zeobrite
  loam
  salt roads
  stars
  water basketball hoop
  moon dough
  cat litter
  dead sand
  rock

Your alternative for sand is not listed? Suggest!
Speaking about sand, one probably shouldn't forget about silt.

Other search terms related to sand and their ratings are:
★★★★★ silt
★★★★ undergravel filter
★★★ pleco
★★ flour and baby oil
★ wind game
★ sand
★ sound waves
You have in mind a companion for sand and it is not yet here? Propose!



Google Trends

Scale is based on the average worldwide traffic of sand in all years. Click on graph for more.
sand
gravel
salt