Pool Filter Sand With Fish in Tank

[Dr_Shakalu]

Hi everyone. I'm going to change my substrate with pool sand. I'm going to shut off all of the filtration when I'm adding it to my tank. The questions is can I add the sand into the tank with my fish in it? Should I put the fish into an established tank until the sand settles or should I put the fish in a bucket and put them into the tank immediatly after putting the sand into the tank?



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[koh the face stealer]

The sand you put it can cause a temperature swing depending on how much you are putting in and the temperature of it. If you have an established tank to temporarily house them til most of the initial cloudiness and possible temperature swing have leveled out or cleared. If not you can add the sand in very slowly and in portions. I have added sand while my fish were in with no ill effects though.

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[koh the face stealer]

Hey I almost forgot this crucial question. Are you switching from gravel to sand?

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[Dr_Shakalu]

Yes, but there are some large river rocks in there. I'm thinking about removing the gravel, putting in the sand and then putting back some of the large rocks on top of the sand in different places.

Hey I almost forgot this crucial question. Are you switching from gravel to sand?

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[Dial92]

remember to clean the sand and then just turn off your filters and slowly add it in try to dump as close to the bottom as possible

 

[LukeOscar]

You should be able to slowly lower a container right to the bottom and dump it with very little stir occuring.


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[Dr_Shakalu]

I have some other questions. I'm going to shut down my filters when I'm putting the sand in. If my fish are in the tank while putting in the sand, should I keep my air pumps going for the fish or will the bubbles make the water cloudier? Also, I'm going to wash the sand in a bucket with my water hose. What about the chlorine and chloramine in the hose water. Will the sand washed with the hose have enough chorine and chloramine to hurt the fish or should I wash the sand, then put it in another bucket of water that's been conditioned and then put it in the tank? I'm sorry if these are noob questions, Ed.

 

[LukeOscar]

Turn the bubbles off top. Theres plenty of oxygen to perform the task at hand, i would hit the water with prime after just to remove any chlorine you may have introduced.


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[Dial92]

yup just add like a cap full after you are done and remember to take out some water so you dont over flow the tank the more the better

 

[koh the face stealer]

Since you said you are switching from gravel to sand from an established tank(depending on the stocking) I would only switch half of the tank's gravel out for sand and then the next week the other half. You don't want to trash all that beneficial bacteria and possibly start a mini cycle.

Concerning the chlorine and chloramines in the sand rinsed in hose water I would do as you first suggested. After you clean it rinse it thoroughly in a dechlorinated bucket of water but as others mentioned add some dechlorinator to the tank water after introducing the sand.

Don't worry about noob questions man. We all started somewhere and to learn you have to ask. I for one asked(and still do) a lot of them.

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