I put some play sand in my tank today and really do not like it very much. I washed it forever and the tank still got cloudy. I'm about to head over to my local pool store to get some pool filter sand, do I have to take the play sand out or can I just throw the pool filter sand on top of it? There is not much play sand in there. The bottom of the tank has a very thin layer. It's a 125 gallon tank. I'm trying to get the tank cycled, should I take some water out to help get rid of the cloudiness or just leave it a lone. The cloudiness isn't horrible...
adding pool filter sand
- Thread starter sbrodacz
- Start date
i would take out the play sand, btw make sure you wash the pfs too. once you add the pfs just let the tank run, make sure you check your mech filtration because it'll clog faster, but everything will settle down in a day or two.
I had the same clouding issue when I tried play sand.
Pfs is definitely better IMO. To rinse is, just get a bucket (5 gallon maybe) and fill it 1/3 of the way with the pfs. Fill the bucket with cool water until it is overflowing and churn the sand to clear it of the fine, dusty particles. The pfs I bought from Lowes hardware seemed to sink very well and little sand actually escaped the bucket (just don't churn it too hard!)
After I put the sand in the aquarium, I let it sit overnight with the filters off as I didn't want to risk damaging the impellers. The next morning, it looked pretty good. Did a 1/3 water change, turned the filters on and viola! Beautiful and substrate and crustal clear water.
Pfs is definitely better IMO. To rinse is, just get a bucket (5 gallon maybe) and fill it 1/3 of the way with the pfs. Fill the bucket with cool water until it is overflowing and churn the sand to clear it of the fine, dusty particles. The pfs I bought from Lowes hardware seemed to sink very well and little sand actually escaped the bucket (just don't churn it too hard!)
After I put the sand in the aquarium, I let it sit overnight with the filters off as I didn't want to risk damaging the impellers. The next morning, it looked pretty good. Did a 1/3 water change, turned the filters on and viola! Beautiful and substrate and crustal clear water.
Wow is all I can say at the difference between play sand and pool filter sand. When You put the play sand in a bucket and try cleaning it, it take for ever to get the water in the bucket semi clear. When you put the pool filter sand in the bucket and add water its already crystal clear. I just finished adding the pool filter sand to the tank it's still pretty cloudy, I'll see how it is tomorrow afternoon. I hope the fish in there will be ok. 
I left the play sand in there as their was hardly enough just to cover the glass bottom and I was adding a good amount of pool filter sand over it.
I left the play sand in there as their was hardly enough just to cover the glass bottom and I was adding a good amount of pool filter sand over it.good info here. i bought 150lbs of pfs for my 135g that i'll be rinsing today, how much did you put in your 125g and how deep is it now?
ok thanks. I added the 150lbs of sand to my tank yesterday. I rinsed it well and it clouded the tank some but the water level was only half way, I will continue to fill the tank with RO water today.