Cleaning Sand

[loach43]

Would it be a bad idea to stir up the sand, let settle a bit and then use a diatom filter to vacuum a few inches above the sand?
Not for every cleaning but just when you wanted to do an occasional thorough cleaning.

Killing two birds with one stone or rediculous waste of diatom powder?

 

[Opiate]

I'm in the middle of removing all the gravel, down to a glass bottom..I'm changing the substrate to sand..Does anyone know what sands work real well..?? i was told just normal playsand is very good..Is this true?
Any information on this would be greatly appreciated...thanks

 

[twk1]

I'm in the middle of removing all the gravel, down to a glass bottom..I'm changing the substrate to sand..Does anyone know what sands work real well..?? i was told just normal playsand is very good..Is this true?
Any information on this would be greatly appreciated...thanks

Yes i think that you can use regular play sand, i've heard of a lot people using it for their aquariums. Just make sure that you do a really good rinsing befor you put it in your tank.

 

[twk1]

I usually just hover over the sand, but my tank hasn't been clear in months so I figured it must be in the sand. They water quality is fine...for the most part (haven't gotten a kit to check ammonia). I've used Clarity by Seachem, but it's still seems cloudy.

Maybe you should try to use a very fine small micron filter media to capture all the micro particles that are floating around and making your water look really cloudy.
What kind of sand are you using?

 

[qumqats]

I'm in the middle of removing all the gravel, down to a glass bottom..I'm changing the substrate to sand..Does anyone know what sands work real well..?? i was told just normal playsand is very good..Is this true?
Any information on this would be greatly appreciated...thanks

Try pool filter sand. As I understand it it's a coarse sand. It shouldn't take as much cleaning before use as play sand which is much finer and has a wide range of particle sizes.

It's what I plan to use in my next tank.

 

[fishnutham]

stick with the play sand its cheap and looks natrual get it from home depot in the cement sect .havent used the pool sand myself but
i've come acrosss alot of peeps complaining about pool sand having floaters and such

 

[hardb0iled]

I've used pool filter sand for 15 years in all my aquariums, I just set up a tank over the weekend and used 100kg of it in that tank.

I wouldnt use anything else, it looks natural, doesnt pack down and get dead spots, doesnt trap waste anywhere and doesnt take as much rinsing as other sand. Never had floaters or whatever you call it, what are they?

 

[benzjamin13]

Maybe you should try to use a very fine small micron filter media to capture all the micro particles that are floating around and making your water look really cloudy.
What kind of sand are you using?

I just did a 50% water change and I put the carbon back in (removed to see if it helps heals Hole In The Head). It's clear now. And my Oscar is pretty much in the clear now with it's HITH.

I'm using black sand that I got cheap from a friend's friend that works at a fish store. $35 for 80 lbs.

 

[rallysman]

I'll have to go with suggesting pool filter sand as well....I have play sand and it took forever to rinse and doesnt look nearly as good as the pool filter sand IMO. I dont rinse my pool filter sand (probably should) but i never get cloudyness for more than a few hours.,

 

[fishnutham]

hmm i gonna check it out my self now like i said just read other peoples complaints maybe they thought they had pool and it was play sand or something else
I have to set up some small tanks myself and have been putting it off hate cleaning the stuff does it have mix sizes too or is it all the same size