i want to go sand

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a&j_tanks

Feeder Fish
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Apr 20, 2008
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iowa
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what do i need?

(a list would be nice)

is it safe for freshwater?

will it hurt my bio-wheels?

if i put my old water back in will i half to cycle?

i want to track down black sand or is a natural better?

when i vacuum my tank, will it suck up the sand and throw my tank off?

will it hold the bacterial i need?

anything else i didn't mention i would like covered please!
 
all you have to do is rise it, then when it is clean you can put it in the tank no need to dry it.
 
I just recently went to sand in my 75 gallon tank. First time for me. Here's what I've gathered/learned so far.

1. The fish love it! I have African Cichlid's.
2. When you vacuum/syphon the debris, you will syhphon out some sand. Be prepared to add more from time to time.
3. I have heard that it can be hard on filters and it was recommended to me to place some kind of sponge over the powerfilter intake.
4. Occasionally (every couple of week's) you need to "rake" the sand to stir it up and keep it "healty". I apologize I don't know all the technical term's.
5. Color is a matter of opinion and personal preference. I used play sand that I bought from Home Depot.
6. Initially the water will be cloudy and after it is stirred/raked it will be cloudy. Be patient and give it time to clear up.

I do not suspect that it would adversely effect bio-wheels. I'm using two Emperor 400s with biowheel's for my filtration, so I shall find out.

Outside of these point's, I can't make any further statement's because it is new to me.
 
what do i need?
Patience. Changing your tank out to sand is a fairly time consuming ordeal. If you are lazy and don't wash your sand, it can cloud your water for a few days depending on what type of sand you get.

Pool filter sand works best IMO. Its the finest grain, comes in big bags, and is readily available. Plus it looks awesome and doesn't have as much dust as the other sands.

The easiest way to clean your sand before putting it in your tank is to put it into an OLD pillowcase. Take it outside and run your garden hose through it for a few minutes, or until the water turns 'clearish'. This can be kinda hard if you try to do it yourself, so get someone to help you hold the pillowcase.

Make sure your tank is DRAINED or at least low. If you add the sand into your tank when it is completely full, not only will it displace a lot of water, but it will go EVERYWHERE, and can make a serious mess. Rather annoying.

is it safe for freshwater?
Absolutely!!! It actually looks more natural and is easier to maintain than gravel. All the detritus sits on the top, thus making it easier to suck out during waterchanges. Its also recommended for several species of fish. Geophagus, Satanoperca, and rays will all appreciate being kept in sand tanks. If you are going to keep rays though, stay away from sands that are salica, as they are too course and can irritate the rays.

will it hurt my bio-wheels?

If the sand does get sucked up into the filters it can cause some problems, but its easily avoidable. Either raise your intake tubes so they are at least 6" above the substrate or put some type of sponge/polyfiber over the intake and you won't have that problem. I've had sand in my tanks for over six years now, and so far haven't had any serious problems. ;)

if i put my old water back in will i have to cycle?
As long as you don't leave your filters off for too long, and put some of the same decorations in there, you should be fine. If its going to take you a while to change it out, set up a 5 gal bucket or some other large container and run your filters. If the aerobic bacteria dies, you will have a crash, thus having to recycle your tank.

i want to track down black sand or is a natural better?

Thats all up to you. Both sands are attractive, although its believed that the darker sand brings out more of the colors in certain fish. Personally I think the lighter sand looks better, but thats just me.


when i vacuum my tank, will it suck up the sand and throw my tank off?

Sure enough will if you stick the siphon in the sand or on it. The best thing to do is skim the siphon about an inch above the sand. Since the detritus sits ontop of it, it will just be sucked up, and you will suck up less sand as well.

You will need to have a long stick or something you can use to run through the sand. I normally do this about every other water change, just to keep the sand actively turned. If you have Geophagus or Satanoperca you don't have to do this as often, but its still recommended.

The reason you have to stir the sand is because its so compact that its easy for oxygen to get trapped in the sand. This can cause problems because anerobic bacteria can take over, which is not a good thing. You want aerobic bacteria...lol. Generally you don't want your sand to be any deeper than an 1.5". I've got about 2" in my tanks, but I'm doing water changes weekly and stir it ever other week. ;)

will it hold the bacterial i need?

Your filters, decorations, and aquarium glass will hold more than enough bacteria for your tank. The sand will hold some, but it won't be as much as compared to gravel since it is more compact.
 
wow thanks for the info
it loooks like tuesday im going for it

i got a 46 gal tub im gonna stick the fish in, using their water
gonna try and heat the tub and run both filters on it, so i hope it works
 
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