Is changing to sand worth it?

[lighthouse39183]

Go with the pool filter sand. The playground sand is way too fine and will get stirred up and sucked up into your filter. As far as cleaning goes, you just use the hose about an inch above the sand to clean the poo. I don't have any problems with sucking up the sand during the cleanings.

 

[lighthouse39183]

Be sure to turn off the filter when you are adding the sand to the tank.

 

[Dixon81]

It is worth it. Sand is so much better. The poo does stay on the surface. As long as you have good water flow in the tank, which a Fahaka would probably like, the flow will push the poo under any decor you have in the tank, hiding it until you vacuum.

Get a heavier sand. As mentioned, playsand is not good. Get pool filter sand or 3M colorquartz. Keep the Fahaka in the tank when you change to sand. Empty the water 1/2 or 2/3 of the way. Use a cup to get all the gravel out. Then use a cup to put the sand in. Even if you rinse sand very well, it still tends to make the water cloudy for a couple of hours, but it will clear. 100 lbs of sand will be more than enough for a 125. I think I have 60-70 lbs in my 125.

Thanks for the advice guys. Why keep the fahaka in the tank. Less stress that way?

 

[Hmong_Xiong]

I have black sand with my zebras plecos..it looks like but everytime I clean the black sand gets suck up too

 

[Columbian Shark Catfish]

100 lbs of play sand is better
just give it a good rinse

 

[muffinman51432]

Go with PFS!! I changed from gravel to that and it made a HUGE difference!


Before with Gravel

After w/ sand

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll273/muffinman51432/IMG_0893.jpg

 

[perfect_prefect]

playground sand does me just fine. i have that and i have sand blasting sand which is a little bit courser. i dont have issues with my fish stirring up the sand too much and i have BIG fish and somewhere in the neighborhood of 400 lbs of sand to be stirred up. the bit about the poo hiding under decor is dead on, so long as you have good flow in the tank the poo will just tuck into crevices and when you go by with your siphon it will suck it right out. i say go for it. ive been changing all my tanks over one by one.

 

[Angler]

Thanks for the advice guys. Why keep the fahaka in the tank. Less stress that way?

You can take him out if you want. I have done probably 6 substrate changes in different tanks, and everytime I kept all the fish in the tank with no problems, so I think it's unneccessary to take them out.

 

[killerfahaka]

I just changed my substrate with all my fish in the tank. I changed from sand to fine gravel. I find the gravel easier to clean.

 

[Dixon81]

Well i did it and im glad i did.