Need to wash sand?

[Fish Tank Travis]

So, I'm setting up my new tank and will be using black diamond blasting sand (ultra fine) as the substrate. If the tank is dry and I will be putting the sand in before adding water, do I still need to wash the sand or can I pour it in dry and then carefully fill the tank using something like the plate method?

 

[Freshwater4Life]

I'm pretty sure you want to rinse that stuff really well. I would suggest pre washing even regular aquarium sand like caribsea.

 

[GamerChick5567]

I would just rinse it straight in the baggie or in a bucket with a hose before pouring it in the tank. Less risk of scratches that way too.

 

[Woefulrelic]

Definitely wash it. It's basically fine dust mixed in the sand. If you let it settle it will just cloud the tank over time.

 

[Fish Tank Travis]

Ok, thanks guys. I was just trying to avoid having to wash 150-200lbs of sand. Lol

 

[Binge]

I washed the heck outta my black diamond (bucket garden hose).... dunno how ultrafine will do I went with the medium grain ultra fine may end up showing you what blasting sand can do to an impellar

 

[Yuki Rihwa]

Ok, thanks guys. I was just trying to avoid having to wash 150-200lbs of sand. Lol

If you don't want to wash that much sand then just put it in the tank then fill the tank slowly like lets water run and overflow using bucket or whatever you want. You just need to carefully remove the dirt during water change.
Note:
I'm assumming you stocking fish species that won't stick their nose or shifting the sand like Geophagus lol

 

[Fish Tank Travis]

I'm keeping fire eels in the tank, which is why I wanted the soft sand. The extra fine is pretty silky smooth (hopefully this won't end up being a problem). I am using a sump and there are three compartments that are separated with baffles, and there are sponges between each one. I wouldn't think any of the sand would find its way through to the pump impellers, and hopefully it doesn't.

I'm working on washing it now. I'm just filling a five gallon bucket about half full of sand and then run the hose full blast down through the sand and let it overflow out of the bucket for a little while. Then I dump the water out, refill and dump it again a few times. This seems to be working pretty well.

 

[Fish Tank Travis]

I don't think it turned out too bad. This is 150# of sand in my 220. The sand is more of a dark brown instead of a black, but for $7.99/50lb bag, that's fine with me.

 

[Imsobored152]

You may or may not get an oily slick on the surface, your filters will clean it up.