Play sand help.

[spitz006]

I bought 50 LB of play sand for my 35 gallon (tall) tank that I want to set up as a brackish tank. I am not in a hurry to put the fish in, so I'm wondering if I even need to worry about rinsing it? I'm not worried about damage to my filter because for filtration I'm using a large sponge filter and another small mechanical underwater filter that is also powered by an air pump. Is it necessary to rinse the sand or not?

If so, what's an easy way to do it? It's like 40 degrees outside and I live in the city so sitting in my yard with a big bucket and a stick with muddy water running constantly is not going to be fun.

 

[Nighttouch]

I rinse my sand in the bathtub. Warm water in a warm room makes rinsing sand MUCH nicer.

 

[Dragon Hunter]

i say go for it. just do a couple WC before u introduce fish.

 

[spitz006]

I currently have about half of the 50 pound bag poured into a big keg-tub in my bath-tub. I have two gravel-siphons in there siphoning out the water, and every once in a while I'm stirring it with a big stick and adding more water from the tap. It doesn't seem to be improving but it's only been a few minutes. If this sand turns out to be good, it will be worth it. $4.50 for a 50 pound bag while at my pet store the same colored sand is over a dollar a pound.

I would have gone with Pool filter sand, but I couldn't find any at the two stores I went to, so I just went with play sand.

 

[carsona246]

definatly rinse it, when I rinsed my play sand in a small bucket the difference was really clear. I also didn't add a filter for a couple weeks and the water was murky after rinsing it out a ton. Definatly rinse the heck out of it

 

[spitz006]

I rinsed it pretty well. I just dumped it into my tank and put an underwater filter in with pillow-stuffing in the media-chamber. I will see how that works. I hope I don't break my filter. I'll replace the stuffing over the course of the next few days and see what happens.

 

[FishingOut]

Go dump it in the garden mate. I wish i would have before having cloudy water everytime my fish dig and having sand go in the filter intake grinding, replaced 2 impellers. For larger fish(over 6") I would stay away because a strong fish will throw it everywhere. My 90gal looked "ok" with the white play sand, but washed out my Dempsey. I went barebones for awhile but now have a natural looking stones from petco and really like the look.
But if you use it, really clean it well. Shoosh it around in the water and dump the water with everything that didnt settle in 3 seconds out and put whats left gently on the floor of the aquarium.
-The Anti-Sand Man

*eh.... too late.

 

[ar0wan]

Best way to clean play sand


1) get three buckets, 1gal, 3gal, and 5gal
2) fill 3gal bucket halfway and fill with water
3) dump 3gal into 1gal until full, then empty into 5gal
4) repeat steps 1) - 3) until 5gal is full
5) spread on large concrete surface to dry, the thinner the better
6) scoop all sand into sand box
7) purchase pool filter sand
8) rinse in 5gal bucket 5"-6" at a time
9) turn off filter and scoop gently into aquarium until it settles
10) consider how easy it would have been to start at 7)

 

[spitz006]

I don't have a garden. Hell, I'm not even British. I don't plan on using any impellers. I have two air-powered filters. I do plan on having fish that will play in it (gobies, fiddler crabs) but nothing big. I also don't plan on having it planted because it's a brackish tank. Anyone else think I should scrap it?

 

[spitz006]

I rinsed it pretty well. I just dumped it into my tank and put an underwater filter in with pillow-stuffing in the media-chamber. I will see how that works. I hope I don't break my filter. I'll replace the stuffing over the course of the next few days and see what happens.

Okay so I do have a filter in there that does have an impeller.... but... it was cheap...
damn! I wish I would have found pool filter sand.