aclockworkorange;5133097; said:
Exactly, our Home Depot only carries this really junky playsand that is absolute garbage. Its not the same kind that most use.
Play sand is THE worst substrate
- Thread starter lipadj46
- Start date
Exactly, our Home Depot only carries this really junky playsand that is absolute garbage. Its not the same kind that most use.
lipadj46;5132958; said:
That's a bummer for you. You should try Lowe's. I can't see a big chain store like that not carrying something they carry regularly at a particular store at one location. Maybe they can order it for you?
kbieni01;5132569; said:
Agreed, I'm upgrading to a 200 gallon this weekend.
Guess I'll be leaving the sand also!
Jon M;5133347; said:
It happens all the time where a big box store won't stock something and another will, the manager has some say in the stock. I have not seen pfs sand at any home depot or lowes I've been at in new york state (been in quite a few from NYC to Albany to Western NY).
Ive used play sand with no problems. I have two tanks rt now that have been set up for a few years that have play sand in them. Cleaning is just like anything else, you just have to make sure you do it like you are supose to. I stopped using gravel. I hate gravel. All my basement tanks either have play sand or pool sand. And all my tanks upstairs all have aquarium sand except 1, its bare bottom.
I dont see anything wrong with play sand, it works well for me..
I dont see anything wrong with play sand, it works well for me..
aclockworkorange;5133097; said:
I am talking about quikrete brand play sand specifically but in general play sand is good for playing because it is a fine grain and that is why it goes aerobic. Pool filter sand on the other hand is made for water to flow through it so lends itself better for aquarium use IMO. PFS is pretty bad in a sand box too, it makes pretty lame sand castles due to the size and shape of the particles.
As far as it "working" or not in aquarium use, I found that it only took a few days for aerobic pockets to form in 1" sand. I have plants so completely stirring up the sand like a giant bowl of soup is not possible nor is it something I would want to do on a regular basis. If others have luck with play sand that's great. I would keep an eye on it though especially under rocks and decorations where the sand layer is an inch or greater. As far as the way it looks I like it better than pfs but the stinky putrid mess it makes is not worth it IMO.
Play sand, pool filter sand, same crap. Sand is sand. One is finer mesh, one is coarser. Buying 'pool filter' sand is a ripoff. Go to a well-stocked rock yard, they should have sand in all sorts of grades, from 3# mesh to 60# mesh. In my area I can get a 100lb bag for $8 or any grade, even the 'pool filter' sand grade.
lipadj46;5132481; said:
Lack of maintenance will cause that to happen again, doesn't matter what type of sand you use.
jcardona1;5133539; said:
I disagree, if water cannot easily diffuse into a substrate there is bound to be areas that go anaerobic especially in a planted tank where stirring up the substrate completely is not possible. I would wager those using a fine grain sand have issues they don't even realize. I know people get defensive about their choices but this is my opinion from my experiences.
jcardona1;5133528; said:
Exactly it is not the same one is finer than the other and that makes a difference in aquarium applications. Sure you can buy material in bulk for less money what's the point?
