play sand?

[kraker1983]

i tryed the play sand in one of my 75 gal tanks and i messed up one of my canister filters.

 

[Phtstrat]

I've used play sand. It works great, especially considering 50 lb. bags for < $3.

 

[IMPULSEBUYER]

ive been told that you need to get silica free sand???

 

[mikehawk]

Can you vacuum sand the way you can with aquarium gravel? How do you keep it clean?

 

[mikehawk]

Can you vacuum sand the way you can with aquarium gravel? How do you keep it clean?

Bump for vacuuming sand.

 

[Stella]

You just skim the vacuum across the surface of the sand. Otherwise, your sand ends up in your bucket (or worse, down the drain if you are using a python).

Laura

 

[mikehawk]

Thank you. That's kinda what I was worried about.

Will using sand as a substrate cause a cloudy tank with active fish, or does it settle pretty quickly? And if sand gets sucked up into a filter, will it screw up the impeller?

Sorry for all the questions, but I just want to find out if the low cost is too good to be true.

 

[rallysman]

Thank you. That's kinda what I was worried about.

Will using sand as a substrate cause a cloudy tank with active fish, or does it settle pretty quickly? And if sand gets sucked up into a filter, will it screw up the impeller?

Sorry for all the questions, but I just want to find out if the low cost is too good to be true.

If your python tube is long enough, it wont suck it up...if it does you can always try to turn the water pressure down to reduce the suction. I have sand in mine, with a catfish that LOVES to stir it up, it always just settles right back down, never cloudy. If your sand happened to get into the imppellers it would probably make it noisy and screw it up....but you will be fine unless you have some diggers. What are you planning on having in this tank, and how far will the filter intake be from the sand?

 

[contender]

so, i guess an undergravel filter system woldnt be the best choice for this substrate?

suggestions for a good filter type?

thanks in advance.

 

[rallysman]

so, i guess an undergravel filter system woldnt be the best choice for this substrate?

suggestions for a good filter type?

thanks in advance.

Im using a wet/dry and the intake is about 4" from the top of the tank