Plays and as substrate
- Thread starter Mattk1996
- Start date
The only problem I had when I used play sand, was (because it is light weight, tiny grains) it is easily stirred up, and can get into filters and ruin pumps, and impellers.
I stopped using playsand about 20 years ago, because of this.
It's why I prefer heavier pool filter sand, which settles fast and less apt to get stirred up into filter intakes, and very similar in cost.
I stopped using playsand about 20 years ago, because of this.
It's why I prefer heavier pool filter sand, which settles fast and less apt to get stirred up into filter intakes, and very similar in cost.
I have playsand in all my tanks, have for many years now. I know people always say how dirty it is but I have never seen it any worse than any other sand IMO. At least the ones I buy from Lowes that is. I don't even bother pre washing it and my tanks are always clear within hours of adding sand.
While I have had an impeller or two go down it's usually just because I had the intake too close to the substrate. Now a days I run my intakes about 6" off the substrate and that seems to be enough to keep any sand from getting kicked up into them.
While I have had an impeller or two go down it's usually just because I had the intake too close to the substrate. Now a days I run my intakes about 6" off the substrate and that seems to be enough to keep any sand from getting kicked up into them.
+1 for pool filter sand.
I chose pfs over playsand because most of what i read said that playsand "packs" up and has very poor characteristics for water to circulate through it. Supposedly pfs will let water flow through much more easily as it is designed to have flow through it. Which should stop certain types of bacteria building up and allows you to grow live plants in it. Playsand is not good for plants because of the poor flow.
I chose pfs over playsand because most of what i read said that playsand "packs" up and has very poor characteristics for water to circulate through it. Supposedly pfs will let water flow through much more easily as it is designed to have flow through it. Which should stop certain types of bacteria building up and allows you to grow live plants in it. Playsand is not good for plants because of the poor flow.