Sand

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
If you rinse quite well you shouldn't have a problem with it in filters. Also get Malaysian trumpet snails, they are a must have for any tank with a sand substrate. They burrow thru the sand in search of food, releasing the pockets of anaerobic gas at a safe level and evenly. I have a power head causing a light current across the sand and in turn letting the detritus get sucked up into my filters. Just an idea for you.
 
piranha45 said:
are there any online sellers of these snails, that you're aware of off the top of your head?
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There are lots on Aquabid. They are real cheap. If you have any snail eating fish, be careful. You can try to bury them when you get them and there cheap enough that it wont matter if you loose a few.
 
You could also add fish like cory cats and whiptails to help move the sand. FW clams also help.
 
malaysian trumpets can be a nuisance if they start to reproduce wildly... I don't really trust the use of "cleaners" because "anything that goes in, will also come out", these "cleaners" will still produce fecal matter after feeding on whatever is available.

using a siphon will solve all the problems, sand gets elevated by the siphon force, allowing all the debris under the sand coming free flowing which is easily picked up by the siphon.
 
piranha45 said:
Sand is a breeze. If you have a good filter current, you don't need to vacuum the substrate at all; just change the water.
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That statement is a broad generalization. If you have small to medium size fish then maybe that will probably work. Try having rays and fish 15 inches and bigger and i guarantee you , no matter how strong your current is detritus will stick to the sand and you will need to vacumn it. Its even worse if you have big rocks in the tank. Poop will settle on the edges of the rock or driftwood.

I do agree on how awesome sand looks on a tank though. I do get tempted form time to time to add sand to my ray tank again, but i do remember the hassle that i had and i just smile and "Just Say No".
 
Phatboy said:
malaysian trumpets can be a nuisance if they start to reproduce wildly... I don't really trust the use of "cleaners" because "anything that goes in, will also come out", these "cleaners" will still produce fecal matter after feeding on whatever is available.

using a siphon will solve all the problems, sand gets elevated by the siphon force, allowing all the debris under the sand coming free flowing which is easily picked up by the siphon.
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They can easily be dispatched with clown loaches. I've had MTS for years and find that their stirring the sand alone to remove gas pockets is reward enough for me. Of cource, this is not a substitute for a good vaccuming, but vaccuming tends to release the gas too quickly.
 
you gotta vaccum eventually regardless of how clean you keep the water

i use longer than usual gravel vacs to keep the sand suspend instead of sucking it up then it just drifts back down i like sand because it has more surface area than gravel, which holds more bacteria, which holds more fish :grinno:
 
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