SAND

[YMCMB]

when you have sand do you have to do anything special with it

 

[Dayvydp]

Rinse it out really well, and stir it up for the gas bubbles and any other debri that can sink into the sand if your fish move it around a lot. Otherwise nothing special

 

[ponderingky]

Pool Filter sand works better than play sand - it is heavier and easier to clean. Also adding malasyian trumpet snails helps keep the sand stirred. I wouldn't go too deep unless you are planting in it - about 2 inches is good.

 

[Brooks74]

I turn my filters off during water changes or when I'm trying to catch a fish to avoid stirring the sand up into my filters. Also if using Hob filters make sure your intakes aren't too close to your sand .

 

[YMCMB]

thnx for the tips

 

[ponderingky]

If you use pool filter sand you don't have to worry about disturbing it too much. It is crushed quartz and much heavier than the typical play sand many people use. I am able to use a python gravel cleaner with it and very little is lost during water changes (none unless I allow it to build up in the tube). The PFS looks like and acts like sand but minimizes the problems associated with play sand.

I have it in all 27 of my aquariums - couldn't be happier with it. Hope that helps.

 

[Pandamania]

Sand works really well. PLEASE make sure when you do the last few rinses before putting it into tank, rinse it with TREATED water. (The stuff used to remove chlor. and heavy metals and all that). I think it helps get rid of anything harmful in the tapwater that might have built up in the sand during the rinse/washing. I add some to the last bucket rinse, stir it up good, and let it sit a couple minutes, and pour off the extra water. *Also, when siphoning up the fish poo every day, I only gently stir sand in 1/3 of tank, so the bio balance isn't messed up. (I saw this done on a youtube vid, when I was researching how to clean and maintain a sand substrate.) The only thing with sand is I have a hard time trying to grow any plants in it. So I have my plants in a fistfull of gravel. Hope this helps. Good Luck.