I really prefer CaribSea to pool filter sand as it's smaller and still settles fairly quickly when disturbed. I usually mix it with some small smooth pebbles.
What is your preferred type of gravel?
- Thread starter Polyptasaurus
- Start date
How was your experience in cleaning this? What size of the product did you use? The internet and this forum are split on where this is good to use or not. I want the darker look, and plan on mixing in some garnet blasting media as well. But I've read oily and may need dawn dish soap to clean it......
I believe the size i got was 20/40. I didn't need to go as far as using dish soap, but it really did take awhile to clean.. My batch wasn't very oily, just very dusty. I've heard that depends on the bag though. Not all bags seem to be the exact same; one bag I bought had little specks of orange sand in it and another I bought was almost pure black.
I poured 2-3 inches into a 5 gallon bucket, blasted it with a hose to swirl it until the whole bucket was full, poured out the water (as well as any fine specks of sand that I don't let settle), and repeated. Probably did this 5-10 times per batch. It is an arduous task, especially if you're cleaning sand for a large tank. Alternatively, I have heard of people pouring bags straight into their aquarium, do a few 100% WCs, and they're set.
I poured 2-3 inches into a 5 gallon bucket, blasted it with a hose to swirl it until the whole bucket was full, poured out the water (as well as any fine specks of sand that I don't let settle), and repeated. Probably did this 5-10 times per batch. It is an arduous task, especially if you're cleaning sand for a large tank. Alternatively, I have heard of people pouring bags straight into their aquarium, do a few 100% WCs, and they're set.
Thanks for the reply. I am looking at roughly 500#s of the stuff, so hooray.......
500#s... your best bet might be just to fill the tank and do a few large WCs haha. For your sanity's sake. Maybe your bags won't be very dusty/oily.
My other thought is to do it on separate weekends, 2 bags each weekend and slowly add it to the tank.
I have used pool filter, it required no cleaning at all
And also have the black blasting sand. I had lots of small floating black bits in my batch as well. it took some time, and even then I didn't get it all. my tank with an overflow was easy to clean, the ones without were a pain in the rear.
And also have the black blasting sand. I had lots of small floating black bits in my batch as well. it took some time, and even then I didn't get it all. my tank with an overflow was easy to clean, the ones without were a pain in the rear.
I’ve been using it since I’ve had my first aquarium and it’s a MuthaFudgeCake to rinse innitially but looks amazing once you put it in the tank. Theirs absolutely nothing wrong with it. I mix it with pool filter sand that comes from my local pool supply store. I’m keeping. Black Nasty cichlids in the aquarium and a few member can attest to how sensitive they are to bad water conditions. My fish are healthy and growing.
