what kind of sand?

[demjor19]

i have a 180 gallon tank and may want to do a sand bottom. i just want to know what sand is best for an aquarium. i have a stingray and want a sand that will not hurt him. is there any kind of gravel that would work for a ray?
thanks!

 

[saganeer]

Estes marine sand

 

[tRiP]

I use pool filter sand, nice and cheap, easy to clean. I've also heard of people using playsand but that it requires a fair bit of cleaning before use.

 

[rallysman]

I use quarts pool filter sand

 

[Gr8KarmaSF]

Aside from being cheap, Ive also heard that pool filter sand is heavy enough not to get sucked up into your python or filter...

Can anybody confirm this?

 

[ethnics]

i had a hard time finding pool filter sand. so i went to home depot and got quickrete or whatever play sand. but make sure you rinse rinse rinse or ur tank will be cloudy forever. haven't had an issue since and my stingray and bichirs love it.

 

[demjor19]

I use quarts pool filter sand

where do you find pool filter sand? lowes? or do i have to go to a pool place? thanks!

 

[tRiP]

Aside from being cheap, Ive also heard that pool filter sand is heavy enough not to get sucked up into your python or filter...

Can anybody confirm this?

the python still sucks sand up for me, but only if I put it down into the sand. My filters (rena xp2, 4) on the 120 pick up some bits of sand and I even raised the intakes, but my pleco used to throw sand around quite a bit by the intakes so I think that was the reason. On my 75 I have an xp3 and haven't seen any sand in that one.

demjor19 I got my pfs from a pool supply store. I tried home depot and found nothing. Don't have a Lowes here so I couldn't say if they stock it or not.

 

[demjor19]

i had a hard time finding pool filter sand. so i went to home depot and got quickrete or whatever play sand. but make sure you rinse rinse rinse or ur tank will be cloudy forever. haven't had an issue since and my stingray and bichirs love it.

does your sand give you any problems as far as the filtration goes? is it messy to clean?

 

[StevePerry]

I'm using play sand right now is two tanks. I heard/read somewhere that if you get a long gravel vac tube that you suck up less sand.