Bad Wolf

would normal sand (when i say normal sand i mean sand that you can buy for sand pits from warehouses) work well as substrate? it's not bad for fish or anything is it? say if i let it soak for a while (for a few days) in boiling water and replace the water with new water each day, would it be fine?

will "normal sand" float around in a tank full of live bearers? their not gonna disturb the sand a make it float around in the tank are they?

and the sand wont go moldy will it?

i want sand but it is expensive from a pet store. also same question but with gravel, but can i use normal gravel (from a warehouse) as a substrate? is it any different to pet store gravel? gravel from a pet store is expensive.

will sand get sucked up a filter? (a hang on filter and internal filter)

and one more thing, will sand get sucked up a under gravel filter?

Thanx

soz it's so long

Nick G

I have sand in my 24gal nanocube, my 10gal Breeder Tank, and my 90gal Cichlid tank. It's looks great, but takes quite a bit of preparation. Firstly, I wouldn't use any old sand, playsand and building sand is too sharp IMO. Pool filter sand is excellent if you can get it. Mine is landscaping sand, origionally from a nearby beach, that has been professionally waterblasted and cleaned before it goes to the retailer. Even then it takes a LOT of cleaning when you get it home before it can go in the tank. My method is to fill a quarter of a bucket with sand and then run water though it, constantly turning the sand with my hands until it runs clear. Once the sand is in the tank it needs to be filled slowly, and it will take about 12hrs for all the sand to settle. The sand also needs to be turned every now and then. ( I do mine once a month). Hang on and internal filters should be fine with sand, but not an undergravel filter. Heres some pics on my tanks with sand.

Attached Images

	90gal Sand.jpg (315.6 KB, 187 views)
	Krib tank.jpg (376.9 KB, 184 views)

Bad Wolf

so "normal sand" is sharp. okay thanks. i did use "normal sand" for my land hermit crabs and they loved it. is pool sand expensive?

thanks

Nick G

I don't know to be honest. I tried to find pool filter sand for my tanks but couldn't find it anywhere. Your best bet is to go to a proper Landscape gardening place and speak to someone there about their sands. Thats what I did and it was really cheap. $6 a bag if I remember correctly, and 2 bags did 3 tanks!

aquarist48

Good morning. Bad Wolf call one of your local swimming pool supply companies and check for the price. (If there is one in your area)

Bad Wolf

thanks, i'll try a garden shop

cronos321

Pool filter sand is definitely the best option for a sand substrate and the best of all... its very cheap.
try to get it in a local pool supply store

Crimsonbull57

Pool sand is very cheap and really isn't that hard to clean, it usually runs about $10 for a 50 lb bag and should be rinsed before adding it to your aquarium. A HOB filter might suck it up if you are planting or turning the sand so it is suggested that you shut of your filter for 10 minutes so the sand can settle. Malaysian trumpet snails are great if you have sand sub. becuase they will help airerate the sand.

jamesskeezy

where could i find Malaysian trumpet snails?

Gouramiguy17

You could try aquabid for the snails or you could get a couple kulihi loaches because they will burrow in the sand

lorabell

I just called 2 local pool companies...as I am in the market for sand also.....for a 50lb bag it was priced at $8.99 -$13.99 depending on which company I called...Yippeee!!!!! a whole lot cheaper than LFS...as I learned the hard way......I paid $21.99 (20lb size bag) for sand in my 55 gallon...however that sand did come with benificial bacteria..and it did help cycle the tank very quickly...and of course NO rinsing.....

livetowin

Yea i have white sand that i got from my work it was like 10 bucks for a 100 pound bag and i used prolly 30-35 pounds in my 30 gallon and it looks great my cichlids change the pattern daily and its such a cool experience to have sand!!!

alicem

I use sand in my tanks and I love it.
Here's my 2cents:
One tank has Black Tahitian Moon, looks nice but is very expensive.
The other three have builder's sand or fill sand. It's color is mostly tans with some browns.
The concrete place I got it from gives it to people for free for sand boxes and they let me have it for my tanks.

Both types (expensive and free) took equal amounts of rinsing to get clean.
Both settle quickly when stirred (or turned) in the tank.
I've read many posts, from people that use it, that pool filter sand is very clean, inexpensive, settles quickly in the tank and is dark white to tan in color.

I use < 2" sand in my tanks.

When using hob filters, just be sure the intakes are about 6" off the sand.

I have laterite and flourite mixed in the builder's sand in my 90G for the plants, which made it more red in color.
I wish the builder's sand was a darker color in the tank my panda cories are in, so they'd show up better.

It was a major deal for me, but I changed out the gravel in my 90G tank for sand. I found I liked it after setting up a couple of tanks with sand.
The gravel has crevisis which allows debris to settle into it. Debris sits on top of the sand, so it's easier for me to keep clean, in my opinion.
hth,
alicem

schmudge

I was wondering if anyone had tried Black Iron Sand.
It's about twice the weight of other sands, ok, it has to have the salt washed out to some extent etc but I reckon it would look stunning.

alicem

You might want to check the contents for metals.
I'd do some deep research on possible affects in the aquarium first.
hth,
alicem

xVitox

I did research before on this, because that was the one most important thing for my tank to start off was to have black sand. I forget where i read it but i heard black iron sand is very sharp and it can leach Fe into your water.

I got colorquartz from 3m. It is a building material that is quartz covered in a ceramic coat. It looks amazing and isnt that expensive if you have a place that will sell it in your area