Mixing sand with pea gravel for my substrate

I am thinking about mixing sand with pea gravel for my substrate. (color: Black) A few questions.
1) How do you rinse sand before putting it in?
2) Can you vacuum sand??
3) Is sand ok for a planted aquarium?

 

Sand usually goes to the bottom and gravel stays on top.

1. rinse like you would gravel, stick some in a bucket and rinse until the water coming out is clean
2. yes
3. small gravel is perfered and there are special gravel meant for plants.

 

Thanks for the info-- probably just going to use the pea gravel. LFS lady seems to think the sand will be more trouble than it is worth for my kind of tank. I was only considering it b/c I want Cory Cats. But no one seems to think that pea gravel will hurt them-- so ya know.

 

If you do use sand use avoid the common playground, sandbox type sand, and get pool filter sand - it has a lot less fine particles, settles quicker, and is easier to clean with a gravel cleaner - it doesn't get sucked up as easily by those or your filter.

 

What about the colored sand at the fish store?

 

Never used the colored stuff so I can't say. Hopefully if it's from an lfs it would be OK?

 

Pool filter sand will be cheaper. There is a special gravel that is coated with something to make it smooth so it doesn't tear up cories undersides, chickadee has it. Yes cories do perfer sand but gravel is ok, just make sure it's as smooth as possible and has no sharp edges.

 

Thanks for the suggestion. I am set on a black substrate, can you get black pool filter sand?