Sand substrate in freshwater??
- Thread starter hoggr9
- Start date
what do you want to know? a lot of people love sand. i personally prefer gravel. it's cheapest to go to the hardware store like home depot and buy playsand. it's non-toxic since it's used for children's sandboxes and such. a fifty-pound bag shouldnt cost you more than $5.00! 
just be sure that you wash the sand a LOT. when you think you have rinsed it enough, rinse it again. after you add the sand and water to your tank, it will take like a day or so to clear up, as the last of the fine particulates are filtered out or settle down. what people like about sand is that the poo just stays on the surface so you can hover a siphon hose along the surface to suck it out of the tank.
just be sure that you wash the sand a LOT. when you think you have rinsed it enough, rinse it again. after you add the sand and water to your tank, it will take like a day or so to clear up, as the last of the fine particulates are filtered out or settle down. what people like about sand is that the poo just stays on the surface so you can hover a siphon hose along the surface to suck it out of the tank.
Welcome,
Here is a link discussing sand. http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/showthread.php?t=32615&highlight=%22sand+substrate%22
I have sand in one of my tanks and really like the look. It's harder to keep clean because the poop and debris shows up a lot more then gravel. You also have to stir the sand once in a while to prevent dead trapped air areas underneath. What else do you want to know?
Here is a link discussing sand. http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/showthread.php?t=32615&highlight=%22sand+substrate%22
I have sand in one of my tanks and really like the look. It's harder to keep clean because the poop and debris shows up a lot more then gravel. You also have to stir the sand once in a while to prevent dead trapped air areas underneath. What else do you want to know?
On washing the sand, I suggest filling a large bucket about half way with it, then filling the rest of the bucket with water. Move the sand around for a few minutes and then dump out the water. Repeat that about 5 times, and the sand will be really clean
If you want pros and cons:
Pros: I personally think it looks really nice and certain fish love to burrow in it.
Cons: Slight currents will mess it up, it's can be hard to clean, and can be dangerous if it builds up in a corner or mound and isn't flattened out. It can also be hard to plant it, depending on what you want.
So it kinda depends on what kind of setup you're using it for
If you want pros and cons:
Pros: I personally think it looks really nice and certain fish love to burrow in it.
Cons: Slight currents will mess it up, it's can be hard to clean, and can be dangerous if it builds up in a corner or mound and isn't flattened out. It can also be hard to plant it, depending on what you want.
So it kinda depends on what kind of setup you're using it for
If you get play sand, 5 washings will not cut it. Keep washing til the water runs clear, even if you stir the sand up. I didn't rinse enough, and had to do a complete water change to get the brown mess of water out, but it was nice and clear when I refilled. I highly recommend taking out fish while you add sand, in case you don't rinse it well enough.
