adding sand...lots of questions!! help

erin14 said:

so im going to switch from gravel to sand in my 50g fw. i've got a few questions though so i'm hoping someone can help me with all of them! i've searched the other threads on this topic but i haven't been able to find the answers to some questions i have...

#1. What kind is the best kind of sand? I have a Home Depot here and i've read in other posts that people have got some from there.

#2. What kinds should I stay away from?

#3. Should it be treated or non-treated? Anything in the sand that should or should not be there?

#4. Will the filter that I have now be okay for sand? Its a Penguin BioWheel 350. Don't have the money for a different filter.

#5. Do I drain the remaining tank water (keeping half to put in a container to keep my fish while i'm doing this) and then put the sand in and then fill it half up with water and then my left over tank water? Or just dump the sand right into the water?

last but not least...

#6. How long should I wait before i put the fish back in so that the sand is all settled? How long will it take for the sand to settle? I know my filter has to be off while i'm adding it but how long before i can turn it back on?

Sorry i know this is a lot of questions but if you could quote them and then answer them individually that would be really helpful...THANKS!!

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You won't regret it! I absolutely love the look of sand. It looks so much more natural to me that gravel does. It's not hard at all to switch it out. Here's my take on the questions...


1. The two best from what I've read would be pool filter sand, which you can get at any pool supply place, or quikrete all purpose sand. I got the all purpose sand and love it. I can take a picture of how it looks in one of my tanks, if you would like. You can pick it up at any home improvement store. I believe it's about 4 bucks for 50 pounds.

2. Stay away from anything that isn't inert, anything the has any sort of chemicals, and some people say to stay away from silica sand. I've heard both sides of that argument, but I'd avoid it just in case.

3. Same as number 2 really, stick with untreated.

4. That should be fine. The only thing you have to worry about is if the intake is right in the sand, then if the sand gets kicked up at all sand goes into the filter. You should be fine, just don't run it until the sand is all settled.

5. Sounds like a good method. Just make sure to keep water in your filter so it doesn't dry out at all. Even a little bit can mess things up.

6. It very much depends on the sand. The quikrete settles very very quickly. All you do is rinse it out good with a hose before you put it in. The all purpose sand was settles within 15 minutes. The other kinds may take longer, who knows. I would just wait until the water is either clear or not very cloudy at all before you put the fish in. If you don't rinse it out, it'll take quite a while to get it clear. If it stays cloudy for a long time, stick some filter floss in your filter and it'll clear right up.



Hope this helps!

erin14 said:

wow thats the most helpful answers i've read yet. this will be a good, short thread for someone who has the same questions. i also meant to ask...how much sand would i need for my 50g? in pounds. i'd like to have it about 1-2inches deep. oh yeah and should i drain it completely and then put the sand in or just rinse the sand and then just dump it in the water (Carefully i might add) thanks again!

p.s...what does inert mean? i read it once before but i don't remember

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I'd go with about 50 pounds. Because sands differ in size and compactibility (if that's a word), it might be give or take a bit.

I would drain it completely, and add the sand. Then, add the water very slowly, and put a dish or something on the sand and pour on that. That way, there is as little disturbance on the sand as possible, and not only will it stay where you want it, it will also help greatly with how long it takes to settle back down.

Inert, at least in the aquarium sand world, means that it won't kick around your pH at all.

No problem, glad to help.

but now that I think about it, I would go with 40 pounds of sand. 50 pounds of gravel would give you 1-2 inches, and there's a lot more space between particles in gravel than there is in sand, so I'd have to think there would be less

The thumb rule for gravel is about a pound per gallon for a minimal layer of 1 to 2 inches. In a 50, if you want undulating patterns in the sand, you may want a 50 pound base and then judge how much more you want to add to get the high areas in your pattern. Sounds like you are off to a good start the way you are thinking of going.
Be aware that when you start adding the water, the sand will no longer look like it did when you placed it. You will need to move it all around to suit yourself after at least half of the water has been added. That is also a good time to add plants and any ornaments because you won't be up to your armpits in water to do it.