How do I clean play sand?

  • Get the NEW AquariaCentral iOS app --> http://itunes.apple.com/app/id1227181058 // Android version will be out soon!

Jakezori

AC Members
Jan 24, 2009
1,000
2
38
Pennsylvania
hey, just bought 50lbs of play sand from lowes and i want to make sure its safe, so how do i go about washing it?
 

zzyzx85

the casual hobbyist
Dec 3, 2007
1,008
0
36
OC, CA
got any buckets, preferably 5 gallon? Fill it up half way with sand, stick hose to the very bottom of the bucket, and fill it up. Keep the water flowing gentle enough so that it doesn't blast slurry everywhere but hard enough to keep the slurry moving. Use the hose or your arm and stir the sand. You want the keep the heavier stuff on the bottom and the lighter stuff out...unless that's what you want. Keep rinsing it until the water is clear enough to see the sand on the bottom.
 

Jakezori

AC Members
Jan 24, 2009
1,000
2
38
Pennsylvania
got any buckets, preferably 5 gallon? Fill it up half way with sand, stick hose to the very bottom of the bucket, and fill it up. Keep the water flowing gentle enough so that it doesn't blast slurry everywhere but hard enough to keep the slurry moving. Use the hose or your arm and stir the sand. You want the keep the heavier stuff on the bottom and the lighter stuff out...unless that's what you want. Keep rinsing it until the water is clear enough to see the sand on the bottom.
brilliant! thanks
 

Weezer

Plastic Plant's Live Longer
Mar 2, 2007
3,398
1
0
"Minnesota - It Gets Chilly Here"
Iv done the bucket method, with a big water change and vac the next day........:)
 

kj5kb

KEEPER OF CATS, FISH AND CATFISHES
Mar 1, 2007
1,513
1
38
58
Spring Hill Kansas SW of Kansas City
Real Name
Don
Got a wheelbarrow?

Dump about half the bag in it. Rinse with garden hose, agitating well and dumping off the water as needed. Similar to the bucket method, but IMHO works WAY better and faster.

and if you spill a little sand in the backyard, who cares?

good weekend for it too.
 

Hurriken

Registered Member
Jan 24, 2006
4
0
0
If it is too cold to work outside I use paint strainers. They cost less than a dollar at hardware store. Fill it with sand and dip it in 5 G buckets changing the water until clean. personally I prefer pool filter sand, it is easier to deal with.


 

biggie357

AC Members
Dec 18, 2008
153
0
0
I did mine recently with a 5 gallon bucket. i only filled about a 1/3 of the way, then i would fill water to the top, and mix thoroughly.

At first, the water goes BROWN and foamy. thats the worst part. when you rinse enough the foam goes away but no matter how much you rinse PLAY SAND, it will ALWAYS have a brown tint to the water after it is freshly (within an hour) stirred up. thats because play sand is made from granules ranging from a "grain of sand" to a normal epoxy-gravel sized rock.

Your best bet is the 5 gallon bucket, rinse your sand until theres no more foam, but the water doesnt GET ANY CLEARER. it will still be a little discolored but thats the smallest pieces of sand flating around.

Turn off your filters when you put your sand in. I left all my fish in when i changed my graval. What i did was use a small drinking cup, fill it with sand and slowly lower it into the tank, minimalizing the "splash" and discoloration in the water. Then i would slowly pour it out of the cup in a layering motion on the tank bottom.

I left my filters off for about 24 hours, then i did a 50% water change twice (thinking it would equal to around 70% water replace


If you want to see the difference in texture from the same play sand bag, check my thread in the Photo Gallery, titled: Play sand, convicts, and catfish
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store