sand
- Thread starter OxyBomb
- Start date
Are there any quarries around you? Look up sand in the yellow pages, you'd be surprised. I got 2 20kg bags of #3 sand as a free sample from a 'local' quarry. I use quotes 'cause it was about a 20 minute drive each way, but hey, I've got tons of sand, diameter about 3mm.
Alternatively, look for sandblasting grit, I can't remember the mesh number, maybe #2 or #3. Or, if you just wan playground-style sand, hardware stores like Home Depot or whatever have play sand and masonry sand or 'general purpose' sand. It's all the same stuff, just be sure that you're not getting something with cement added or carbonates.
Alternatively, look for sandblasting grit, I can't remember the mesh number, maybe #2 or #3. Or, if you just wan playground-style sand, hardware stores like Home Depot or whatever have play sand and masonry sand or 'general purpose' sand. It's all the same stuff, just be sure that you're not getting something with cement added or carbonates.
awsome ideas. thanks. I was thinking about getting some eels and im reseting up a tank and im not sure what im gona end up doing. but I like the look of the sand and thought eels would be cool.
I just set up my first tank with sand, and used the Quikcrete Play Sand from Lowes. It was like less than three dollars for a fifty pound bag, which was the only size they had.
Beat me to it!
I'll add that at Home Depot at least there were two different brands of playsand. Quikrete and Southdown. Quikrete is fairly inert, although it does have a little limestone in it, while Southdoan has crushed coral in it. The crushed coral will raise the KH of your water. not necessarily a bad thing but you shoul dbe aware of that.
Also, be real careful when adding the water into the tank with the sand. Use a plate or a bowl in the sand to pour the water into otherwise you'll have a sand cloud for days. I didn't run my filter right away either in order to let the sand settle.
Tom
not sure in f.w. but in s.w. it's a pretty simple process. All you have to do is add your sand then fill tank. leave your filter and anything else you use to move water off then start your cycle. The bacteria living in the sand bed will more or less glue it together and that will solve your sandstorm and floating particles issue pretty fast. IME it takes around a week or two in a salt tank. I've never tried a sand bed in fresh water though so this may not work. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.
hth
chris
hth
chris
Something I pulled from these forums.
Rinsing it is easy. Put it in a bucket and stick a hose to the bottom. Most of the stuff that will cloud your water can be rinsed away this way. My first attempt at sand gave me that cloud for days and mud in my filter.
My second attempt I rinsed it using the above method then filled the tank (45) with the water splashing on the rocks and got no cloud what so ever.
Works great.
Rinsing it is easy. Put it in a bucket and stick a hose to the bottom. Most of the stuff that will cloud your water can be rinsed away this way. My first attempt at sand gave me that cloud for days and mud in my filter.
My second attempt I rinsed it using the above method then filled the tank (45) with the water splashing on the rocks and got no cloud what so ever.
Works great.
I use sand in all my tanks. But I mix it with finer gravel. I don’t like the look of sand or gravel. but when there mixed I think they look better.
My tank is 29g fresh and I use it. In fact, I just filled the 10g I'll be putting some dwarf puffers in with it. I didn't rinse it but I did put a saucer on the sand and pour the water gently onto the saucer. I have monimal amounts of sand clouding the water.
Tom
