Play sand

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N8DOGG

Peaches !!
Jul 5, 2004
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Ok I knows is been discussed but I'm thinking of getting some play sand from my new 55 gallon. I just got it home painted the back Blue........looks great :) ..... I got two penguin 330's for it.............and a new 150 watt ebo heater. I'm going to get a glass top asap and build a DIY hood with 2 48" lights....and unless I can make the stand I have work (I want to have one 55 on top of the other and there is not much clearance on the bottom one) I will build another stand.

Sorry I'm just excited to have another tank and give my fish some more room till I get my 190

But the question is how do you wash the play sand? I will cycle this tank with the media from the old one(I will just put the old filter on the tank till its cycled) with about half the water from the old one.
 
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Torf

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Jul 9, 2004
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I use a 3 gallon trash can or a tall bucket and a large sink. Have a second bucket nearby if you want.

1. Add a few pounds of dry sand to the tall bucket or trashcan.
2. Run LOTS of warm water into it until the water is over flowing.
3. Gently stir the sand at the bottom of the bucket.
4. Dump out some of the cloudy water every 10 seconds or so while stirring (try not to dump the grains of sand down the drain).
5. Repeat steps 2-4 until the water stops being cloudy when you stop stirring.
6. Dump off remaining water, leaving only the pieces of sand large enough to settle quickly.
7. Put clean sand in tank or in spare bucket.
8. Add a few more pounds of sand, and go back to step 2.

The process will quickly suspend the tiniest sand particles that will give you cloudy water. These particles will wash away with the water leaving the good stuff.
 

chefkeith

Loach Inspector
Aug 17, 2003
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Toys-R-Us has some really good playsand. It's called "Best" Playsand. It's kind of like a white color. I hardly had to wash it. Problem with it though is that it looks to clean. So I took that and Mixed in some playsand from home depot to give it a more dirty look. I had to clean the home depot sand alot though.
 

QCppg

Carp for brains!
May 4, 2004
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When I washed the play sand I used in my sw tank I simply set the bucket on the lawn and used a garden hose to fluidize the sand until the overflowing water ran clear. It's a lot easier than the other method.
 

N8DOGG

Peaches !!
Jul 5, 2004
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thanks for all of the input. I did the bucket and fluidized method. It took a few days to clear up in the tank (I was getting concerend but its now crystal clear)The best $3 I've spent on a substrate. :laugh: (I might try the Toys-R-us sand on the next tank) I also Painted the back a bright Blue. I'll try to get some Pics.
on a side note my Red Devils/Midas love to dig :)
 
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