Bummed

[happychem]

Never heard of 'tube' sand. If there are any quarries in your area, that's a good place to look. Check under "sand" and "sandblasting" in your local yellow pages. Contact some places, you're looking for a #2 mesh.

The mesh number indicates the size. Quarries separate sand by sizes by sifting if through a series of meshes. #2 is about a 3mm diameter to each grain and works great. #3 isn't that much bigger, it is a little, but you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference. Play sand is, I think a #0 size mesh, you can get sand as fine as #00, but that's filter motor killing fun.

 

[HouseCookie]

Don't use tube sand. Tube sand is the crap that is used to add weight to stuff.

 

[DaisyGirl]

Oh....I get it....ok I'll check out the yellow pages thanks...also, any ideas about slate? Where could I get it?

 

[Raskolnikov]

If you go to a quarry or stone-yard (where contracters pick up lawnscaping supplies), you can get 100lbs of slate for only a few dollars, especially if you want smaller pieces. In fact, if you tell them that you just want a few broken pieces for a fish tank, they might just let you have it for free.

 

[Karnaaj]

DaisyGirl, I noticed in your post that you plan to run your cycled filter in your new tank for a week before you get any fish. If you do this most if not all the bacteria in the cycled filter will be dead due to lack of food. Personally I would not even take the cycled filter off of your other tank until right after you add fish to your new tank. There is absolutely no point having a tank set up and running for more than 24 hrs unless you just can't get to the lfs to get your fish.

 

[Harlock]

Good catch, Karnaaj. FWIW, it's true, too, DaisyGirl. The bacteria need ammonia and nitrites to keep going. Add the filter media when you add fish.

 

[happychem]

Yup, very good catch! Completely missed it in all the talk about sand, mmmm, beaches...

The filter bacteria will be fine for a few hours, but once you get into day scales, you're losing the benefit of using a cycled filter.

 

[DaisyGirl]

The filter is in another tank with fish, so I think it will be ok.

 

[DaisyGirl]

Good catch, Karnaaj. FWIW, it's true, too, DaisyGirl. The bacteria need ammonia and nitrites to keep going. Add the filter media when you add fish.

You think it will be ok?

 

[Harlock]

Absolutely. Keep the filter media seeded in a tank with fish for now. When you add the new fish to the new tank, add the filter media as well, as it should already be seeded, it should stay seeded because the new fish will begin releasing ammonia through their gills etc.