How to add more sand?

[ChrisK]

I would think you could add it by the cup. I do this with my eco complete. I fill a coffee cup up with it and slowly submerse it in the water but don't turn the cup over until I am right where I want it to be. Then I slowly add it to the spot that needs it. It still gets a bit cloudy but the filter takes care of it pretty quickly.

:iagree: thats how I do it.

 

[mostlycichlids]

Make sure to turn your filters off too. You dont want unwanted sand clogging up the impeller.

 

[SMinNC]

You could wash it real good in your 5g bucket.
Fill the bucket with tank water or treated tap water, to the top of the sand.
Then do the cup thing, furly fast.

 

[armada]

I would worry about the sand getting in their gills if I just dumped it in there.......

I didn't just pick up the sand and pour it all in there. I did it a cup at a time, kind of like snoopy65 said, but faster. My Oscar is perfectly fine, except he was covered in sand for a couple of days. Now its just on his "nose" cuz he plays around with it all the time...But I'll never do it that way again. The water was cloudy for days.

 

[bushwhacker]

just make sure to rinse the heck out of it, probably more than when you first set up the tank then add it by the cup

 

[noodles62]

Thanks for the advise everyone. I will rinse the sand first, but thankfully pool filter sand is much cleaner than play sand. I was worried that it would float around too much and kill my fishies and I REALLY do not want to try to net them all and move them. I will try the cup method as suggested and do it very slowly. :grinyes:

 

[shwank005]

If you haven't done it already, try a large dia. peice of pipe. Pour the sand in the end above the water with the other end depositing it at the bottom.

 

[noodles62]

If you haven't done it already, try a large dia. peice of pipe. Pour the sand in the end above the water with the other end depositing it at the bottom.

Well, that is an ingenious idea! :thm:
I have not added more sand yet, as I still have to buy it. I wanted to make sure it would not be a major project before I went out and bought it...

 

[Cerianthus]

If you haven't done it already, try a large dia. peice of pipe. Pour the sand in the end above the water with the other end depositing it at the bottom.

This is the best way (PVC Pipe) with funnel on top. Use your tank water to wash away the sand in the funnel since wet sand sticks together. No need for turning off the filter when using this method. Be gentle and Have fun!