Is play-sand actually aquarium safe?

[OhNo123]

I have a bag lying around. About 25lbs left. I would love to put this sand into my tanks. Wondering if anyone else has or if it is even aquarium safe.

 

[Marinemom]

Some people have used it in their aquariums and they are fine with it.

Marinemom

 

[Mexican Racoon]

I tried it once. Pour it in an old pillowcase and rinse the heck out of it.

In the end, I disliked it. It looked GREAT, but it got sucked into my gravel vac and my filter.

 

[OhNo123]

I might give it a try. Play-sand looks cool.

 

[jonnyfry]

lowes sells play sand but its still sharp sand not the really fine stuff , i have it in my 55 and really happy with it . its easy to clean and i never saw my catfish till i changed from gravel . now i see him all the time . he loves it .

 

[Dread]

It's definately safe. You just have to wash it for hours, I know I did. It looks great, and really natural, I have just two gripes about Play Sand:

The grain sizes are soo different (from pebbles to fine grain sand) that I find it very hard to vaccuum it. I can't tell what's waste and what's just the sand, so alot of sand always get sucked up since I think it is waste.

It takes forever to clean before you put it into the tank.


Aside from those two negatives, it's great. My fish love it.

 

[indigoj]

I got lovely clean fine play sand from Toymaster near me and it looks gorgeous. Just got 3 albino corys and they love it.

 

[jm1212]

its safe, but it will get stirred up alot by the fish, especially cichlids or other burrowing fish. pool filter sand without any additives or treatments can be a good alternative.

 

[KidInTheHall]

I used a little in a 10 gallon and I didn't like it as much as the pool filter sand I have in my 55g.

 

[Rbishop]

No problem....go for it.