Rinsed Onyx Sand...No Problem!

beviking

beviking

Senior Member, Sophomoric Attitude
Feb 16, 2002
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Syracuse, NY
Just wanted to say that I rinsed 7 bags of Onyx Sand and put them into my 90gal, filled it with water and there was absolutely no dust! I couldn't believe it!
Just an fyi, I filled a 5gal bucket to within a couple inches of the top with water. Then slowly poured a whole bag in. Poured the water off. Filled 2 times with a strong stream of water (I had a small piece of hose attached to the faucet so I could get it down into the sand to stir) and poured off the water. I think the big help was the fact that I actually sifted two bags using fine mesh netting. The fines from those two bags I put in the tank first, then the other 5 bags, and then the coarse stuff on top. Slowly filled using a bowl on top of a plate.
I haven't started adding any decor yet but I'm hopeful I won't stir up a big dust storm.
All b/c I'm too cheap to buy a paint strainer!;)
 
Lol 7-15 lbs bags with no dust. That’s good, I will be washing 50 lbs of play sand, 40 lbs of Flourite, 20 lbs of Onyx sand, and 20 to 40 lbs of Gravel on Friday. I hope I don’t have a lot of dust to play with but I know the play sand and flourite will be bad.
 
Originally posted by got_nailed
Lol 7-15 lbs bags with no dust. That’s good, I will be washing 50 lbs of play sand, 40 lbs of Flourite, 20 lbs of Onyx sand, and 20 to 40 lbs of Gravel on Friday. I hope I don’t have a lot of dust to play with but I know the play sand and flourite will be bad.
Click to expand...

Onyx sand comes in 20lb bags? I got robbed!!! I doubt your gravel will be much trouble rinsing.;) Just worry about the 2 bags of flourite, 1 bag of onyx, and the play sand.

Len, I try not to be like beviking...it's hard!:D
 
I have seen bags of 20 lbs and 15 lbs.

I was thinking of using a 33 gal trash can and running a hose in it and mix. I will try a pillow case but not a paint strainer. I would think the paint strainer would be to fine but i'll go to lows and look at one.
 
The pillow case is a good method, but I like the paint strainer because it's made to fit tightly over a 5 gal. bucket and so it's really easy to use for straining large quantities of Flourite or some of the other silty stuff.
Just drill a bunch of holes in the bottom of the bucket and attach the strainer and set the bucket on top of something white or light colored and wait for the water to come clear.
For a small tank, ie. a ten I've just dumped the stuff in dry and filled slowly into a saucer to avoid disturbing the substrate. That way you save all the silt and at those prices, it's nice to have all that you pay for.
I guess I'm somewhat like beviking(thrifty) in that way.......but please don't tell anybody.


Len
 
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