Saaand ... yeah

R

R.A.W.

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Mar 6, 2010
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Deepwater, Missouri
I want to put sand in my betta and corydora tank.

Can I buy play sand, like for a childs sand box, or should I just buy sand specially made for aquariums?

Everyone wants to save money, which is why I'd really like to go with the play sand. But if it's not good for the fish, I'll save a little money and buy the brand name stuff.

Thanks for any help.

Oh, if I can use play sand, please specify certain brands.
 
Some play sand is okay with a lot of rinsing. I've never used it though so I'll let others chime in with brands.

Quartz pool filter is another option though. This is what I use. It's a little out of season now, but if you're lucky you might be able to pick some up at a pool store. I think it's usually $5-10 for a 50lbs bag.
 
play sand is perfectly fine for fish tanks. just make sure you rinse it well before adding to the tank.
 
pool filter sand is even better, you only rinse it once and its cheaper
 
You can use play sand BUT pool filter sand is heavier and easier to clean. I would go w/the pool filter sand if I were you - in the long run you will be happier.
 
What if I kinda can't rinse? I live on a campus and don't have access to water that I can ... 'waste.'

If I buy (can't think of the word and am pressed for time) the white part of a filter that literally just filters out all the gunk and run the filter, replacing the gunk filter outer often and doing several water changes, will that work? I know it sounds like a pain but that's kinda all I got.
 
To "rinse" it all you need is a bowl and a sink. Put a few inches of sand in the bowl, run the water over the sand, letting it fill the bowl and stir the sand w/your fingers. You will notice the small particles and dirt coming to the top, just tip the bowl to one side and let the gunk run out. Do this several times until the water stays clear and it is ready to use. If you use play sand you will notice it is a lot finer and more will stay in the water column, making it harder to rinse. Pool filter sand is crushed quartz and is heavier than play sand so very little will be rinsed out of the bowl.

HTH,
 
I use Quik-Crete play sand and don't bother to rinse it at all....
 
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