I would like to use sand for a 55 gallon setup that I am planning. I read in a thread here that play sand can help control your ph by raising Kh? I may have mis-understood. What would be the best sand for my situation? I have hard tap water and high ph, around 8. I have not purchased a kit that tests for Gh and Kh, but plan to soon. I currenty have plain pea gravel in my 55 and the Ph is close to 7.8. I would like for it to be as close to neutral as possible without using chemicals. I would prefer to stick with a tan colored sand, as I like the natural look to it, and I may mix some of the pea gravel with it. i plan to house a few clown loaches (I know, size, bigger tank) with some slate pieces and driftwood and hopefully a ew plants.
Sand substrate for ph control and plants
- Thread starter mostwanted
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The play sand won't effect your pH much at all, if at all. Your pH is fine for 99% of the freshwater fish out there, they adapt to pH rather well. If your pH is that high, generally you will have moderately hard water, with a high kH that will make your water very stable, and hard to change. Use the sand, most fish perfer it, and don't worry about your pH.
I think the only thing with the sand is it needs to be stirred up often to keep from developing anarobic spots in it if I am not mistaking.
Correct. Over time sand will build up deadly gas pockets. The sand needs to be stired every so offten to keep these from devloping.
A pH of 8, is ok for most fish and plants. I woudent bother messing around with it.
A pH of 8, is ok for most fish and plants. I woudent bother messing around with it.
I just switched from gravel to sand -- I bought something between play sand and silica sand. I also have a high pH (7.8) and do nothing to try to change it and all my fish are doing well. I tend to acclimate any new fish into my tanks very slowly to try to reduce any shock from pH changes.
If I may ask here, how often do you stir the sand to avoid the pockets? How do you stir it? Does is make the tank cloudy afterwords? How do you clean the sand during weekly water changes?
Thanks for your help
If I may ask here, how often do you stir the sand to avoid the pockets? How do you stir it? Does is make the tank cloudy afterwords? How do you clean the sand during weekly water changes?
Thanks for your help
Don't worry about the gas pockets, if you have plants the roots will keep it airated, I never stir mine in any of my tanks and there is absolutely no probs. As far as I am concerned the gas pocket thing is a fairly rare occurance.
Cleaning: Place the gravel vac just above the sand. This will get off any crap thats there.
Gas: I do it once a month. I just use a stick and move it throught the sand.
Gas: I do it once a month. I just use a stick and move it throught the sand.