a few Q on sand

[focus]

i have had a tank running now for 9-10months and fancy a change i have gravel at the moment but want to change to sand,i've found the sand i want and have the money to buy but i need to no the following
1 can i pull all my real plants out the gravel and put them in the sand right away.
2 how can you clean sand is it the same as a gravel cleaner or is the sand lighter and will get sucked up with the water and poop.
3 are all types of fish ok with sand or will some not like it
4 will it be ok with a air stone i have a long one under my gravel and between pebbles.
5 is it as easy to clean as gravel or is it more work and seeing as i just had a new baby 6 days ago i don't have that much spare time.
thanks for as much info as pos i want to make sure i get this right be a shame to spoil the tank after it being runing for so long



6 just thought of a new one how long do you have to wait before add the fish back do you have cycle the tank again?

 

[teknikz]

ive just put sand in my 125 litre n it looks really good

plants should be okay but i think they dont grow as well in sand as they do gravel

usually all the rubbish stays on the surface of the sand but if u need to get deep down just stir it around to get the rubbish out.......it will be sucked right up usin a gravel cleaner so try syphoning it off

i think all fish like sand.....its easy to burrow in for food so i cant see a problem

airstones are fine....ive got 1 under my sand

like i said.......if ur just syphoning rubbish off the top its pretty quick so id say so

Tek

p.s........i did find the first time i used sand it did get to smell a bit but this tank seems fine

 

[Lateral Line]

Don't choose a very fine sand, it packs down to hard and can lead to anoxic patches, (which may be what you smelt - H2S - phew). I use swimming pool filter sand, it is a little coarser than building sand for example, does not pack down and there is enough oxygen diffusion to stop anoxia in all but the deepest of beds.

>>> i think they dont grow as well in sand as they do gravel

Sand/soil is a far more natural substrate for plants than gravel. It has always been my experience that plants grow substantially better in the finer substrate. Are less likely to be uprooted by boistrous fish as well.

 

[Nik]

I have one of my tanks with a small grain sand base.

I have had problems with gas build ups and use Kuhli loaches to help this as they constantly dig in the sand - sifting for food. In addition I dig around myself during water changes to stop this occuring.

Plants - they love it. My "sand based" tank has to be the best one for growing plants successfully. I have to do the "gardening" in this tank just to keep it looking tidy!

Only draw back is that waste products are more visible. My sand based tank contains standard community fish (Neons, Barbs, Danios..etc) and I don't think a sand based tank would suit larger specimens on this basis.

Good luck with the project.