Changing From Gravel To Sand

[coyemuse]

So I think I'm almost ready to switch my gravel out for sand. How do I go about this? Whats the easiest way to keep the sand clean? How much sand should I get to cover a 29 gallon tank? Do plants thrive in sand? My fish have eaten my plants completely within 2 weeks of getting new ones... With gravel, my new fry like to hide under it, will they still be able to hide with sand?

 

[FishFanatic04]

My plants are doing great in sand, in a low-tech tank, and my high tech. Just put some root tabs in near-by. I put all of my fish in a large rubbermaid with the filter running for the 6 hours it took for a 46g. I drained the water, scooped out the gravel and added the clean sand. If you clean it enough your water won't get overly cloudy and you can add the fish back relatively quickly. My fry hide in my plants.

 

[Jay-93]

My plants are doing great in sand, in a low-tech tank, and my high tech. Just put some root tabs in near-by. I put all of my fish in a large rubbermaid with the filter running for the 6 hours it took for a 46g. I drained the water, scooped out the gravel and added the clean sand. If you clean it enough your water won't get overly cloudy and you can add the fish back relatively quickly. My fry hide in my plants.

+1. I changed my substrate in my Discus/Cardinal/Ram tank and it's transformed the aesthetics of my tank. Sand just makes the tank so much better to me imo. Basically what fish fanatic says. I tried to put my sand in slowly; submerge a glass tumbler of sand, then tip it upside down so it just pours out, rather than having sandy mushroom clouds kicking around well worth doing, good luck!

A 15kg bag of sand should be about right, I'm guessing your tank is around 3-3.5 foot. 15 kilos is £2.99 at Argos, always best to have too much than not enough

 

[FishFanatic04]

lol in USA language.... I used three 50lb. bags of playsand in my 75 gallon minus a few lbs. Three 20 lb bags of black aquarium sand in my 46g. So for a 29g I would buy about 40 lbs and add until its enough. 1 bag of playsand would do it. It also depends on how thick you want. If you are planting then 2.5-3 inches is working good for me.

 

[coyemuse]

Im in Alaska, so my option is Petco or the lfs (which disgusts me every time i walk into it)

 

[Jay-93]

2.2lbs is a kilo, if I'm not mistaken

It's also recommended that you build the sand up higher towards the back, better perspective or something? It's what I've done anyway, all my plants are at the back

 

[coyemuse]

And, considering Im drawn to orange and yellow fish, what color of sand will make these colors "pop"

 

[Jay-93]

And, considering Im drawn to orange and yellow fish, what color of sand will make these colors "pop"

Black!

 

[coyemuse]

AND when i go to clean my tank, am i going to have to remove the sand every time? or how do you keep the fish poo from getting to concentrated on the sand?

 

[Man of fish]

You can get a powerhead if you don't have good enough flow, you can get a turkey baster to do daily poo sucking, or just get it with the syphon.

 

[Jay-93]

It's so much easier to clean sand. The waste just collects on the surface, and you simply 'spot clean'

 

[OldMan47]

To clean a sand substrate, you simply hover the gravel vac a half inch or so above the substrate. The lighter fish waste will be pulled into the gravel vac while the denser sand will stay in place. It takes a bit of practice to do it right but I do several tanks the same day using that technique and have no real problems with it.

 

[coyemuse]

Sounds easy enough

 

[coyemuse]

Is there any difference in benefits to the fish between, Wet/live sand, dry sand, play sand or colored play sand?

 

[coyemuse]

Nothing?