Play Sand

[emmzer]

help... i am gonna try and do the messy job of swapping from gravel to sand today...have gone and got play sand,... i like the fact that it id darker as it matches the gravel that am going to leave underneath it... is this ok as i want to make a beach look...
please can u comfim that play sand is ok...cheers

 

[Miss Wiggle]

we have play sand in all our freshwater tanks.

dunno how it'll work with leaving a layer of gravel underneath though. the sand grains will slip through the gaps between the gravel and it'll get all moxed up, you'll never get 2 clean layers.

 

[vancouver]

I'd get some other type of sand.. play sand compacts and creates pockets of bad bacteria..

I HATE play sand.. there are better alternatives.. pool filter sand.. sandblasting sand.. both are a bit more expensive, but worth the $

 

[BigIan]

unless you pile it high with sand (not a good idea as it will breed anarobic areas. the sand will sink through the gravel...

 

[emmzer]

we have play sand in all our freshwater tanks.

dunno how it'll work with leaving a layer of gravel underneath though. the sand grains will slip through the gaps between the gravel and it'll get all moxed up, you'll never get 2 clean layers.

just fiquired that...but i want to do like a sandy shore affect....think i saw some1s tank on here and loved the design of it...that started with gravel then sloped up..was concern becos i didnt want to have air pockets and just wondered that if it on gravel first there would be less then 2 cm all over to get no air poskets...erm praps will scrap that then lol..

we have play sand in all our freshwater tanks.

dunno how it'll work with leaving a layer of gravel underneath though. the sand grains will slip through the gaps between the gravel and it'll get all moxed up, you'll never get 2 clean layers.

just fiquired that...but i want to do like a sandy shore affect....think i saw some1s tank on here and loved the design of it...that started with gravel then sloped up..was concern becos i didnt want to have air pockets and just wondered that if it on gravel first there would be less then 2 cm all over to get no air poskets...erm praps will scrap that then lol..

oh and also...what filter have a fluvel was gonna put that at the low end of the slope...just wanted to make sure this filter is adaquate if not back o my lfs for a new 1 lol

 

[SugarQube]

Glad I chose sand (play sand) my daughter has gravel and wants to change to sand now. Argos have it in stock I have 2 Horseface Loach who spend the day sifting through the sand and come out to clean the top at night You could always use rocks for more of a beach look.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

i have heard that before about play sand compacting..... never had any issues with it myself though, give it a quick stir every couple of weeks and it's fine.

 

[SugarQube]

i have heard that before about play sand compacting..... never had any issues with it myself though, give it a quick stir every couple of weeks and it's fine.

I was worried about this and they had play sand even in the LFS and he just swished it all up and said thats what you do. Thought it might not be so good for the fish but he said they were fine and it looked clean again in an instant and no sandy cloudy water

 

[Miss Wiggle]

yup, make sure you vac first so your not stirring dirt into your sand, but it's virtually no effort when you've just done a water change to give the sand a quick stir.... not gonna take more than another 2/3 minutes is it.... hardly a hardship!

 

[Nick Sw]

Take the gravel out or it will end up mixing and won`t look that good. Argos playsand can be a bit fine the B & Q stuff is darker but coarser grain and perfect to use.

Just to add don`t place it thick than one inch(ish) unless you`ve got fish that dig/sift the sand . or stirring can stop aneorobic pockets building up but I`ve never had a problom.

 

[QuotheRaven]

I have play sand and it's very fine but doesn't appear compacted.
Just have some cories or burrowing fish to help it's cause

 

[Gill]

If yo are gonna use Play sand, Get some sand sifters like loaches or some banjos that spend the day in the sand moving arund sifting and come out at night.

 

[emmzer]

If yo are gonna use Play sand, Get some sand sifters like loaches or some banjos that spend the day in the sand moving arund sifting and come out at night.
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glad some1 mentioned the b and q stuff thatw what i ended up with the filter tho will that b ok?

 

[Miss Wiggle]

what size is the tank and what's the make and model of the filter?

 

[emmzer]

what size is the tank and what's the make and model of the filter?

fluval2 and is 2 foot tank
also about my snails...red ramshorns are they ok...what type of snails should be ok...they seem to clog in the sand is the main thing