Sand

[cane76]

i have only ever had gravel in my tanks but now i wanna try sand in my 100 gallon fw tank.will it take any extra maintanance?what are the differences between keeping the two?i will be asking these questions at the lfs but i like to ask on here too so if anyone can help

also which type of sand to get as there are many kinds at shop?

 

[CluelessScot]

Get Childrens play sand, it costs about £3 10Kg bag, just need to wash it before you put it in the tank.

As for extra maintanance... You will need to clean the poop and other crap off the sand once a week i would say "what i do" When doing a water change i use a tube and suck all the stuff off the bottom and into a bucket. just keep the tube about 1/2 inch off the sand and its ok
I suggest getting corys or something which is good for sifting through the sand as "what ive been told" nitrites get trapped in the sand and build up and aint good so corys and such move the sand about and stop it or releases whatevers there out. (not 100% on that last little bit but someone will let you know if im wrong)

Kev

 

[kris-b-]

Have a look here ....

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=71597&st=48

 

[cane76]

that link pretty much covers everything thx

 

[cane76]

what places sell play sand?i tried homebase b&q and mothercare and so far i can only order it and dellivery is 1 week

 

[The-Wolf]

try some garden centers like wyvale etc
also try builders merchants like travis perkins etc.

 

[kris-b-]

I got mine from argos about 3 weeks ago

 

[ncjharris]

Be careful if you get your sand from TP, B&Q etc that it has no additives. Also steer clear of Kiln dried sand (although its more expensive anyway) and anything that comes from reconstituted glass.

 

[cane76]

i got it thx all

from argos

 

[kris-b-]

Cool!

It shouldn't take too long for you to clean it, the link I posted earlier is a very good guide to follow!

Good Luck!

 

[rdd1952]

Play sand works well but it takes a while to get clean enough to put in the tank. Simple rule of thumb is that the more expensive it is, the easier it is to wash (get the dust out of). I have never tried it but some say that pool filter sand is good and much easier to wash. If you want to get a little more exotic and expensive, Tahitian Moon Sand (black) looks great (IMO) and is extremely easy to wash. It only took me about 5 minutes to clean a 20 lb bag.

 

[Kopix Nation]

I have sand in my 44 gallon... It took a week for me to uncloud the water. But it was worth it! My corys snuff around in it like pigs in mud! They are cute! But my angelfish seems to love it the best... He sticks his snout in it and tries to find some of the left-over bloodworms from the morning meals. He is a cute little bugger! But yeah most fish I see in a sand bottom tank are busy snuffing and digging in it. If it keeps them busy and amused then I am happy.

claire

 

[cane76]

im so pleased with the way it looks its not that cloudy either

 

[Kopix Nation]

I am glad that you like sand... Because I think fish injoy it more than gravel... Well my fish do.

claire

 

[cane76]

i rinsed it for 2 hours with a hose and a baby bath in the garden and the cloudiness was all gone when i left for work this morning thx again all