Sand?

[guppymonkey]

I have always had gravel as the substrate in my tanks but want to try something different on my next tank. I am going to Ogunquit, Maine for vacation next month and was wondering if I could use some ocean beach sand as the substrate? I suppose I would have to test the water before adding fish to see if it effected the water parameters?

What are the difficulties in using sand? I have heard that it can mess up under gravel filters but I think they are useless anyways. Are there any other draw backs to using sand?

 

[utahfish]

you dont want to get ocean sand. ocean sand contains alot of different things in it, organisms,metals, who knows what. dont buy fish store sand either as it is expensive. about 20$ for 20 pounds. You can use play sand which usually comes in 50lb and 100lb bags for 5-10 dollars at a home depot or you can get pool filter sand for about the same price at a local pool store. it works just fine and is safe as long as you wash it and it is alot cheaper than the fish store sand.

 

[Teelie]

Definitely do not go with sand off the beach. utahfish is right, there's a lot of crap in it, literally and figuratively that could kill your fish if the pH spike it causes doesn't first. I would go with Pool Filter Sand as it's meant to be sunk in water and will not affect pH at all. Totally safe for aquarium use as it's meant for swimming pool use as well.

 

[R3GG]

I wouldn't say dont buy sand from your LFS, if you can afford it then why not.

 

[Teelie]

Because it's hugely overpriced sand that often is no better than the much cheaper pool or play sand found elsewhere? That being said, some sands or colorations are worth the money to buy them at an pet store but most of the time it's not worth it.

 

[FishDan]

Yeah, I'd be a happy(er) fishkeeper if I could get black sand on the cheap. A 20 pound bag of Tahitiian Moon black sand runs me $20. That's gonna cost a lot when I get my 125 gallon tank in Dec.

\Dan