Silicone Sand

[stinkerbell]

Hi, I am setting up a small tank for my son, I think it's about 40 litres, I am planning on putting in some if my guppies and apple snails and would also like to get him a couple of cherry shrimp for it. (he wants a lobster, I told him I would get him baby ones lol) I read in a magazine that silicone sand can be used in an aquarium. I have some in my garage that was used for laying my driveway and was wondering if this was suitable to use in the aquarium and if so how I can ensure it is clean and also if it would be suitable for use with the snails and shrimp. Thank you!

 

[OldMan47]

Clean silica sand is great for a substrate. It does not dissolve and alter your water chemistry the way some sand or gravel can.

 

[waterdrop]

I've seen many members recommend "play sand" that one gets for childrens sandboxes because the companies have to clean and verify its safety.

You can measure the dimensions of your tank and enter the lengths into our "Calculator" at the top of the web page to find a closer estimate of your tank volume.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[OldMan47]

For a 40 litre tank you should only need about 5 or 6 Kg of sand.