The Look of Sand

[Pufferpack]

Here is the plain playsand in my wifes Cichlid tank

 

[Pufferpack]

Looks good for the Natural look

 

[Pufferpack]

Regular sand mixed 4:1 with Green Aquarium sand

 

[Pufferpack]

makes a nice (IMO) change

 

[Pufferpack]

Regular sand 3:1 mixed with Red

 

[Pufferpack]

This one looked awsome with water in it

 

[Tanked]

very nice. I may try some blue mixed in with play sand in my 55. I like it... B)

 

[MamaPish]

Very nice................I like all of those!

 

[Jazz_UK]

Regular sand 3:1 mixed with Red

It looks like I am definately going for the playsand option. I think I will choose to mix in some red to give it some colour!

They say that imitation, the sincerest form of flattery

Jazz_UK

 

[Pufferpack]

Thanks everyone...I can't decide which one I like best, they all work so well

It looks like I am definately going for the playsand option. I think I will choose to mix in some red to give it some colour!

For a little darker look maybe try a red/black/playsand mix...or maybe red/green for that christmas feel

...can't wait to see pics of your tank when it's done

 

[Kissifish]

My dream tanks!

One question.........how does the playsand help in keeping the other sand from packing. Do you still have to stir it occasionally to get rid of anaerobic pockets? If so, do you stir a few places or the entire tank? Guess that was more than one question, but, I'm ready to do something new and I'm tired of the gravel look.

Sorry to sound so ignorant.....but, I've always had gravel tanks. I gotta have a new tank!!!!!!!!!! And yours are gorgeous!

Also, I can't find a lot of detail on upkeep for sand bottom tanks.

It would be great if someone........could give us some info from experience!

 

[Pufferpack]

The playsand doesn't stop the packing down, it just makes a nice filler IMO and is cheap, instead of 20.00 for sand at the lfs I spend 5.00 at the lfs for a bag of the color of my choice and 3.95 at the hardware store for a 25 Kg bag of play sand, that leaves me about 22 kg of sand after 1 tank is done. I also use the play sand to coat various decorations as camoflage.
I stir most of the tank when I clean, but a couple tanks (with Cichlids and/or loaches) get stirred up on a regular basis by the inhabitants
I find the sand easier to clean than gravel because most of the waste sits on the top and you are pretty sure to get it during cleaning. For vacuming I will swirl the nozzel about 1/2 to 1/4 inch above the sand (just at the point before it picks up the sand itself), this creates a little underwater tornado that lifts the waste off the surface. I give the tank a good once around, then stir up the sand and let settle for 10 mins then do a once around vac again. I usually get about a cup of sand in the cleaning bucket after I'm done, but I just rinse it out and re-add it to the tank.

 

[Fuzzy]

those r some very nice tanks