sand

[TankBoss]

I'd rather not buy small, expensive bags of sand for my 55 gallon tank... any ideas for a good looking, safe sand that I can get in a 50 lb. bag?

 

[hdultra]

Check out the product review area there are some reviews there.

I know you said not expensive but that African Cichlid sand maintains the natural ph 7.8 TO 8.4. 20lbs bags at around $21.00 a bag. Black or white. Pain to rinse thou. Other benefits is less vacuuming. IT'S BAD *** AFTER IT'S IN.

 

[TankBoss]

I don't see that section, using the Android app... but in this case I've been really pushing my budget and if I even say the word "fish" now my wife looks like she wants to cut me. Haha. Can't stand the gravel I have in now though... looks too fish bowl. It came with used aquarium. So I'd like the good stuff but another 100 on something like sand?? I better do what I hate most and wait until I can put in the good stuff.
Thanks

 

[TankBoss]

BTW... how many lbs of sand would you say I'm looking at for 1.5 inches across 55 gl tank?

 

[hdultra]

5-20 LBS WILL GIVE YOU 1 1/2 OF SUBSTRATE
Cichlid Substrate - Aquarium Advice Product Reviews
CHECK THIS LINK OUT.

I had the same problem, I hated my gravel. I found this stuff and it's great. The cichlids love to move it around.

I took 4 white and 1 black bag and mixed them to look like the beach in Hawaii.
This is what it looks like. You can find it at Petsmart.
Funny my wife is the same way lol. But after I did it she came around quickly.

 

[TankBoss]

Thanks. Yeah, I agree, looks very nice.

 

[hdultra]

If you decide to go this route let me know. I'll walk you through it.

 

[TankBoss]

Sweet! Thanks a lot

 

[TankBoss]

Ok hdultra... got the last two bags of white from petsmart just to commit. I get the rest when it comes in on Wednesday. I'm going all white because I really like the look with the black background. Is changing out the substrate going to cause my tank to have to be cycled all over?

 

[HUKIT]

You should also look into pool filter sand which is white as well, it's very fine easy to clean and comes prewashed and the best part is its $8 for a 50lbs bag.

 

[meegosh]

Changing the substrate will not cause you to recycle the whole tank. You may experience a mini cycle or just a spike. Just keep an eye on your parameters and do water changes accordingly.

FWIW, I used Playsand from home depot. It was $4 for a 50lb bag.

 

[Sicklid]

+1 Pool filter sand... cheap and clean...

 

[Tim Wheatley]

I used Children's Quikrete Play Sand for years. The only issue I had was with the Oscar who wanted to dig in it occasionally, sending clouds of it into the water and sending it through the filter system (making it noisier than ****). So consider that first! It was $2 for 50lbs and is already sterilized and washed. Bought it at Home Depot.

 

[TankBoss]

I should be trying to save a buck but I do love the look of this carib sea white cichlid substrate. The fish better effing LOVE it.

 

[hdultra]

Tankboss
The cichlid mix does not come pre rinsed. It will be a pain in the butt to get the milky residue to finally just cloudy. But all that hard work pay off. As maintenance is much easier than gravel. Make sure you read the review.
Protect your existing filters keep them in old aquarium water. I left mine in place with old water. Didn't get in my way.

Here is how I did the change.

Tools n Supplies needed.
2 5 Gal Buckets (someting to put old gravel in.)
1 large scoop mine was a wire mesh.
2 2 x 3 tub for rinsing sand.
1 4 x 4 plastic carpet protection. I'm sloppy.
1 Tank or bucket to temp home for existing fishy's. Use current water to tank to fill. Add filtration if possible and heater.
1 Gravel siphon to vacuum final debris from tank.
1 Dinner Plate or Cooking Pot.

Get you fish setup in there temp home. It could be a little stressful but do what you can to keep them safe.

Pre Rinse all the sand.
It will take along time to get it to were it just runs a little cloudy. I used the 2x3 tubs to do mine. I did it at my sink in the kitchen. Put the sand in and add water. Stir it up with your hand. I cut out a hole in the corner of the tub so that the cloudy water would flow out into the sink at the same time fresh water was coming in while moving and swishing the sand around. This is very time consuming. Do a bag at a time. Put cleaned sand into the other 2x3 Tub.

Now the the sand is all cleaned.

Fill the tank about halfway with water. This will help rinse the sand a little more. Add the sand to the tank. Swish it around. The water is going to get really, really cloudy. And is easily removed with the siphon gravel cleaner tool. I have a window close to my tank and siphoned out the window. I did that a coulple of times. But you can use buckets etc.

This would be a good time to remove the white stuff off the glass. To get all the cloudy water out move the sand so that its higher on one side. To create a low spot for the siphon. You will get most of the water out.

At this point add airlines and anything that you want to hide under the sand.
Move the sand and level it the way you want it.
Set up Decor.
Fill with water. Try not to disturbe the sand.
Use your pot, this will keep the sand from blowing around and making the tank cloudy again. It will get a little cloudy, good filtration will remove it quickly.

Monitor the temp and adjust the temp as needed. You going to make the tank ready for the fish.
Add water conditioners/detoxifies.
You also may want to add a bacterial supplement. Make sure that it's shelf date is not expired if you decide to.
Turn on heaters to desired temp.

Turn on filters when ready. Keep existing filters in the tank. If they get full rinse them in aquarium water.

Your intakes for the filter should be about 3" above the sand. It will help from sand getting into the impellers but won't stop it.

Very important to acclimate the fish slowly.

I'll be on let me know if there is anything I can help with.

As everyone said it may cause a mini cycle, just keep an eye on your water chemistry and you should be ok.
I just had a little spike and it was gone in no time.

You may want to take water readings before and after. Just to see what the difference is.

Take some before and after pics.

IF ANYONE WANTS TO ADD SOMETHING I MISSED OR CAUTIONS PLEASE LET US KNOW. I'LL ADD IT TO DIRECTIONS THANKS

 

[hdultra]

I should be trying to save a buck but I do love the look of this carib sea white cichlid substrate. The fish better effing LOVE it.

oh they will

 

[TankBoss]

Thanks. I'll be doing it on Wed when I get the rest of the sand.

 

[hdultra]

Thanks. I'll be doing it on Wed when I get the rest of the sand.

I'm going to the doctor at 11:30 am Central

 

[HUKIT]

I have always used old pillow cases to wash any sand...just fill half way turn on the water and rinse till the water is clear. Even makes it easy to dump into the tank.

 

[Tim Wheatley]

If it's a new tank I normally put the sand in, fill with water, slosh the sand around and empty the water out, then refill, repeat, refill, repeat. I have a pipe attached to my tap which sucks the water out and it's awesomely easy to do it that way. I wash gravel the same way. When the water is just about clear I just let it settle whatever is still there.