black or white sand?

[enid_b]

I had White sand and whilst it looked awesome with live plants, it was a nightmare to keep clean. I have since got a bigger tank and moved over to black gravel.

 

[jcolon]

I wouldn't go with pool filter sand. I'm no expert by ANY means but from what I've heard/read pool filter sand is a very bad idea. I don't exactly remember why but there's some downsides to it. Just givin you a heads up to research it first.

You may be confusing Pool Filter Sand (coarser grain) with Play Sand (finer grained) Many members here use PFS and have no negative effects ... it's large enough to avoid clouding up like Play Sand does, but small enough to provide a stable substrate for Plant roots to cling to.

Play sand tend to cloud up easily as it is finer, more dust like than PFS.

 

[jcolon]

My mistake. If it's a SILICA BASED PFS it can be bad.

Silica is a very stable and durable material substance in water and PFS is really just standard silica sand ... most members here that have PFS probably have standard silica sand.

 

[jcolon]

Sand has never affected any of my ph and when cleaning u huvr over the sand ...i haven't lost or added sand in a year its actually easier to clean....and the air pocket thing I've heard of never seen it but if that's a worry u just get trumpiter snails and they mix the sand so that u have none.....ime sand is easier than gravel

+1 with xfactor6699 - PFS is a great substrate option.

 

[adeebm]

+1
Silica (SiO2) is the major compound in almost any sand, usually in the form of quartz. There are other silicates present in sand, which may cause a short diatom bloom, but that's about it. PFS just has a more consistent grain size and less clay than regular play sand.

--Adeeb

 

[Rinzy]

Picked the tank up today - check out this beast

 

[hippy guy]

Man..super jelous

 

[Jonny2007]

Nice tank! I did both, it's gonna be really hard for me to keep it like this though, and ime sand is way easier to clean.

 

[Flossie]

Picked the tank up today - check out this beast

That is HUGE got to love it.!!

I'm doing sand and gravel in my new tank kinda like an area and path of gravel but mostly sand It isn't my best... Lol

Also.... The PFS I got from home depot is actually more reddish than white... Thought I'd drop that in. Lol

 

[FishieMomma]

Wow, nice tank! Looking forward to pics of it decorated and such.

 

[Heera]

Big Thanks to everyone who chimed in.

I will go with black and white mix.
Where do I get the sand from??? It's expensive at my LFS. $40/ bag.

 

[hippy guy]

Eh, either a lfs, or online (everything is cheaper online )

 

[Rinzy]

I think I'm going to try to find a natural looking PFS so it's not too bright and put some large black river rocks for contrast

 

[Mogurako]

I think I'm going to try to find a natural looking PFS so it's not too bright and put some large black river rocks for contrast

That would look really good.

 

[Flossie]

I think I'm going to try to find a natural looking PFS so it's not too bright and put some large black river rocks for contrast

I did that in one of my tanks... Looked really cool

 

[Heera]

I did that in one of my tanks... Looked really cool

Plz post some pics to give us few ideas

 

[Island_Emt]

I think I'm going to try to find a natural looking PFS so it's not too bright and put some large black river rocks for contrast

That's what I have in mine. For the pfs try a pool supply like Leslie's. Cost me about 12 bucks per 50 pounds.

 

[Flossie]

Plz post some pics to give us few ideas

The last is a new one I'm working on with a little gravel... ( using what I got lol )

 

[Heera]

The last is a new one I'm working on with a little gravel... ( using what I got lol )

Wow! Beautiful tanks.
What kind of sand and where u got it from,$ if possible.

 

[Flossie]

Wow! Beautiful tanks.
What kind of sand and where u got it from,$ if possible.

Thanks um the really white sand was some PFS that my dad already had... The darker looking sand I got from home depot. 50lbs for around 5 or 8 dollars I can't remember probably closer to 5or 6ish It's awesome

Oh and I got those river stones at the dollar tree... There are 5 bags of riverstones in my 55g and one bag of brown in my 10g