Need help with Sand.

[Homer8]

I want to make a 10 gallon planted tank with RCS and a 38 brackish with mudskipper.

I dont know much about sand but all I know is not to get silica sand(which is usually play sand) or course sand because it can irritate the fishies. I want the same sand for both tanks.

What sand can i buy from home depot cheap and that doesnt cause pH problems or diatoms.

i saw that quikrete has a lot of different sands(these are not concrete)

 

[ejaramillo01]

I just started a tank with Pool Filter Sand.

The sand looks great, is not too fine, so the water is not cloudy, and finally a lot of members recommended me to use this type of sand.

I purchased at Leslie's pool supply, at 8 dollars per bag!! Real cheap. I don't know if in the future I will experience diatoms

 

[Mr. Limpet]

I want to make a 10 gallon planted tank with RCS and a 38 brackish with mudskipper.

I dont know much about sand but all I know is not to get silica sand(which is usually play sand) or course sand because it can irritate the fishies. I want the same sand for both tanks.

What sand can i buy from home depot cheap and that doesnt cause pH problems or diatoms.

i saw that quikrete has a lot of different sands(these are not concrete)

The Quickcrete sand is silica based, my local Leslie's Pool Supply sells 2 PFS, 1 silica based and 1 with no silica based sand. That's what I use and it's $10 for 50lbs.

 

[Jason7894561230]

Pool Filter Sand is a great choice definitly go with that

 

[Homer8]

The Quickcrete sand is silica based, my local Leslie's Pool Supply sells 2 PFS, 1 silica based and 1 with no silica based sand. That's what I use and it's $10 for 50lbs.

what is the non silica based sand called?

 

[ejaramillo01]

The Quickcrete sand is silica based, my local Leslie's Pool Supply sells 2 PFS, 1 silica based and 1 with no silica based sand. That's what I use and it's $10 for 50lbs.

So which one do you use? Sorry but I did not get it. Silica or non silica base?

 

[Homer8]

i would assume he uses the non-silica based. I have heard that silica sand causes algae and diatom problems.

 

[Jason7894561230]

You dont use the silica one

 

[Mr. Limpet]

what is the non silica based sand called?

Doesn't have a name on it, all I can tell you is when I got my last bag he asked me silica sand or regular sand. Got the latter, it's my 2nd bag and none of my tanks w/sand has a BA outbreak or green algae on the sand bed. PFS is a round grain, where as play ground sand has sharp edges which is not good for fish that forage/dig in sand IMO.

 

[Homer8]

thanks for the advice. i will find a pool place and get my sand in a few weeks when im settled in to my new place.

does this sand compact at all. if its partially wet like with my mudskippers they like to burrow.

 

[Mr. Limpet]

thanks for the advice. i will find a pool place and get my sand in a few weeks when im settled in to my new place.

does this sand compact at all. if its partially wet like with my mudskippers they like to burrow.

Nope. That's the other benefit of PFS and I have yet to see and gas pocket build up, but I have MTS (malaysian trumpet snails) in my sand based tanks.

 

[ejaramillo01]

Doesn't have a name on it, all I can tell you is when I got my last bag he asked me silica sand or regular sand. Got the latter, it's my 2nd bag and none of my tanks w/sand has a BA outbreak or green algae on the sand bed. PFS is a round grain, where as play ground sand has sharp edges which is not good for fish that forage/dig in sand IMO.

I bought it in Leslie's also, they just have one type, came in brown bags, with no name, or weight, is this the way that yours look like?

 

[Mr. Limpet]

I bought it in Leslie's also, they just have one type, came in brown bags, with no name, or weight, is this the way that yours look like?

Yes, that's what I got too.

The first bag I bought they didn't ask me which one, so I was surprised the 2nd time when they did ask if I wanted silica sand lol. Go on their website and they list the silica based sand, but not the generic which I found a bit odd and that's how I found out that quickcrete brand PFS is silica based too.