Rinsing sand? (Quick replies, please!) (:

[twixie09]

Hello! So I have a ten gallon tank now, but I have a 20g long tank to set up when I move in just a few days now. I bought some regular aquarium sand to put in the 20g tank (I'm currently using a mixture of marbles and small stones) because I have heard that sand is more beneficial to bottom feeders, and I have two corydoras. (Please don't tell me I need more than two. I'm well aware that they are schooling fish, and I had three but one died and I wanted to wait until I move to add more fish). Anyway, I've heard from a lot of places that sand needs to be rinsed prior to adding to a new tank, but I've also heard you do not need to rinse it. So which is it? I have a betta and the two corys I had mentioned before, if that helps at all. A prompt response would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Rscomia]

Rinse will not hurt anything Is it new sand?

 

[Maya]

New sand is very dirty and very silty. I put ours in a five gallon bucket and rinse and repeat a number of times until the water stays clear.

 

[twixie09]

Yes, it's new sand. I won't have a hose at the new place because it will be an apartment (there's a hose where I'm at now). If I rinse it now, will it be okay to sit for a few days? We move Saturday. If so, what would you recommend doing with the rinsed sand? Like, where should I store it? Obviously the bag it came in would not be a good idea. It is 20 pounds of sand, if that helps.

 

[Rscomia]

You should be fine if its only till saturday any type of tube or bucket should be fine to keep it in

 

[jcolon]

Anyway, I've heard from a lot of places that sand needs to be rinsed prior to adding to a new tank, but I've also heard you do not need to rinse it. So which is it? I have a betta and the two corys I had mentioned before, if that helps at all. A prompt response would be greatly appreciated.

Definitely rinse unless you like having dust colored water from all the silt / sand dust. With PFS, a neat trick I read is to put the sand in a pillow case and hold it under a shower. The dust passes through the pillow case, but the PFS is coarse enough to stay behind ... depending on how much sand, you may be holding it awhile.

 

[twixie09]

I went with the bucket thing.

Also, I heard you can't use air stones with sand. Is that true? It makes complete sense, but I just wanted to make sure.

 

[Sparky74]

I went with the bucket thing.

Also, I heard you can't use air stones with sand. Is that true? It makes complete sense, but I just wanted to make sure.

I believe you just can't put them under the sand. The air bubbles would lift the sand into the water column. I use a bubble wand that is just above the sand with no problems.

 

[twixie09]

I have the long blue one. I guess I can see if it would stay on top of the sand. I think my little guys like the bubbles.

 

[alex07]

This is what I do. I rinse the sand in the bathroom, leave the water running and let the bucket overflow and stir the sand from the bottom to the top for about 3 min.

 

[twixie09]

This is what I do. I rinse the sand in the bathroom, leave the water running and let the bucket overflow and stir the sand from the bottom to the top for about 3 min.

I got it. Thanks, though.