Sand Pre-filter? - Aquarium Advice

Smaug21 · 10-23-2007, 06:43 PM

I've decided to put my frog in my 29g tank thats been empty for a few months here. (after the disaster of putting some soon-to-be-flushed fish into an aparently not cycled tank) ACF's have a habit of eating substrate and i'm tired of the crap that gets in his current to-large-to-eat gravel so i got some sand for the new setup.

I've found a few different sites that have suggested that sand can get into the impeller of a filter and wear it down or break it. Can sand cause that much of a problem? or is it one of those "better safe the sorry" sort of deals? I put this in the DIY section because my idea to fix it is to just attach a simple sponge with zip ties or something similar to the intake of my Eheim Canister filter, something like in the air powered filter down about a page. Is that a good way to keep sand out of the filter?

If this isn't a good plan i'm always up for alternative ideas.

Gundy · 10-23-2007, 06:51 PM

I just did the sponge over the intake for the first couple of months, got tired of washing the sponge and finally just took it off. The sand had settled, even when gravel vac'ing and I haven't had a problem with it wearing on the impeller since then. Actually never even had to clean the impeller.

theotheragentm · 10-23-2007, 06:59 PM

It all depends on how fine the sand you have is, so it is a good precaution to use a sponge at first. After a few gravel vacuuming sessions, you should have most of the finer particles removed from the substrate. Then it might be okay to go without it. I prefer just to use it all the time.

Smaug21 · 10-23-2007, 10:51 PM

Ok seems to be the consensus so far, before i go home for the night, that it's a better safe then sorry, but still should be tried.

I think i'm gonna go with the cheap sponge thing because it's probably cheaper then a sponge from a store like i've been seeing for a few filters, and because it might not be nesecary after a bit.

But i'll check back thursday and see if anybody has other ideas.

Angel.Zero · 10-25-2007, 05:17 AM

I have been using the black sand blasting sand for 2 years now and have yet to have any problems with it effecting my filter or powerhead. Once it settles I think you should be fine and like theotheragentm said a few vac sessions and the finer particals will be gone anyways. good luck to you!

10-23-2007, 06:43 PM	#1
Smaug21 Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Fond du Lac, Wisconsin Posts: 39	Sand Pre-filter? I've decided to put my frog in my 29g tank thats been empty for a few months here. (after the disaster of putting some soon-to-be-flushed fish into an aparently not cycled tank) ACF's have a habit of eating substrate and i'm tired of the crap that gets in his current to-large-to-eat gravel so i got some sand for the new setup. I've found a few different sites that have suggested that sand can get into the impeller of a filter and wear it down or break it. Can sand cause that much of a problem? or is it one of those "better safe the sorry" sort of deals? I put this in the DIY section because my idea to fix it is to just attach a simple sponge with zip ties or something similar to the intake of my Eheim Canister filter, something like in the air powered filter down about a page. Is that a good way to keep sand out of the filter? If this isn't a good plan i'm always up for alternative ideas. __________________ -Lady Astor: "Winston, if I were your wife I'd put poison in your coffee." -Winston Churchill: "Nancy, if I were your husband I'd drink it."

10-23-2007, 10:51 PM	#4
Smaug21 Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Fond du Lac, Wisconsin Posts: 39	Ok seems to be the consensus so far, before i go home for the night, that it's a better safe then sorry, but still should be tried. I think i'm gonna go with the cheap sponge thing because it's probably cheaper then a sponge from a store like i've been seeing for a few filters, and because it might not be nesecary after a bit. But i'll check back thursday and see if anybody has other ideas. __________________ -Lady Astor: "Winston, if I were your wife I'd put poison in your coffee." -Winston Churchill: "Nancy, if I were your husband I'd drink it."

10-25-2007, 05:17 AM	#5
Angel.Zero Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 93 Images: 2	I have been using the black sand blasting sand for 2 years now and have yet to have any problems with it effecting my filter or powerhead. Once it settles I think you should be fine and like theotheragentm said a few vac sessions and the finer particals will be gone anyways. good luck to you! __________________ 55 Gallon ? MTS 3 Bamboo shrimp 7 Julii Cory 2 Pictus catfish 240w CF 10,000k (4.3w/g) Pressurized Co2

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10-23-2007, 06:51 PM	#2
Gundy Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Kansas Posts: 150 Images: 4	I just did the sponge over the intake for the first couple of months, got tired of washing the sponge and finally just took it off. The sand had settled, even when gravel vac'ing and I haven't had a problem with it wearing on the impeller since then. Actually never even had to clean the impeller.

10-23-2007, 06:59 PM	#3
theotheragentm Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,172	It all depends on how fine the sand you have is, so it is a good precaution to use a sponge at first. After a few gravel vacuuming sessions, you should have most of the finer particles removed from the substrate. Then it might be okay to go without it. I prefer just to use it all the time.