Pool Filter Sand or Not?

[mfdrookie516]

so i have been debating over and over again whether i want to put pool filter sand in my cichlid tank. It all started when i saw Spoonman's pictures of his (very nice I might add...). After searching to see where the cheapest place to get it, i came upon an article from another site saying that simple quickcrete concrete sand would work just as good, if not better... im just wondering, since quickcrete sand is around $3 for 50lbs, if that would be ok or if i should break the wallet and spend $8.59 for a 50lb bag of pfs... any ideas? any pros and cons? I almost forgot, i plan on getting one or the other tomorrow....thanks

 

[RazorbacksFan]

Where did you get it priced at $8.59 per 50lbs? That is a little higher than it usually is (at least around here) I would suggest trying home depot it's usually around $6 per 50#s. I have never had experience with the concrete sand but I would trust the PFS more, I mean it's made to higher standards to keep contaminants out of it for filtration use. So IMO splurge on the PFS.

 

[Zer0]

Well PFS apparently will not harness harmful gas pockets that could harm/hill your fish since the granules are a bit larger than regular sand. Also, PFS is alot cleaner than other sands and usually only takes 1-2 rinses to get out what very little residue from the sand there is. Also, with PFS when you need to clean it you can just hover above it with a gravel cleaner and it will get clean very quickly and easily. Also, the PFS granules are heavier than regular sand so it sinks directly to the bottom whenever it is played around with. It also doesnt leave your water cloudy at all when you put new amounts in there. Just some pros. PFS IMO is a very good choice for substrate.

 

[mfdrookie516]

Ok... the cost really isnt a factor, ok its not a factor at all, i was just curious if the concrete sand may possibly have some advantages or if that was just one persons opinion. I just wanted somebody else to tell me to go with the PFS... Thanks razorbacksfan...

 

[spoonman]

I agree with Razor. Concrete doesnt care about dust. Pools do. Spend the extra $5. You wont be sorry. I only had to rinse it 3 times in a tub and put it in the tank. SO JUST DO IT ALREADY!!!!

 

[mfdrookie516]

lol spoonman, i knew you'd be all for PFS... so now that you all have made me go the PFS route, do i have to empty out all my water or half or what? i know i have to move my fish for the time being, good timing considering i have all my female guppies ready to have their babies, what are the proper steps for changing it out? also how much is enough for my 55? its the standard 4' x 1' or 13" or whatever, it 50lbs enough?

 

[spoonman]

My tank is 4'X18" and I got 2 bags and it gave me 2" sand bed. I took all the fish out, removed the ugf, cleaned the glass and put the sand in and refilled the tank with 80 degree dechlored water and put the fish back in. Of course I kept air in the buckets with the fish and kept the filter media wet. Taking out all the water made it alot easier to get the old gravel out.

 

[RazorbacksFan]

Well PFS apparently will not harness harmful gas pockets that could harm/hill your fish since the granules are a bit larger than regular sand. Also, PFS is alot cleaner than other sands and usually only takes 1-2 rinses to get out what very little residue from the sand there is. Also, with PFS when you need to clean it you can just hover above it with a gravel cleaner and it will get clean very quickly and easily. Also, the PFS granules are heavier than regular sand so it sinks directly to the bottom whenever it is played around with. It also doesnt leave your water cloudy at all when you put new amounts in there. Just some pros. PFS IMO is a very good choice for substrate.

When all of Team Insomnia agrees on it you know it must be right.

Ok... the cost really isnt a factor, ok its not a factor at all, i was just curious if the concrete sand may possibly have some advantages or if that was just one persons opinion. I just wanted somebody else to tell me to go with the PFS... Thanks razorbacksfan...

Good choice and no problem.

I agree with Razor. Concrete doesnt care about dust. Pools do. Spend the extra $5. You wont be sorry. I only had to rinse it 3 times in a tub and put it in the tank. SO JUST DO IT ALREADY!!!!

Indeed mine rinse super easy too.

lol spoonman, i knew you'd be all for PFS... so now that you all have made me go the PFS route, do i have to empty out all my water or half or what? i know i have to move my fish for the time being, good timing considering i have all my female guppies ready to have their babies, what are the proper steps for changing it out? also how much is enough for my 55? its the standard 4' x 1' or 13" or whatever, it 50lbs enough?

I emptied it all out after putting all my fish in a large rubbermade container with my heater and filter running on it to keep the bacteria alive. I then just scooped out the gravel and proceeded with putting in the sand replanting the tank and filling it up. When you first fill it you might get a cloudy water (I did) from the sand being majorly disturbed. I put a sock on my filters intake as a very primitive prefilter to keep the sound from messing up the impeller. I used about a bag and a half for my 55 gallon tank and I really like the heighth it turned out to be it looks great.

 

[mfdrookie516]

ok... thanks guys, you all are always so helpful... on to the next question...

I have an aqua-tech 30-60 HOB and Fluval 305... is that adequate for that tank or should i get one of those undergravel filters? as you know im 2 months in to this hobby and quite clueless... also i have a crap ton of texas holy rock, slate, driftwood, and some coral looking stuff... how should i go about decorating it?

 

[Zer0]

If your going to be using the PFS then you wont be able to get an undergravel filter as the sand would screw it up badly. Also, how many gallons is the tank your talking about here?

 

[mfdrookie516]

its a 55 gallon... and i wasnt sure about the undergravel filter... ive never seen one, dont know how it works, couldnt even point one out in a store without reading the label lol

 

[Zer0]

:/ Thats ok, we all start somewhere. Since you have a 55G tank i think the aqua-tech would do fine. Maybe a bit weak, but if you trust the brand go ahead and go for it.

 

[mfdrookie516]

well with it and the fluval canister they seem to be keeping the water crystal clear... i cant find filter cartridges for the aqua tech anywhere though, it came "free" with the tank, so i figured it would be good to use it with the canister... do you all prefer canisters, hangons, or both, because except for one tank, i have a canister and hangon on all of mine... i figured i was over filtering but thats not a bad thing... right?

 

[RazorbacksFan]

well with it and the fluval canister they seem to be keeping the water crystal clear... i cant find filter cartridges for the aqua tech anywhere though, it came "free" with the tank, so i figured it would be good to use it with the canister... do you all prefer canisters, hangons, or both, because except for one tank, i have a canister and hangon on all of mine... i figured i was over filtering but thats not a bad thing... right?

I run that filter it's walmart's brand go there for filters also some marineland filters fit in it (forget which models). That is plenty of filter especially with the canister running also and no overfiltering is good IMO especially if you plan on overstocking a fair amount.

 

[Zer0]

Well im using a hangon protein skimmer and a hangon filter, so i think its my duty to go with HOB lol. But there are other great ones out there. As for not finding cartridges anywhere, i guess it wouldnt hurt to use it until it croaks lol. The fluval canister filters are good ones i hear and if its keeping your water perfectly clear then obviously its not hurting anything. Just keep doing what your doing.

 

[mfdrookie516]

yeah, im using some "modified" cartridges from my whisper right now, but they dont fit good at all... ill have to check walmart... id looked at petsmart and meijer, with no luck... it has this wierd plasticy mesh "pre-filter" that goes in it too.... the canisters all have foam, pre filter, and the bio max ceramic things in them... i have a wierd smell in one of my 55's, kinda smells alot like earth scent cover that i used when i was deer hunting alot... im guessing i need to put more carbon in.. all the water params look good in it though... guys, i appreciate the advice, i cant wait to get my sand in and show the pictures... btw got any advice on keeping driftwood from "drifting"... i got a nice huge piece free off craigslist tonight, it was fine when we took it out of his aquarium, i rinse it off and put it in mine and its pushing the hood up, its floating big time

 

[RazorbacksFan]

The mesh fiber insert is the biofilter it should be down stream from the filter cartridge and never rinse it off. To get the driftwood to stop floating you need to leave it in a bucket of water with either a rock or something else to hold it down until the wood gets water logged.

 

[crusch]

I just set up a 55g with pfs it is working out great! Looks very nice, settles very nice and I got 50 lbs for $5.99. Looks way more natural than gravel. PFS ALL WAY!!!

 

[mfdrookie516]

ok ill try that... it should have been waterlogged... i took it straight from his tank, in a bucket, to my house ( about a 5 minute trip), rinsed it with some tank water, and put it in... wow it must have dried real quick... and i guess i had it in wrong... i had the mesh biofilter, then the carbon filter... ill have to change them around...thanks

 

[spoonman]

I had no water clouding at all. I did probably over rinse the PFS though. And I did put it in with a python stuck down in the sand so that it didnt stir things up.