Help, should I get sand for my tank?

[chris87]

Hi, I've always wanted sand however the second hand tank I bought comes with gravel. I want to change to find, natural coloured "silica sand". I want to know if my intank box filter is compatible with this. It's lowest intake point is just under 10cm above the surface of the gravel at the moment, and I have quite a thick layer of gravel so if I do replace it with sand, only around 3 cm deep it will be a bit over 10 cm from the lowest intake point.

I also want to know if all my fish will be ok with this sand as some people say sand is bad for them or something? I have clown loaches and a orange tailed black shark as well as balla sharks. I also have guppies and a plaque. I might get rid of some of these fish if they're not compatible, but not all of them.

Will this general arrangement work and is there anything else I need to consider also?

Thank-you.

 

[tarpon]

I do not know about the whole distance thing, but those fish will do great with sand. It's better for most bottom feeders. I hope you have a big tank though because those fish get large. Bala sharks around a foot I believe, red tail sharks to 6inches and very territorial as they get older, and clown loaches to a foot.
And if it's a common pleco, then up to two feet.

 

[tarpon]

Here's some pics for perspective

 

[chris87]

WOW! Those pictures are amazing. I didn't know plaques could get so big. And my tank is quite large, I did all the research about the fish before hand and have had them all happily together for a few years now, never got around to getting sand though! As they get much larger I will have to trade them in for younger smaller fish though, but I do understand, no worries there Also, how do I know how much to buy? It's always advertised in kg and I never know how many I will need?

 

[tarpon]

WOW! Those pictures are amazing. I didn't know plaques could get so big. And my tank is quite large, I did all the research about the fish before hand and have had them all happily together for a few years now, never got around to getting sand though! As they get much larger I will have to trade them in for younger smaller fish though, but I do understand, no worries there Also, how do I know how much to buy? It's always advertised in kg and I never know how many I will need?

Alright good job. And I think the general rule is 2lBs per gallon (don't know conversion ) which should give you around a 2-inch (don't know conversion) sandbed. Curse the customary measurement system.

Idk if you have homedepot or lowes where you are but I bought 50lbs of pool filter sand for $5!!!
it is a very natural looking sand that is safe to use

 

[butterfly_koi]

Natural play sand is another good one to use, it's cheap as well.

 

[tarpon]

Natural play sand is another good one to use, it's cheap as well.

Yep, and it's also available at home depot as well