Pool Filter Sand?

[spoonman]

I have PFS in 3 tanks right now. a 140, 115 and a 29. When I do my PWC's, I take my fingers or a net handle and stir up the sand a little to release any air pockets. Although in my cichlid tank the fish do that for me. Some people I know put a hair pick on the end of the python to stir up the sand when they do PWC's. Have been using PFS for about a year now with no issues. BTW, the 115 was gravel and I just put the fish (24 cichlids) and put them in a big tub with air pump, kept the filter media wet, drained the tank, took out the gravel, refilled with dechlored water and put the fish back in. Took about 3 hours but well worth it. Here are some before and after pics. Also with PFS you have to remember to keep the intakes for filters up from the sand so that you dont get the fine sand in the impeller.

 

[Smitty]

I have a 55g and I started with gravel for the first couple of months and then switched over to play sand (I found out later that PFS would have been better, but oh well). I have a heavily planted tank and also have a 5gal C02 tank for them.

I think my plants grow better with the sand than they did with the gravel (but that could be because I have more experience now as well). I've not had any issues at all and just LOVE the looks. I'm very happy I went this route.

If you are worried about any bubbles in the sand you can always get a couple MTS. You only need a couple and soon you will have a 1000+ crawling through the sand stirring it up. As long as you don't overfeed you shouldn't see them above the sand until lights out (of course then you won't see in because of all the MTS everywhere!).

Good luck. I think it is WELL worth it... 100%!

 

[PaulieFish]

Whats MTS? I juts switched to sand from gravel, and I love the way it looked. I think I took a couple fish with it because I didnt transfer them properly (all I had was a 10g bucket to put them in :/) So needless to say some of my fish didnt make it (so far a molly, catfish, clown loach, and possibly a gourmai, made their way to fishy heaven) I feel horrible. I think a guppy or tetra might make it two, they arnt doing so well.

I love the sand, I just wish i had a 20g tank to store the fish in with heater while I did the transfer . Still waiting for the tank to completely clear, and not liking the stupid slime trails going on, but otherwise great.

 

[Aquarium1]

Malaysian Trumpet Snails

 

[mfdrookie516]

MTS is one of two things... as smitty was meaning, theyre malaysian trumpet snails... the other meaning is "multiple tank syndrome"... its a horrible disease where you cant have enough tanks lol

 

[Aquarium1]

the other meaning is "multiple tank syndrome"... its a horrible disease where you cant have enough tanks lol

I have it lol.

 

[PaulieFish]

So with Malaysian Trumpet Snails do they multiple like no other, or.. is there a way to maintain them?

 

[Smitty]

I'm by far an expert... and I tend to over feed my fish, so for me they multiply like crazy. I counter this by having a couple assasin snails, but others will sell/give the snails to people with puffers or loaches. You shouldn't buy a fish just to deal with them-that is bad.

If you maintain a propper feeding schedule and don't over feed then they shouldn't mutiply badly and they will help with the sand.

 

[PaulieFish]

I'm by far an expert... and I tend to over feed my fish, so for me they multiply like crazy. I counter this by having a couple assasin snails, but others will sell/give the snails to people with puffers or loaches. You shouldn't buy a fish just to deal with them-that is bad.

If you maintain a propper feeding schedule and don't over feed then they shouldn't mutiply badly and they will help with the sand.

When converting to sand, sadly my loach died. And I already found 2 snails floating around my tank. They are not MTS tho they are pond snails.

 

[saywill]

I am staring a new 55 gallon tank and I have made the desicion to go with sand!

 

[PaulieFish]

I am staring a new 55 gallon tank and I have made the desicion to go with sand!

Good choice! my only suggestion is RINSE RINSE RINSE! Someone said you could put it in a pillow case and wash it until the water runs clear, very clever idea!

 

[Allycatz]

Paulie, how are you finding the PFS so far?

I plan on setting up a new tank in the coming months (ideally before Christmas! haha) and I'm curious about using PFS with fertilizers in it. My only real substrate experience has been with flourite, and while I'm perfectly happy with it in my other tanks, it would be nice to try something different (and cheaper!).

 

[Crepe]

I use PFS, in one tank as a test. So far no problems, my concern is that, i know just as in the Marine hobby down deep in that sand there is developing a very toxic area, even though no detritus is getting down there, and i fear that since sand is not thoroughly vaccumed, like gravel, at some point somone is gonna stir that up and lose fish.

No, anaerobic spots only occur in saltwater due to the different species of bacteria and life forms in it, you needn't worry in freshwater.

 

[meegosh]

No, anaerobic spots only occur in saltwater due to the different species of bacteria and life forms in it, you needn't worry in freshwater.

Not sure that is true. I think that is why people get mts for their sand beds. I stir my tanks at least once a month. Maybe someone else can chime in here.

 

[TCool]

Not sure that is true. I think that is why people get mts for their sand beds. I stir my tanks at least once a month. Maybe someone else can chime in here.

I stir up my sand occasionally, and I'm constantly seeing bubbles come up from the sand. Not sure what it is tho.

 

[mfdrookie516]

Not sure that is true. I think that is why people get mts for their sand beds. I stir my tanks at least once a month. Maybe someone else can chime in here.

I agree, it is possible. Play sand, and other fine sands are much more susceptible to it than pfs though. The large grain of pfs helps keep it from compacting, allowing the gasses to escape before they build up harmful pockets (some people still stir theirs, i dont). With smaller grained sand that compacts, either stirring it up, or having some sort of fish or invert (mts are great for this) that will burrow in the sand will help keep that from happening. Some people tape a wooden kabob stick to their gravel vac tube so that while they're vac'ing, the stick will stir up the sand.

 

[cjldad]

I love using sand.. (I got play sand from Home Depot)
Just setup a 29g for my niece this weekend and used a bag of play sand..
I find it much easier to maintain than my sons 29g tank with the standard rock/gravel.. I also have MTS for helping clean/stir up all of my tanks...

My main reason for sand was that I wanted Cory's.. They love it! Added benefit was that is was easier to maintain..

 

[Allycatz]

I got a bag of flourite black sand for free when I originally bought my granular substrate and this spring I decided to finally use it and added it as a little 'sandbox' for my two very playful loaches. They love rooting around in it! Possibly because its new, but realistically I think they just love the texture of sand. I just don't think I could replace all my substrate with flourite sand without having to do some serious explaining to my bf! hahaha

 

[Mark Hewitt]

I'm surprised how many people here are open to changing their substrate. I have gravel and would love to try sand out but it seems like an enormous pain to make that change. Personally, I like gravel enough to not attempt such a huge project and potentially stress the fish out by moving them out of the tank. Good luck! Would love to hear how it goes if you end up making the change.

I thought the same, but it turned out when I actually did it, it was pretty straight forward. The only real hassle was catching the fish! Even with the water lowered and all the ornaments out, they didn't want to be caught!

Second vote for rinsing the sand here. I'd rinse it through with water at least two dozen times. And then put it in a large container and run a hose into it and let the water drain off the top for at least an hour or so, that should get rid of most of the muck.

Even though I did all of this the water was quite murky for around 24 hours, it's now perfectly clear. The fish don't mind murky water at all, but it would be wise to leave your filter off for an hour or so to let the worst of it settle.

 

[AgilityIG]

When I bought my PFS, I split it into three 5 gallon buckets and that made it a lot easier. I shoved the hose down to the bottem of the sand and let the bucket fill up and dumped - did this several times while also swirling my hand around in the sand to loosen things up. Very cold, but worked like a charm. My sand was hardly cloudy at all, but am doing a fishless cycle on that tank right now, so was not too worried about cloudiness.