i am in the process of redecorating my 75 and want to use sand for the bed. i am just not sure what type of sand to use if i decide to go this route. my question is can i just go to home depot and buy sand or go to the beach and get sand? i plan on keeping a few plectos, a school of neons some bala sharks, i prefer hardy fish cause im not really that skilled at growing them, so i have have something that is hard to kill. any suggestions would be helpful.
making a sandbed
- Thread starter Basboosa
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Well, first you turn the corners down, and tuck the edges under 
Seriously tho LOL I would strongly NOT recommend beach sand. There is all sorts of crap in it that would be hazardous to your fish. You can get sand from Home Depot, but be sure not to get really fine sand; it will get up into the filter and muck up the impeller. I know some folks have gotten their sand there; hopefully they will pop in and let us know what they bought.
Nextly, if you are looking for hardy fish, forget neons. Between the inbreeding and the "puppy farm" raising of them, they are usually unhealthy and don't last long. The plecos should be pretty iron clad tho. Balas are pretty hardy as well, but make sure your tank is well covered; they are notorious jumpers. What sort of water do you have (pH, hardness)? That will give us an idea of what fish would do well. You can find an explanation of what those are here: http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-chem.html
Also, do you have a good understanding of the nitrogen cycle? If not, that may explain your lack of skill at growing fish; take a read here for a good explanation: http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-cycling.html
Seriously tho LOL I would strongly NOT recommend beach sand. There is all sorts of crap in it that would be hazardous to your fish. You can get sand from Home Depot, but be sure not to get really fine sand; it will get up into the filter and muck up the impeller. I know some folks have gotten their sand there; hopefully they will pop in and let us know what they bought.
Nextly, if you are looking for hardy fish, forget neons. Between the inbreeding and the "puppy farm" raising of them, they are usually unhealthy and don't last long. The plecos should be pretty iron clad tho. Balas are pretty hardy as well, but make sure your tank is well covered; they are notorious jumpers. What sort of water do you have (pH, hardness)? That will give us an idea of what fish would do well. You can find an explanation of what those are here: http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-chem.html
Also, do you have a good understanding of the nitrogen cycle? If not, that may explain your lack of skill at growing fish; take a read here for a good explanation: http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-cycling.html
puffergirl
Aquarium Advice Freak
Yo... Home Depot sand owner here I just bought some playground sand, like a 4kg bag! for under $5 The kids play sand is sterile for sandboxes. I washed it really good twice to remove any dust and then added it to my empty tanks already wet as to not cause too much cloudiness. Put a small bowl on the bottom of your tank when you add your water and this keeps the sand from making a big pit.
For cleaning I still use a gravel vac, does the best job. Yes you will suck up the sand but I empty the dirty water into pails then toss water and rinse left over sand in bottom of pail and return to the tank! I also recommend some fish that like to dig in the sand and keep it areated, like loaches, cories and sharks.
I just bought some playground sand, like a 4kg bag! for under $5 The kids play sand is sterile for sandboxes. I washed it really good twice to remove any dust and then added it to my empty tanks already wet as to not cause too much cloudiness. Put a small bowl on the bottom of your tank when you add your water and this keeps the sand from making a big pit. For cleaning I still use a gravel vac, does the best job. Yes you will suck up the sand but I empty the dirty water into pails then toss water and rinse left over sand in bottom of pail and return to the tank! I also recommend some fish that like to dig in the sand and keep it areated, like loaches, cories and sharks.
G
Guest
Guest
Here is a link that helped me:
http://cichlid-forum.com/articles/sand.php#3
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=18794&highlight=
http://cichlid-forum.com/articles/sand.php#3
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=18794&highlight=
Christmasfish
Aquarium Advice Addict
Some will start lowering your pH...
MOST will start raising it..
and then a few do nothing at all....
I used Oldcastle brand tropical playsand from Homedepot. The "prerinsed sanitary" ..however..mine was processed locally and was a silicate sand (my lot was processed in the Portland facility... I was nosy).
So it was somewhat fine and need a zillion rinses to separate the silt!! Bleh!
It layedd down nice after my back was getting the many sharp sticks feeling.
MOST will start raising it..
and then a few do nothing at all....
I used Oldcastle brand tropical playsand from Homedepot. The "prerinsed sanitary" ..however..mine was processed locally and was a silicate sand (my lot was processed in the Portland facility... I was nosy).
So it was somewhat fine and need a zillion rinses to separate the silt!! Bleh!
It layedd down nice after my back was getting the many sharp sticks feeling.
TankGirl
Aquarium Advice Addict
I am for pool filter sand, as it is coarser and less likely to pack down and cause problems, and also less likely to get into your filter. Use a sponge over your intake instead of the strainer, though, and that will keep it out.
You can also get Malaysian Trumpet Snails, if you don't mind a million snails, because they burrow in the sand and keep it aerated, but they won't disturb it and create cloudiness.
Oh, yes, and rinse, rinse, rinse and rinse some more!
You can also get Malaysian Trumpet Snails, if you don't mind a million snails, because they burrow in the sand and keep it aerated, but they won't disturb it and create cloudiness.
Oh, yes, and rinse, rinse, rinse and rinse some more!
Fishywah
Aquarium Advice Newbie
I'd have to agree with the rinsing part!! I use "cichlid sand" which is not suppose to need rinsing. I did and boy am I glad I did!! The tank was still mirky for a week but after it cleared up it was beautiful!! (But I also have fish that can handle the high PH that the sand keeps the water at) BUT do make sure you rinse and rinse again, then when you think you've done it enough....DO IT AGAIN!
Menagerie
Aquarium Advice Addict
I am using playsand from Home Depot and mts for aeration.
The Mbuna fish I keep are 4 Pseudotropheus zebras (1 blue, 1 white, 2 orange), 2 Pseudotropheus ?s, Red Top Zebra--Pseudotropheus Sandraracinos, Lemon Yellow (Electric Yellow)--Labidochromis caeruleus, White tail--Gephyrochromis Aceii, Rusty cichlid-- Iodotropheus sprengerae, Powder Blue cichlid--Pseudotropheus socolofi, Striped River Catfish--Mystus vittatus, and one ugly Synodontis.
They are kept overstocked with lots of lace rock which creates caves for them and that keeps the aggression down
You could set up a gorgeous Mbuna (Lake Malawi) cichlid tank with a common pleco (they can grow to over a foot). Mine are hardy, colorful and entertaining (and a tad aggressive, but that's why they live with each other). Or there are the Haps (I don't keep them) from Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyikan cichlids (I have Neolamprologus brichardi and Neolamprologus multifasciatus, but not in the same tank as was the plan :? ). Check out this link: http://www.mongabay.com/fish/species_index
The Mbuna fish I keep are 4 Pseudotropheus zebras (1 blue, 1 white, 2 orange), 2 Pseudotropheus ?s, Red Top Zebra--Pseudotropheus Sandraracinos, Lemon Yellow (Electric Yellow)--Labidochromis caeruleus, White tail--Gephyrochromis Aceii, Rusty cichlid-- Iodotropheus sprengerae, Powder Blue cichlid--Pseudotropheus socolofi, Striped River Catfish--Mystus vittatus, and one ugly Synodontis.
They are kept overstocked with lots of lace rock which creates caves for them and that keeps the aggression down
fearlessfisch
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I use silica sand from the hardware store. I tested it for abrasiveness, and have had no problems...my corycats and loaches love to dig in it. It's pure white and gorgeous, and it settled just fine from the first time I put it in the tank. It was about $8 for a 50 pound bag.
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