sand?

[substance]

hello!
I would like to use sand instead of gravel for my two piranhas, but can anyone recommend what type to use? I once used coral sand for my old marine tank, could i use that again or would it make the water to hard?

 

[Chrismac]

I suppose it depends on the filter you are using I once used playground sand in a tank and had an Aqua-Clear 500 suck up some of the sand and it was a nasty loud racket, it killed the motor eventually, but it looked nice and the fish didn't mind the sand at all. I think you can probley find a heavy sand that won't stir up so easy.

Chris.

 

[substance]

thanks chris,
I've got a bio wheel as i dont like putting my hand inside a tank with two hungery piranhas! i dont think i'll use the coral sand as i've heard its full of calcium and mite harm the fish, so i mite go and get a bag of playground sand like you said.

thanks for the help

jay.

 

[tyler]

if you haven't bought anything yet, you can get a bag of pool filter sand or sandblasting sand. for the pool filter sand call a pool supply store, the stuff i have came in a 50 pound tube, and it looks natural. sand blasting sand can be had at hardware stores. around here it's available in a fine white and a corser black. both are very attractive.

 

[fishgal]

I just changed my two tanks over to sand from rocks. I just bought playground sand since it is already sterilized for kids to play in its perfect and totally inexpensive! You have to give it a good washing though as to get rid of any dust but after that you should have no problems. I have a regent filter on one tank and a penguin filter on my larger tank and have had no problems with the sand being sucked through the filter. When first adding the sand unplug your filter and let the sand settle then start it up again, this will keep your filter from sucking up the sand particles. Once the sand is in place and settles its really nice looking and I find my fish like to dig in it!

 

[shawmutt]

Don't use coral sand. The coral will raise the pH and kH, and piranah like lower pH and soft water.

 

[kbd517]

Sand in a freshwater tropical aquarium? I apologize if these are dumb questions, but how do you keep a sand bottom clean? I assume you can't gravel vac it. What about when fish dig in it? What about Plecos lying on the bottom? Arhg! Do you people have to keep posting questions that make me have more questions?!? I'm trying to keep our tank simple, and every answer leads to more questions!

 

[TheNewGuy]

if one were to pick up some sand blasting sand how would you clean it to remove any chemicals or other additives?

 

[substance]

thanks guys

thanks for all your help.
i managed to find a shop that sold the right sand and it works great.

ps... kbd517, you can still use a gravel vac, but i let the vac hover above the sand, by doing this the sand lifts of the surface but wont go up the vac.

 

[liquid69rain]

I use a gravle vac on my sand, I only hover above in and pick up as much waste as possible, also in response to your pleco q'n...I have marine sand in my african cichlid tank w/a 3in pleco in it. I haven't had problems with the pleco and the sand yet. the sand seems to pass throw the gills and the digestive system just fine. I don't think you have any think to worry about...also if your ever looking for and to put in your tanks that won't cause the PH and KH to rise look at bigalsonline.com I've been using the white marine sand by caribsea, this sand dosen't cause the ph or kh to rise...this type of sand is also carried at PetsMart, the only thing with petsmart is they only carrie the Black marine sand by caribsea. Hope this might help you out....good luck with your tanks...

 

[i3k]

if you are worried about sand being sucked in your filter...you can attach a little sponge to the filter intake.