I want sand for my 10 gallon tank. I heard PFS is good, but it isn't at my local home improvement type stores. Are their any other types of sand that work well? What about this? Shop Short Mountain Silica 50 Lbs. Premium Play Sand at Lowes.com
What type of sand to use?
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allaboutfish
Aquarium Advice Addict
play sand is too fine grained.
jcolon
Aquarium Advice Addict
PFS is the best ... It's large enough to settle back to the substrate quickly enough, but small enough to provide good substrate for plant roots.
As allaboutfish said ... Play sand is too fine and will cloud up easily ... especially when you vacuum. You can do it ... but it gets messy during cleaning and honestly ... fish waste tends to just lay on top of it and make it look dirty.
I'm assuming you don't have any pool stores nearby ... online may be your best option for finding PFS. GOOD LUCK!
Mr. Limpet
Aquarium Advice Addict
I agree that PFS would be you're best choice. Play ground sand (PGS) flies easily, can get in and damage impellers in filters, compacts easily and I've been warned that fish who forage in substrate (booking) can get impacted from the sharp grains in PGS.
Leslie's Pool Supply is where I get mine and it needs very little washing to get the dust out. They have stores in York & Harrisburg PA.
Leslie's Pool Supply is where I get mine and it needs very little washing to get the dust out. They have stores in York & Harrisburg PA.
What about this? Shop Aqua Chem 25 Lbs. Filter Sand Plus at Lowes.com
allaboutfish
Aquarium Advice Addict
the plus tells me something else is in it.
I agree... I would just go with regular PFS. It will be cheaper, too.
If you want black colored sand, you can look for black blast blasting slag. There are specialty substrates out there as well if money is not an issue and you are looking to grow plants.
If you want black colored sand, you can look for black blast blasting slag. There are specialty substrates out there as well if money is not an issue and you are looking to grow plants.
Mr. Limpet
Aquarium Advice Addict
I agree. Seeing "Chem" & "Plus" on the same label would make me leery of it. Google Leslie's, they have stores all over the place (sorta lol) and I've had great luck with their product. If they ask with or without silica, tell them without.
Ok, I googled Leslies, there is a store about 10 miles from me. So is this the right stuff?
Silica Sand | Filter Supplies | Leslie's Swimming Pool Supplies, the world leader in residential and commercial pool supplies.
Silica Sand | Filter Supplies | Leslie's Swimming Pool Supplies, the world leader in residential and commercial pool supplies.
Mr. Limpet
Aquarium Advice Addict
Mine comes in a plain brown bag, $10 for 50lbs.
Funny that like gasoline, CA has it's own brand/make of PFS lol.
AnnieJ
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
I was worried that the PFS I just picked up from Leslie's was wrong because of the brown bag, but now that I see your post - phew! Californians just like to do everything differently...
Ellenquacker72
Aquarium Advice Freak
What does PFS stand for? Can you buy it at a home depot?
So even though the playsand is a finer grain, it's sharper? Would it damage a cories barbs? I was hoping to get some for my 20g when. Upgrade.
Sorry to intrude on a thread, but does anyone have a suggestion on how many lbs to buy for a planted 20 gallon tank?
'Sigh' there are no leslies in Canada. And none in Ogdensburg which is the only American city which is close to us.
So even though the playsand is a finer grain, it's sharper? Would it damage a cories barbs? I was hoping to get some for my 20g when. Upgrade.
Sorry to intrude on a thread, but does anyone have a suggestion on how many lbs to buy for a planted 20 gallon tank?
'Sigh' there are no leslies in Canada. And none in Ogdensburg which is the only American city which is close to us.
PFS is pool filter sand. I'm not sure if they have it at Home Depot. If there are any pool supply stores near you then you can buy it there.
Play sand is ok, but because it's a finer sand it can get blown around by the filter currents, or if you stick your hand in the tank to rearrange something. It gets stuck in the filter sometimes because of that. It's also a little harder to clean when you first get it. I doubt that it would harm cories though.
You'll probably want a pound per gallon, but you can usually only buy it in 50lb bags.
Play sand is ok, but because it's a finer sand it can get blown around by the filter currents, or if you stick your hand in the tank to rearrange something. It gets stuck in the filter sometimes because of that. It's also a little harder to clean when you first get it. I doubt that it would harm cories though.
You'll probably want a pound per gallon, but you can usually only buy it in 50lb bags.
Ellenquacker72
Aquarium Advice Freak
Will it damage my internal filter (fluval U2)?
Haha, I've didn't know pool stores existed before today
Haha, I've didn't know pool stores existed before today
Ellenquacker72
Aquarium Advice Freak
Do I found a pool store -Yay!- and the only sand they sold is Nephaline synite. It is grey with little black flecks in it that take longer to settle than the sand. Is this ok to use?
Ellenquacker72
Aquarium Advice Freak
Please, I would really like to put it in the aquarium as soon as possible. Is it alright to use?
BillD
Aquarium Advice Addict
There are many people who use that sand.
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