Substrate and others

[luis138]

Hi,

My name is Luis and I am in Los Angeles. This is my first post in this forum. I have kept both salt water and fresh water tanks in the past; about ten years ago. I am starting again with fresh water. I have a couple of questions that I am hoping you could help me with:

1) I am starting with a 40 Gl tank, I used to have red-eared slider turtles in there. I am using the same filter I had with the turtles, a Fluval 304, I have replaced the foam, do I have to replace the ceramic rings as well?

2) Most importantly, can I use play sand as substrate instead of gravel? I have read conflicting information regarding the matter. I have never had real plants in my tanks so I want to try plants this time. I want to keep clown loaches, dojo loaches, angel fish and maybe two more species. My main concern is if I am able to use the sand with those species and with real plants and if it is safe with the filter I have. I might put a thin coat of pebbles on top.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Luis
Los Angeles

 

[MrMalta]

I've always heard a good alternative to expensive sand at pet stores is pool filter sand. Although, I could not find it.

I looked at play sand also, but I thought, just like play sand in a sandbox when it gets wet it turns into a a mud.

 

[Purrbox]

I see no reason why you would need to replace the rings. At most you might want to give them a good cleaning before reuse.

I would avoid playsand. While it could be fine, there's also a possibility that the sand may have treated with something to make it safer for children but would harm the fish. The composition of the sand can also vary greatly, and could contain something that would affect the water chemistry. If you want to use sand you'd be much better off going with Pool Filter Sand. You'll know it's safe to use and it's still very inexpensive.

 

[Zagz]

Welcome to AA! I have used play sand and find it too fine. It floats around the tank too much and gets caught in the filters. I recommend pool filter sand as well, it looks very natural and is more coarse.

 

[luis138]

Thank you so much all of you for your replies and your advice. One more question, when I clean the substrate, will the vacuum absorb all the sand? How would I go about cleaning it?

Luis

 

[pitt420dude]

Ever heard of eco-complete? I hear it's the best for plants. It's a cool black too. I don't really know the best place to buy it though.

 

[Purrbox]

Thank you so much all of you for your replies and your advice. One more question, when I clean the substrate, will the vacuum absorb all the sand? How would I go about cleaning it?

Luis

You don't gravel vac sand. Just wave your vac above the sand to stir the mulm into the water column to allow you to vac it up. If you need to stir the sand you'll want build and insert for your vac using some plastic canvas that sticks out about an inch past the end of the vac. This will allow you to stir the sand some without sucking it into the vac.

 

[luis138]

Thank you again for the help. I was able to find filter sand after calling about six pool supply places. It is $10.99 for 50 lbs., not a bad deal at all.

Now I have one more question, maybe two.

1) Can I put Eco-Complete in the bottom (thank you for mentioning that product)?

2) Being that the sand is light in color, is it prone to get more algae growth?

Thank you again,

Luis

 

[Purrbox]

If you're going to use Eco-Complete, it needs to be at least 50% of your substrate to avoid being a waste of money. Further layered substrates will eventually mix with the fine stuff going to the bottom.

The color makes it no more prone to getting algae, but you may see the algae and detris more easily because of it.

 

[odobenus]

I have a sand substrate in one of my tanks. (It's pool filter sand, too, which I really like.) Gas pockets can build up in the sand, so when you do a pwc stir the sand around a bit to release the bubbles. Some people use a chopstick designated for sand stirring, but I just use my hand.

 

[marchmaxima]

I also have a have sand substrate on top of an eco-complete alternative. When ever I do a water change, I grab a fork and poke it here and there into the substrate to release any gas bubbles.

 

[FishEggs]

You can also get Malaysian Trumpet Snails (MTS) to help with gas pockets in the substrate since they are a burrowing snail they sort of stir it up. Be for warned though that if the food is plentiful for them they multiply fast. They are live bearers too meaning they don't lay eggs just babies. Another interesting fact is that you don't need 2 of them to have them reproduce on you. And they are plant friendly if you should decide to use real plants.

 

[luis138]

You can also get Malaysian Trumpet Snails (MTS) to help with gas pockets in the substrate since they are a burrowing snail they sort of stir it up. Be for warned though that if the food is plentiful for them they multiply fast. They are live bearers too meaning they don't lay eggs just babies. Another interesting fact is that you don't need 2 of them to have them reproduce on you. And they are plant friendly if you should decide to use real plants.

Thank you for the advise. I have been looking all over for MTS and no LFS seems to carry them. I have only seen them in Ebay.

Luis

 

[marchmaxima]

Buy a plant, any plant... There's a 99% chance you'll get them for free.

 

[FishEggs]

That's how i got mine. When i first started b4 i knew what kind of snail it was i only saw 1 and i figured even if it did munch on the plants how bad can it be so i left it in the tank. didn't see it for a few weeks and when i saw it again it was about half inch long. still only saw one but a few more weeks past and all of a sudden i discovered about a dozen more about 3/16 of an inch. then i found out what kind they were and it confirmed that you only need 1 to get more.