Pool Filter Sand?

[ravynnm]

is this what you can use as sand?

couldn't find aquarium sand in 3 pet stores, figured i'd see if this would do

 

[bigbanker]

A lot of people on this forum use pool filter sand in their tanks.

I personally am not too familiar with this brand

 

[ravynnm]

Didn't think so, i live in Canada. If that makes a difference lol

 

[jlk]

It says its silica sand so it should be fine. Just make sure you rinse it really, really well.

 

[PockX]

Pool filter sand is fine, just rinse it well. I use play sand myself.

 

[ravynnm]

I've never seen this sand before so is it just white?

 

[Rare]

It says its silica sand so it should be fine. Just make sure you rinse it really, really well.

This might take you sometime but do it right. IMHO Do "Not" do the whole bag at once. You will feel frustrated & give up cause the water is not clear.

When not cleaned right & when you put it in your tank it will be cloudy and when your clean it will be cloudy. The pool filter sand I got came in a 50#; I have plenty of bucks so I put about 10lbs in each bucket. I made sure to stir and dump over and over again till the water was crystal clear. When all was done, I did it again just to make sure. As you are pouring out the water you will see smaller grains, let them pour out if you can.

What you want is for your sand to look like this when going in. I did 100lb and might do an extra 50lb. You want you water to look clear and not cloudy...Good luck!

Sand Fall - YouTube

 

[ravynnm]

I was thinking about putting enough for it to be 1-2 inches high. This sand is coming in a 50lb bag lol

So just keep rinsing and rinsing until it's crystal clear? Sounds good! Very happy i finally found sand i can use!

 

[Rare]

Yes, but again you want to do small parts cause if you do big section or the whole bag it will look like it never ends. I bought a different kind of pool filter sand for my 50g, but home depot didn't have it this time. That sand from home depot was a bit cleaner then the one I bought from Ace Hardware at least for me.. they all might come from the same place for all i know..lol

 

[ravynnm]

Checked the home depot site for sand but this is what i found - Quikrete | Playsand 30kg | Home Depot Canada

I think i might just stick with the filter sand lol

 

[Rare]

That playsand is very fine....I would have a sandstorm in my aquarium if I had that in. lol

 

[meegosh]

I use the same stuff from home depot. Looks to be the stuff here in the states. It is fine but settles quickly. The stuff linked in the first post would be about the size of a grain of rice cut in half.

 

[armymp327]

Just to add when cleaning, do it outside! Don't try to do it in your tub because sand compacting in your drain is not pretty or fun to clean lol

 

[ravynnm]

Wouldnt i just be able to vacuum over the sand? lol
Think i'll stick with the silica sand

 

[meegosh]

They're talking about rinsing the new substrate before you add it to the tank. As far as cleaning it in your tank, I just swirl it above the sand it stirs up anything loose.

 

[ravynnm]

They're talking about rinsing the new substrate before you add it to the tank. As far as cleaning it in your tank, I just swirl it above the sand it stirs up anything loose.

Ahhh makes sense.. well thanks everyone

 

[pankelephant]

How does one rinse sand if there's no outside available? I live in a condo. I have aquarium sand in my 15g but would like to do pool sand in my 55g and my bathtub is all I have. Any way to avoid the compacting?

 

[jlk]

How does one rinse sand if there's no outside available? I live in a condo. I have aquarium sand in my 15g but would like to do pool sand in my 55g and my bathtub is all I have. Any way to avoid the compacting?

A bucket and an old pillow case. Rinse small sections at a time in the pillow case (in the bucket). I have done this in my kitchen sink and bathtub in the dead of winter without any issues. The fine particles that float and go down the drain shouldnt harm anything.