Switching from gravel to sand!

[Mrs.h2012]

Looks great! I love to have places for the fish to swim under the wood when I set it up. Actually just got back from pet store and found myself another sweet piece to add to one of my tanks..

Nice. I really wanted to find a cool looking root or something, but that didn't happen so I settled for this wood, I wanted some kind of wood in my tank!

 

[SKB]

I have been waiting till tomorrow, pay day, to put sand into my tank! I've been following this thread! I'm excited for you and it's only making me more excited!!

 

[Mrs.h2012]

I have been waiting till tomorrow, pay day, to put sand into my tank! I've been following this thread! I'm excited for you and it's only making me more excited!!

I got my sand for under $4, play sand that I got at lowes. Just be sure your rinse rinse rinse the sand!! I didn't rinse it enough and my water was cloudy.

 

[SKB]

Was there black sand though? I mean at $4 I shouldn't be picky lol but...

 

[Bman024]

Was there black sand though? I mean at $4 I shouldn't be picky lol but...

You won't find black sand there. If you want to do black sand for cheap get black diamond blasting sand from a tractor supply company or something. That is what I want to put into my next tank. If you can spend the money Tahitian Moon Sand is great!

 

[SKB]

I have a gift card from Christmas to PETsMART. I think with that I can afford it! Lol

 

[Mrs.h2012]

Was there black sand though? I mean at $4 I shouldn't be picky lol but...

No, just an off white.

 

[SKB]

No, just an off white.

I looked it up on Lowe's, quickrete play sand for 3.68? I'm about to purchase it online and pick it up tomorrow

 

[Fresh2o]

Mrs.h2012 - I noticed that the intake of the HOB in your last pic was near the bottom of the tank. Is there any way to raise it up? Remove an extension perhaps? Just looking out for your impeller.

 

[Mrs.h2012]

Mrs.h2012 - I noticed that the intake of the HOB in your last pic was near the bottom of the tank. Is there any way to raise it up? Remove an extension perhaps? Just looking out for your impeller.

Not sure but I will! Thanks!

 

[meegosh]

I looked it up on Lowe's, quickrete play sand for 3.68? I'm about to purchase it online and pick it up tomorrow

That sounds about right. I've used 200+lbs of Quickrete's Premium Playsand. Usually right under $4/50lbs. Whatever you do, don't get their medium grade sand, it is dirty and almost turns to mud when you add water. The premium sand is washed, dried and screened.

 

[SKB]

I can't find medium grade anywhere on the package....:-/ It says premium, (I already bought it). So is that ok?

 

[SKB]

Sorry yeah duh u just said u used premium so it should be good!! I'm so excited I plan to clean it tomorrow and set the tank up maybe over the weekend!

 

[Aqualady40]

Great! Now comes the part where you get to try and figure out what arrangement looks good or you like the best. Took me many times of moving crap to love it. LOL

+1 I am currently going through the same thing....I keep moving everything...then I keep having these little visions of how i would like a tank with hills/river sand beds/ trees/ etc.....which makes it worse because then if I was satisfied at first...I am not after those visions come about...lol...maybe its just MTS...lol...I saw the $1 gallon sell yesterday too...hmmmm..lol

 

[dmolavi]

Quick, possibly stupid question here:
When you do the switch, obviously, you have to move your livestock to a temp location. My concern is for how long, and how to keep them healthy during that transition? If it's just for an hour or two while the gravel is removed, sand added and allowed to settle (post wash, of course), that's cool...a few 5 gallon buckets will be able to hold my stock. If it's overnight, though, what then? I don't have a spare 56 gallon tank to use (though for the $1/gal sale, it might not be a bad idea to pick one up...).

 

[meegosh]

I use a 22g rubbermaid tub with lid for long periods out of the tank. You can usually find some for $20 or less that will hold your stock. I'd recommend one with locking lids if you have jumpers. I drilled some holes in the top for airline and power cords.

 

[Aqualady40]

Quick, possibly stupid question here:
When you do the switch, obviously, you have to move your livestock to a temp location. My concern is for how long, and how to keep them healthy during that transition? If it's just for an hour or two while the gravel is removed, sand added and allowed to settle (post wash, of course), that's cool...a few 5 gallon buckets will be able to hold my stock. If it's overnight, though, what then? I don't have a spare 56 gallon tank to use (though for the $1/gal sale, it might not be a bad idea to pick one up...).

I have a 55g and switched...all I did was put fish in a big enough bucket, placed bubbler/filter in then went to work as quickly and efficient as I could....you could also add heater to keep temp steady...good luck on your switch

 

[dmolavi]

I have a 55g and switched...all I did was put fish in a big enough bucket, placed bubbler/filter in then went to work as quickly and efficient as I could....you could also add heater to keep temp steady...good luck on your switch

Thanks I'm trying to convince my wife that this needs to be done; she's holding hard and fast to the gravel and acrylic decor (I'll see if I can't meet in the middle and keep the decor but switch to sand). Since I'm also this close---><---- to convincing her to let me start a (nano)reef tank, I don't want to press my luck

 

[Rlavassor86]

Yea when I did the switch on my 72 I just used a sterilite bin and hung my ac 50 off the side and cut a notch in the lid to fit around the filter. Started without the lid but that changed quickly as one of my sharks jumped out of the bin. I used black blasting sand. Northern tool and equipment has it for around 7 bucks for 50 lbs. farm and fleet also carries it for the same price. My fish love it.

Edit: forgot to mention I also used Eco complete for the live plants. The sand was originally a cap but is more mixed now.

 

[Mrs.h2012]

I looked it up on Lowe's, quickrete play sand for 3.68? I'm about to purchase it online and pick it up tomorrow

In sure prices vary, but with tax I paid like $3.50 and some odd change.