# Swtching To Sand



## Demasoni1 (Apr 9, 2014)

I am wanting to swich over my 3 month old 150 gallon African tank to sand. It currently has gravel. I was planning on going with the pool filter sand form Home Depot.
Any advice or comments would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks


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## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

Good decision. Sand is much easier to keep clean. What kind of filtration do you have? You want to keep your intake filters a few inches above the substrate as the sand can mess up the impeller on some filters (especially HOBs).

To make the switch most people recommend you take your fish out first, remove the gravel (while siphoning up all the waste that will get stirred up) and then slowly add your pre-rinsed sand. Once done return the fish to their new home.


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## Demasoni1 (Apr 9, 2014)

Thanks for the info. I have a Marineland 350 an a aquaclear cf500 the intakes are all 5 inches above the gravel.


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## sumthinfishy (Jan 26, 2013)

pool filter sand comes in different grades depending on how course or fine u want it to be. i wouldnt recomend anything to fine depending on your stock. if u have fish that do a lot of digging then really fine sand will always be getting kicked up clouding your water and getting into filter. i use a #3 pool filter sand with mine, but a #2 would be ok also imo. it wouldnt hurt to mix in some crushed coral as a buffer.


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## Demasoni1 (Apr 9, 2014)

Thanks I will be sure to get #3


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

I know zimmy mentioned 'pre-rinsed sand' and this is very important. Wash it thoroughly before adding to a tank. PFS isn't too bad compared to something like play sand, but still needs to be rinsed. Once you think it's clean, keep rinsing. You want to avoid a cloudy tank.


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## Demasoni1 (Apr 9, 2014)

Yeah, I know. it will be a long project cleaning out 4 inches of gravel and then putting 3 inches of sand back in. Thanks for all the tips and help.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

3 inches of sand is too much, in my opinion, unless you are planning on having a planted tank. I usually have one inch or less and find this is the easiest amount to look nice and still maintain easily. Too deep a substrate bed just traps more debris and makes cleaning a pain.


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## Demasoni1 (Apr 9, 2014)

Ok, so will 2 inches work? I personally like the deeper sand. And I am able to vacuum it 3 times a week.

Also how many 50 lbs bags will I need to cover a 150 gallon tank 72" long 2ft wide?


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

I like sand filled to the tank trim. Less is more, like Deeda said. How much depends on how much rock work you have. Decor first, then sand. 100 lbs should be plenty, assuming a 72x18 footprint.

As far as cleaning out the gravel goes- just scoop it out with a big cup or a plastic shovel. Then fill the tank up 1/2 way and siphon out all the nasties.


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## Demasoni1 (Apr 9, 2014)

It is 72"/ 24" foot print. (160 gallon)


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Use this Sand Bed Calculator from the Library.


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## Demasoni1 (Apr 9, 2014)

Thanks, I need 4 50 lbs bags.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

I have a tank with the same footprint. Lots of rock work. I used maybe 70 lbs of sand.


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## Demasoni1 (Apr 9, 2014)

Sweet man! Gotta love the wide tanks.

I am goining to get 15o lbs


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## Demasoni1 (Apr 9, 2014)

Beacause of the 50 gallon bow front and the 20 long. I am going to do sand in them as well.


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## Demasoni1 (Apr 9, 2014)

th 150 lbs is for the 50 gallon bow front and the 20 gallon long.


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## Demasoni1 (Apr 9, 2014)

I already have fish in it. would I just fill a container for the fish and then empty the tank and then scoop out all the gravel and fill it back up?


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

You can either fill a tote with tank water and transfer the fish to that container while you remove the gravel OR you can siphon the gravel out of the tank with a hose into a bucket until the gravel is removed. I have done the last method myself and it worked just fine.

Remember that you will still need to pre rinse the new substrate to remove any fine debris before putting it in your tank. Also don't forget to add your dechlor product to the new water in the tank and get it up to temperature before adding the fish back in if you use the first method.


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## Demasoni1 (Apr 9, 2014)

Thanks for the advice I should have it done in 2 weeks.


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## jimmyforsyth (Jun 19, 2014)

I cant help with the cory suggestions but I may be able to help with the conversion. This is how I change my tanks from gravel to sand, and also how I cycle my tanks faster without having gravel on the floor when I want a bare bottom tank. Again, this is only how I do this. Get some plastic pots, preferably with holes on the sides of the base that fit in your tank. Fill the pots with your gravel

I always keep cleaned gravel in pots waiting, when im setting up a tank i dump new gravel in an established tank and take old gravel out so i can seed a new tank. As all my tanks use the same color gravel (mostly) so it doesnt matter. Like below. i have about 30 pots around the house under stands waiting.


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## Demasoni1 (Apr 9, 2014)

I think this is the wrong thread.


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