# Sand or gravel



## jcartell (Sep 4, 2012)

Hey I'm starting a new tank I was just wondering if I should use sand and if so witch brand thanks


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## metricliman (Sep 3, 2012)

Sand is good. Get PFS (pool filter sand) or play sand. PFS is cleaner.


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## trashburner (Feb 28, 2012)

I have pool filter sand (from pool supply place) and my fish love it and I love it too because pooh stays on top of the sand makes easlier to clean than gravel


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## jcartell (Sep 4, 2012)

Where can u find pool filter sand? Is it available at my local fish store thanks for the info


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Buy pool filter sand at a pool and spa supply store. Leslie's is a popular chain of these stores.


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## BrendanMc (May 30, 2012)

If you can't find the pool filter sand you could get play sand from a hardware store for about $4 for a 50lb bag. Sure it takes a little longer to clean, but it's cheap.


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## gverde (Mar 3, 2010)

At Home Depot there is 50 lb. bag of sand by Quikrete. It saids on the bag "Commercial Grade Medium Sand". It is pre washed and clean. I only have to rinse it a couple of times and it is good to go right in the aquarium. It is like $4-5 a bag. This is all I use on my tanks.


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## halffrozen (Sep 24, 2011)

I used the Quikrete sand in the finest grade.

LOVE the look of it! Will use it in all of my tanks from now on!


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## Steve C (Oct 9, 2011)

> I used the Quikrete sand in the finest grade.
> 
> LOVE the look of it! Will use it in all of my tanks from now on!


Same here. I have the exact same stuff in both my 55's as well as my 10g and love the stuff. Not only does it look great and wash super clean quickly, but it is so much easier to find than PFS here in the Midwest.


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## halffrozen (Sep 24, 2011)

Exactly!

Love the uniform color compared to PFS or even play sand.


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## rotccapt (May 31, 2011)

i use quikrete all purpose sand it is a mix of grain size and includes a bit of gravel so it looks great. found at both home depot and lowes. cleans up easily too


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## mak51 (Aug 18, 2012)

I just did my tank I used quikrete pfs work great.


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## B.Roberson (Nov 6, 2011)

when vacuuming how do you do it with a aqueon wc. doesnt it suck up the sand?


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## metricliman (Sep 3, 2012)

Just hold the tube about a 1/2" or so above the sand.


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## B.Roberson (Nov 6, 2011)

stir the sand a bit to dust up the pooh?


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## metricliman (Sep 3, 2012)

You can do that but the poo will collect on the top of the sand anyway. Then I stir up the sand to release any gas pockets.


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## B.Roberson (Nov 6, 2011)

nice tank halffrozen


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## B.Roberson (Nov 6, 2011)

ok thanks. im gonna post a new topic how to switch to sand if u want to chime in. thanks


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## halffrozen (Sep 24, 2011)

I never ever actually SUCK up the sand... it does get stirred up, but that helps me clean better IMHO.

Ohh and thanks!


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## Breno4313 (Mar 17, 2011)

Does the sand get stirred around much by the filters? Also does the sand clog up or damage the filter?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Sand can get stirred by the filters but also by the fish...they like to scoop up mouthfuls and spit it over all your decor. Sand grinding in your impeller can damage it.

The trick is to get a heavier sand that falls quickly before the filters can suck it up. Or use a sponge pre-filter in the intake.


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## halffrozen (Sep 24, 2011)

My HOB filters had a few stops and/or grinding times with sand going into the intake, but that was from me mostly, taking everything out of the tank for a re-scape.. lol

My Eheim 2217 picks up quite a bit of sand, but it is designed well, and didn't do anything to the filter in a negative way.

My sand only gets stirred around from my power head. Big time. lol


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## B.Roberson (Nov 6, 2011)

i do notice after changing to sand my fish spit it around all aver my landscape like DJ Ransome said.
But hey ,the look of sand well worth it .. I haven't noticed any in my filters yet, but its only been a couple of weeks..
I was very careful to not stir it up much while switching. and am just learning to do water changes with sand as to not SUCK up the sand
and send it down my sink ..


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Need some advice please. When i set up my tank two months ago i used Pure Water African Cichlid Substrate Malawi Mix. It is a coarse mix of pebbles and shells and small corals. Not sure if I made a mistake using this? I know africans like to dig and suck up and spit sand, the substrate I used seems too large for my fish. Mostly Haps and Peacocks around 3 inches or so. Perhaps this will just be an issue while they are small? I'm starting to like the look of the sand so many of you use and am considering changing over. Lol what to do??


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

It will not hurt them to live with pebbles, but they will not sift it through their gills (which is their natural behavior) if it is too large.

If you want more of a biotope, switch to sand.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

DJRansome said:


> It will not hurt them to live with pebbles, but they will not sift it through their gills (which is their natural behavior) if it is too large.
> 
> If you want more of a biotope, switch to sand.


Thanks for the input. Any advice as to the best way to change over? Tank has been cycled for about 3 wks, 72 bowfront. Thinking of keeping the new sand in some of the aquarium water and bagging some of the old substrate to keep in the tank while the new sand has a chance to settle in. Any thoughts as to the best way to remove the old?!?! If I do it all at once it may kill the tank?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I would not do anything for at least a month. And then yes, I would bag the top inch to half-inch of the old substrate to keep in the tank for a month or so.

Keep all the existing decor...don't scrape the glass or clean surfaces or filters at all before the switch or for a while after. Test daily.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

DJRansome said:


> I would not do anything for at least a month. And then yes, I would bag the top inch to half-inch of the old substrate to keep in the tank for a month or so.
> 
> Keep all the existing decor...don't scrape the glass or clean surfaces or filters at all before the switch or for a while after. Test daily.


Thank you! I will wait the month. Nitrates seem to be getting over 40ppm before I do the weekly 25% change. Dont want to risk crashing the cycle before it is firmly established. BTW do you or anyone have any Ideas as to the best way to remove the old substrate without completely disrupting the whole tank?? Have a decent amount of rock work in there.


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## B.Roberson (Nov 6, 2011)

what i just did a couple weeks ago,, had gravel, removed all rocks,put in buckets with tank water.
took a 1/4 or so water into a large icechest, removed fish to icechest. turn off filters and heater. 
completely vacuum substrate with aqueon w/c.. till water about 1/4 of tank, so 3/4 tank water removed.
remove substrate with clean dustpan. add WASHED sand, and rocks. let settle, add fish and water from icechest,
that way alot of bacteria was in it, dont clean filters. turn everything back on. before







after


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Change 50% weekly or more. Bacteria do not live in the water. Shoot to keep your nitrates between 10ppm after the water change and 20ppm before the water change.

Changing substrate will disrupt your tank. I'd take out everything (including rocks, water and fish), remove old substrate and then rebuild the tank. Make sure to put the rocks in before the substrate.


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## B.Roberson (Nov 6, 2011)

so there isnt bacteria in the water DJ Ransome? i didnt know . I knew it was on the substrate and in the filter media.
I was maybe being over cautious with adding some of the water back. i had no nitrite or ammonia spikes with my substrate change.
and i did add the rocks first, my nitrates are holding between 10ppm and 30ppm. i do 40% weekly. seems to work for me :thumb: 
how many tanks do you have with sand DJ Ransome? Im REALLY digging the look of mine after the change. I really appreciate all peoples input


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Thank you guys for all the input. Great job on the new look of your tank b.roberson!! I think that will be a weekend projuect for me in about a month. I will also jump up to 40% WC weekly. I wasnt sure if that was going to be too aggressive but now I know no bacteria living in the water its no problem. Good stuff Guys!!! Thanks.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I routinely do 75% just because once all the stuff is out...may as well take out 75% as 50%.

I have 2 tanks with sand. Most of my tanks have no substrate.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

DJRansome said:


> I routinely do 75% just because once all the stuff is out...may as well take out 75% as 50%.
> 
> I have 2 tanks with sand. Most of my tanks have no substrate.


I will see what 40% does then bump it up from there. Do you find that you have any issues with PH using sand? My tank is holding a perfect 8.0 currently.


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## B.Roberson (Nov 6, 2011)

No. Not at all. My tap ph is neutral, so I add baking soda anyway. Others can attest that it takes a lot of corral or similar in your substrate to raise ph.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

B.Roberson said:


> No. Not at all. My tap ph is neutral, so I add baking soda anyway. Others can attest that it takes a lot of corral or similar in your substrate to raise ph.


Nice, the more info I get the more I realize that I made a bad choice using my initial stuff instead of the sand.

My first African tank I had years ago I used crushed coral and the fish seemed to like it. Dont know why I went with this stuff?? Live and learn I guess.


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## Breno4313 (Mar 17, 2011)

Is silica pfs good to use, it has a 1mm diameter?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

In the US the right size is called 20 grain. Not sure how that translates to mm.


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## jimmie (Oct 23, 2002)

Sand is the best for your tank, that's all I use is sand for my tanks....


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## Breno4313 (Mar 17, 2011)

Is silica sand ok? Or should I look for sand without it.


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## vann59 (Jun 20, 2011)

That tank pic looks great Half, but I found that play sand tended to pack in a bit and would turn dark and stagnant more easily than PFS, so I have been happy with the switch. I can stir up the pool filter sand easily and it needs less attention. The neatest thing about the fine sand was that when they spit it out, they look like little steam engines.


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