# can i use beach snd as my substrate???



## ilcichlids (Aug 20, 2009)

hi 
i was just wondering can i use normal beach sand instead of aquarium sand for my tank.
i was planning on boiling the sand to kill of the paracites and bacteria on the sand.
the funnelin the sand to ensure i still have clean clear water.
do you think this would work and any tips on cleaning beach sand. 
thankyou
:thumb:


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Yes you can use beach sand.

1. However, you want to make sure it isn't illegal to collect it.

2. You'll need to rinse it many times, until the water pours out clear.

3. You will want to sift it, to remove any unwanted debris.

While sand is abundant where I live, I can buy a 66lb bag for less than $CDN 5, at a building supply place... at that price....


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## John27 (Jun 6, 2010)

The big thing is to make sure collecting it is not illegal, like Fogel said, alot of public beaches will bust you for collecting that much sand, and you will have alot less work ahead of you if you buy cheap pool filter or play sand (although "aquarium" sand is usually more expensive)


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

My experience with collecting beach sand/gravel, is that if collected at the waters edge, it is very clean. Play sand and such is not necessarily clean, in terms of impurities, and in my opinion is too fine. I do bleach collected sand before use.


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

bleach don't damages the sand?

i've noticed bleach is really savage...

last week i brought some stones from a lake nearby... and put them into water+bleach for a week..

after that week i took out the stones.. i mean, pieces of stones out, bleach drilled many of the rocks into pieces!! Oo

more than 3 days in bleach wash seems deadly for some stones..


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

If the stones can't stand up to bleach they probably shouldn't be in your tank. I have never damaged a stone or gravel or sand with bleach. I often leave it for more than a week.


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

i guess.. i throwed them away after that 

i guess not all lake stones are meant for tanks hehe


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## Gunn20 (Jun 19, 2010)

wokay so im going to the beach next week on the oregon pacific ocean and i always thought that the sand there had salt in it and would kill my fish so if i get sand can you tell me all the steps to make it safe for my cichlids


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## GotCichlids? (May 21, 2010)

Fogelhund said:


> Yes you can use beach sand.
> 
> 1. However, you want to make sure it isn't illegal to collect it.
> 
> ...


Fogel already summed it up cleaning, and all!


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## Gunn20 (Jun 19, 2010)

what about the salt


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## GotCichlids? (May 21, 2010)

The salt would be wash off or deluded to the point that it wouldn't matter. I would suggest to use warmer water to help break the salt down to be washed out easier. A little salt isn't going to effect your fish if you don't get every ppm out so your main concerns with using something out of the "wild" like that would be parasites, fungi, and other microorganisms that would effect your tanks! Those would be the killers of your fish so like Fogel mentioned you would want to rise and drain till the water was completely clean of course don't use tap water before you put in the tank obv b/c this would put chlorine in the tank water.


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## Gunn20 (Jun 19, 2010)

ok thanks


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