Calling anyone with sand as a substrate!!!

[platyperson]

I was thinking of using sand in my next platy tank (24 gallons) how do you clean sand?
Can you use a gravel cleaner?

 

[Phantom Thief]

Yep, just hover it an inch or so above the sand. It will suck up all the dirt without the sand.

P.T.

 

[platyperson]

Cool, thanks

 

[Discomafia]

Yep, just as PT said. Sand's good because you can see the "dirt" easily, compared to gravel.

 

[platyperson]

Cool, i might get white sand

 

[rdd1952]

I love the sand. It is very easy to vacuum. You just have to be careful around plants until they get rooted well, especially plants like Anacharis, Wisteria and Moneywort. It's pretty easy to knock them loose. My corys love it.

 

[fufanu360]

i washed mine by putting it in a bucket, and letting the water run over, or i found that just filling up the bucket with sand half way, tehn with water, stiring, and then dumping the water out works good too....

some sand takes soo long wash

 

[Raechal]

It took me about 4 hours to clean 160 pounds of sand. Of course, I had the help of three other people. Sand takes a LONG time to get clean. But IMO it is well worth it.

 

[Grim Reaper]

Cool, i might get white sand

no dont get white sand my mate has that and it turned brown

 

[Raechal]

Cool, i might get white sand

no dont get white sand my mate has that and it turned brown

I got a light brown sand and it works fine. I was going to get white, but I figured dirt would show up way more in white sand.

 

[rdd1952]

I got mine from Lowes. Any home improvement store should have the play sand, 50 lb bag. It's light brown in color and looks good in the tank. It does take FOREVER to get it clean. Best to do as fufanu360 said and just fill your bucket part way, run water and stir. If you get too much sand in the bucket, you will never get it clean.

 

[LoachLover]

Just hover over the top of it. Sand is actually a lot easier to clean than gravel.

 

[bigfish]

I have sand thats multi coloured grains.............looks like river sand £2.99 a bag, would that be ok to use do you think?

Just need a theme!!! [hardest part]

 

[littlefishie]

You're going to love having sand.. I'm in the process of setting up my ten gallon tank, and I want to put sand in as well. I have sand in my 15 gallon right now and I love it.

Just make sure that it's the colour you want, cos it's such a hassle to change it later!

 

[Dorkhedeos]

just make sure nobody uses the extra washed sand. my dad used about 10 pounds of clean sand to do something