Do You Need Special Filtration

[QuotheRaven]

I need to know as Im hoping of swapping to sand.

 

[PaulasPets]

No, I just used an external canister filter with my sand bottom. You do have to wash the sand realy well to get at much of the very small particles out. If not it will take a very long time for the water to clear up.

 

[lissali]

Sorry to hijack your post, but I was also considering changing to sand. I use a gravel cleaner quite a lot though. This is probably a really stupid question but can you use a gravel cleaner or undergravel filter with sand. Thanks

 

[dizzied]

You can use the gravel vac, just differently. Instead of moving it through the gravel bed, you need to make small circular movements above the sand to eddy up the waste.

No to the undergravel filter though.

 

[Spinal]

Sorry to hijack your post, but I was also considering changing to sand. I use a gravel cleaner quite a lot though. This is probably a really stupid question but can you use a gravel cleaner or undergravel filter with sand. Thanks

Not to contradict dizzied; but there is a way to use an u/g filter with sand. It requires a little more work to set up, but (imo) the results are much better as you should get less anaerobic decay spots. The concept is simple, put a gravel (or laterite if you go planted) substrate, about 1 or 2ish inches thick. Then put a plastic mesh over this (mosquito nets from your local hardware store (b&q, homebase, etc) are nice...and cheap!) and finally add your sand. If you want an u/g filter, put it under the laterite/gravel. While you are at it, a "root warmer" (forgot their "real names" basically a heater wire which you bury in the substrate) is also nice. Note that with thinner sand, you might need thinner mesh. Also, you will find some of the sand seeping into your u/g filter for a while, but this should stop after a week or two (once the sand has settled in).

Michele

 

[dizzied]

I think what you're talking about is a heating cable.

A bit of a hassle though to use sand with an UGF. It's better just to pick up a different filter, since UGF aren't that good anyways.

 

[Spinal]

I think what you're talking about is a heating cable.

A bit of a hassle though to use sand with an UGF. It's better just to pick up a different filter, since UGF aren't that good anyways.

Thats it, heating cable! I've always nicknamed them root-warmers As for the u/g filter, yes it is a hassle with sand, and in general, not that effective as a filter. But, it is possible (not that I see WHY anyone would do it other than as a proof-of-concept...)
Michele