I Need To Wash 50kg++ Of Sand Any Suggestions

[Wanda hornsey]

I am about to set up my 125Gal tank and have to wash a huge amount of sand any one got any ideas the easiest (read quickest) way of doing this......

 

[IceH2O]

I was told, haven't tried it yet, to fill a 5 gallon bucket about halfway. Then stick your garden hose into it all the way to the bottom..(now that I think about it, its probably easier to put the hose in 1st).Turn on the water and the smaller pieces will float out of the bucket as it overflows.

 

[tttnjfttt]

This way is a little more labor intensive, but it may be faster. I have heard of some people filling the bucket with a few inces of sand, adding water, mixing it up, then pouring it out. This way all the stirred up setiments get washed out faster.

 

[Dorkhedeos]

get the sand so it fills 1/2 to 3/4 the bucket, fill the bucket with water, and stir it up. pour that dirty water out and repeat until its clear. this will save water, lots of water. after you put it into the tank, turn the filter on and stick filter floss into the filter(not really sure if floss does anything, but it kinda made a difference for me). stir up the sand everyday and do small waterchanges every other day. in about a week or 2, the water will be clear even if it is stirred up.

Edit: oh yeah, its best if you dont have fish in the tank while you do this

 

[Shelly_Otterkin]

I just cleaned 40lbs of sand for my tank. I took a small bucket and washed just a couple lbs at a time with the wash/rinse/wash method. It took me a couple hours but when I was done I had sand that only took a half hour to settle. That day I could add the water,plants, wood and fish from the old tank.(I was going from 40 tall to a 55.) It has been 2 weeks and I have never had a problem.

 

[Wanda hornsey]

Thanks guys so looks like I am goign to be in the garden for many hours then oh well 75kg of washed substrata later and I can start a fishless cycle...then in a few weeks....

 

[Ginge]

Whooa i have a 55G with a surface area of 48"x15" i have like a 1"-2" of sand and thats like 20KG whats teh surface area of the 125G.

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Put some in an old pillow case and blast coldwater into it.

I personally ended up filling my bath with sand and gettting very cold hands. Brrrrr

Remember you don't necessarily have to do it all at once.

 

[modernhamlet]

I see we're going have another pool filter sand convert soon.

 

[bogwood]

With sand, there are no short cuts imo... I bought 'semi clean' silica sand from my lfs... saved a bit of time... then filled a bucket about half way with the sand, filled the remaining space with 'hot or warm' water (it seemed to leech out more of the yellowish colour than using just cold water)... stirred well with my hands and drained... repeat about 25 times and it was clean...

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Wanda

It's going to be a big job, but it's worth taking your time and doing it well. Perhaps you could start doing the fishless cycling and add the sand a little at a time as you go along.

I washed the sand for 3 55 gallon tanks and a number of smaller ones a few cups at a time in my kitchen sink. It's actually relaxing to stir the sand around in a dishpan, using warm water.

 

[Wanda hornsey]

Hi ginge the tank is BIG ) 48"long 30"wide 24" tall minus a smallish bit at each side for the built in filters so probably sort of 48" 26-28" 24" tall...so arggggg washed some yesterday and doing the rest today...and yes doing it inside is much nicer ....and warmer

 

[The-Wolf]

I see we're going have another pool filter sand convert soon.

I aggree
there is no need to wash pool filter sand.
now that I have used it all my tanks, I wouldn't use anything else