Pre-washing Sand

[Synastic]

I just recently pre-washed my sand and though of sharing the way I did it.
All you need is a 5 gallon Bucket, which everyone has.

Nylon Paint Strainer (Comes in a 5 gallon or 1 gallon)

You can buy it at your local hardware store(In the paint dep) or local paint store. It cost about $1.50 US. It’s very finely treaded, so no sand is lost (Only about 1%).

Put the nylon on the bucket like so and add some sand.

Fill the bucket up with water. It doesn’t have to be all the way to the top just enough to cover the sand and a little bit more. Move the sand around with your hand, you can also grab the nylon and just shake it all around.

Then grab the nylon like so. Dump the water out and repeat for a couple of times intill the water is clear (The water won’t be crystal clear). TaDa You can modify this anyway you like to. The Nylon is pretty sturdy and can be used many times. I also bought an extra one, just incase I ripped one.

Hopes this help anyone planning or thinking about pre-washing their sand. Also, like I said this is one way to do it.

 

[sunflower]

Definately sounds like a good idea to me Syn. I have been debating adding more sand to my tank so that I can eventually switch to live plants but was put off the idea when I thought of all the washing etc I'd have to do.

Sounds like a nice easy way to do it that won't ruin my new shower-head

 

[Fish Buddy]

wau, that's a great idea Synastic!

 

[MsDad]

WOW! What an awesome trick!! I love using sand in my tanks, but it is a pain in the butt to rinse. I'll be making a trip to Home Depot soon...

 

[Erised]

I managed to properly rinse 50 kilos of sand by tipping 25kilos a time in a wheelbarrow and put the gardenhose on it. After it was full of water I'd carefully tip the wheelbarrow and lose the water. Did this about 5 times and it was done ... total of 50 kilos must have taken about 15 mins tops!

Was a great relieve I tell ya ... seeing as my other tank with 50 kilos of sand I washed in a bucket ... must have taken me 2 hours =/

Your way of doing it sounds like it would work really well as well though

 

[Synirr]

Sounds like a great idea!! I'll definitely be washing my sand your way next time

 

[Turq]

I do something very similar to your idea. I use an old pillow case, place a few pounds at a time in it. Rinse with a garden hose until clear.

 

[guppygirl]

Great idea syn! I will use it when I wash my onyx sand.

 

[Synastic]

I do something very similar to your idea. I use an old pillow case, place a few pounds at a time in it. Rinse with a garden hose until clear.

I tried the pillow case way . It's hard to pour the sand into the pillow case without someone else holding the pillow case open. Not to mention it is messy, you lose a lot of good sand, that stays stuck onto the pillow case. It's a pain to get the sand that is stuck inside the pillow case. But, hey the pillow case way does work.