Tank Setup With Sand

[folyet]

I have never had a tank with sand as a substrate.
I currently have 2 10 gallon tanks sitting by idle. I will keep one as a Med Tank

I would love to try sand a sa substrate, but never done it.
I saw playsand at a local garden center. Would that be ok to use that?

Also, as for filters for these small tanks I have my choice of a Penguin 100 Bio Filter or a Tetra Whisper Filter...both hang off the back.
I currently use the Penguin as an additional filter for my 46 gallon tank (main filter is an Eheim 2213)

Do you think any of these 2 filters would be good for my tank. Also, is the play sand ok for my tank?

Finally, not sure what kind of fish would be good in a small tank

Was possibly thinking of some Khuli loaches or some corys, or even a dwarf puffer

 

[colleen0309]

Play sand is great in the aquarium! Make sure you wash it well or you will have a muddy mess, or buy the prewashed and sifted playsand. That is what I use and I rinse it once and it's good to go. As far as the filter goes, I've always been partial to the penguins. I had one that lasted over 20 years!

 

[Madhousephil]

I take it there's no easy way to clean sand and you just have to replace the sucked/sifted sand after a while!?
Although it looks nice I am moving towards the idea of gravel of some description and get a gravel Hoover/cleaner.
Any ideas with the sand?

 

[Aqua Tom]

I take it there's no easy way to clean sand and you just have to replace the sucked/sifted sand after a while!?
Although it looks nice I am moving towards the idea of gravel of some description and get a gravel Hoover/cleaner.
Any ideas with the sand?

Sand is much easier to clean than gravel. You just suck the detrius from the surface.

Tom

 

[fluttermoth]

^^ what he said

If you do syphon out a lot of sand, just give it a rinse and put it back in

Sand is always worth getting if you want any species of loach or catfish, they do prefer it.

 

[Madhousephil]

Any plants grow in sand?
Or would a little moth ball be best on the wood I've got

 

[fluttermoth]

Well, here's what I grow in sand with no trouble; cryptocorynes, vallis, Amazon swords, dwarf sag, Indian fern. I also have lots of Java fern and anubias on wood.

All those are easy plants that don't need loads of extras, like high light or CO2, although they might benefit from a bit of liquid fertilizer sometimes.

 

[Madhousephil]

Cheers. Will try one of these.