using sand as a substrate?

[plecoperson]

I posted a copule of days ago about changing gravel and how do I go about it. Now my questions is about sand, as thats what I would like to change it to, ideally.

i. Will sand turn my water alkaline, as thats what I heard from a colleague of mine who has used it before?

ii. How well do live plants live and root in sand? what are the best plants to grow in sand? (need to be readily available)

iii. will sand be ok with my bristlenose?

iv. whats the best sand to get? play sand? and how deep should it be?

how easy is it to get a bacteria bed in sand? and is there anything else I should be aware of when considering sand?

and there is a gravel at work which will look like sand I hope and its cheap, plus I know what Im doing with gravel. But it's labelled silica sand. whats the difference of this between sand/gravel?

any help is greatefully appreciated. wasnt sure which section to post this in.

 

[ddm18]

To answer your questions (or as many as I can):

i. It didn't turn my water alkaline. I bought my sand from a LFS (expensive), so presumably it would have been sand that wouldn't, maybe some sand will affect your water...? I'm sure someone will know!

ii. My plants rooted perfectly well, if not better than in gravel.

iii. Not sure... I think I'm right in saying that most bottom feeders prefer sand to gravel... No experience of bristlenoses though, I'm afraid.

iv. As I say, I got sand from my LFS, which was more expensive than other types of sand. It's been said many times on here before that play sand is your best bet.

v. What do you mean by getting a bacteria bed in your sand? I hope you don't intend to use an undergravel filter with sand, because it won't work. If you have a different kind of filter then that will be where almost all of your bacteria are anyway.

Hope this helps!

EDIT: Is there anything else you should be aware of when considering sand? Yes - IT'S BRILLIANT, GET IT!

 

[plecoperson]

Nope, no undergravel filter... Fluval 2.

 

[clutterydrawer]

i - not as long as you use the right sand. DON'T get coral sand or sand intended for marine setups, this is what will alter your pH.

ii - mine are doing great. I have amazon swords, anubias, cryptocorynes, and hygrophila.

iii - dunno

iv - lots of people recommend pool filter sand cos it has large grains...doubt you'll find it in the UK though. play sand works but you need to wash it loads. i just used sand from my lfs. what do you mean by "bacteria bed"?

 

[Phantom Thief]

I believe what you mean by bacterial bed is a buildup of anaerobic bacteria?

To prevent this problem, you simply have to stir the sand a little every week, or you can get some Malaysian Trumpet Snails to handle it for you.

The other questions have already been answered very well

P.T.

 

[RYO]

mast peeps have answerd ya question exept the bristle nose 1 -can tell ya mine love it, he digs in right under my bog wood

 

[freddyk]

how easy is it to get a bacteria bed in sand? and is there anything else I should be aware of when considering sand?

From now on your filter will be handling your bio-filtration needs. Sand is too dense to hold any reasonable amount of benificial bacteria. It will only form on the surface, which will continuously be stirred up by the fish, snails, plants, etc.

 

[enchanted]

how easy is it to get a bacteria bed in sand? and is there anything else I should be aware of when considering sand?

From now on your filter will be handling your bio-filtration needs. Sand is too dense to hold any reasonable amount of benificial bacteria. It will only form on the surface, which will continuously be stirred up by the fish, snails, plants, etc.

This is wrong. You will get build of bacteria, close to just as much, on sand. You also spoke of plants and these will have it on them, so will any rocks you put in the tank, etc...

 

[freddyk]

LOL enchanted your my arch nemesis. Sand is compact, not enough oxygen will permeat it to provide much of a bio-filter. It doesn't make a difference though, filter-sand, it's all good.

 

[enchanted]

Water gets into sand, just like any other substrate. All bacteria gets its oxygen from water and oxygen is one gas that distributes evenly through water.

So, how about a better answer.

 

[Phantom Thief]

If i may interrupt the debate between the two of you...

(Clears throat) I believe that sand packs down in certain areas, which is why there is the worry for dangerous anaerobic bacteria if the sand is not moved around. If the sand IS moved around, there is no anaerobic bacteria. And we can assume that: compact sand = no oxygen = anaerobic bacteria. And moving sand = no more anaerobic bacteria. Thus, it would be safe to assume that there WOULD be oxygen as long as the sand is not left to completely pack down.

JMO

P.T.

 

[enchanted]

Thanks PT, exactly. Which is why we have MTS, corys, etc..

 

[plecoperson]

brilliant answers everyone!!!

so in surmation...

I should get play sand, my bristlenose will be ok, stir the sand up when I do a water change...


how easy is sand to clean? and how would I wash it first time I put it in because i used a colander to wash my gravel but the sand would fall right through...

 

[Phantom Thief]

I think you put it in a bucket, and put water in, the dirt will all rise to the surface. You will have to keep doing it as there is a heap of dirt in it.

And also, if you don't want to keep stirring the sand, you can get Malaysian Trumpet Snails, which will stay under the sand for pretty much the entire day, so you'll rarely see them.

P.T.

 

[freddyk]

Water gets into sand, just like any other substrate. All bacteria gets its oxygen from water and oxygen is one gas that distributes evenly through water.

So, how about a better answer.

Once you get below the surface of the sand, the water becomes stagnant, the oxygen is quickly used up, and bacteria can no longer be supported. You'd need to sit there all day stirring up the sand. That's why fluidized sand bed filters never lets any of the sand in it settle.