Washing Substrate

[sara213]

Anyone have a good method that I could use to in order to wash the play sand i bought for my 55g?

suggestions appreciated!

 

[scampi]

Anyone have a good method that I could use to in order to wash the play sand i bought for my 55g?

suggestions appreciated!

Hi Sara213 - the only method I've known is to put the sand in a bucket, then run the tap into the bucket letting the water overflow til it runs clear. Swoosh it round now & again with your hand to churn up anymore dust particles. Hope this helps

 

[Aqua Tom]

Anyone have a good method that I could use to in order to wash the play sand i bought for my 55g?

suggestions appreciated!

Hi Sara213 - the only method I've known is to put the sand in a bucket, then run the tap into the bucket letting the water overflow til it runs clear. Swoosh it round now & again with your hand to churn up anymore dust particles. Hope this helps

+1, That is how i do it. Word of warning though, dont put to much sand in the bucket at once! Wet sand is realy realy heavy.

 

[sara213]

I figured as much that, that was the ONLY way....LOL

um...reason why i asked is because a few weeks back I bought some white aquarium gravel. Washed maybe about 3 and 4 times and I had residue form on the top of the aquarium for what lasted about a good five days then it finally dissipated. Then I thought I washed it pretty well why did that bloody residue form? boh...anyhow it is gone...I will get over it eventually.

Although I did learn something I'm NEVER buying colored gravel every again. plus I dont' really like the look of it...it is too big.

I wanted to get pea gravel but no one has it at this time of year

 

[symon_say]

Anyone have a good method that I could use to in order to wash the play sand i bought for my 55g?

suggestions appreciated!

Hi Sara213 - the only method I've known is to put the sand in a bucket, then run the tap into the bucket letting the water overflow til it runs clear. Swoosh it round now & again with your hand to churn up anymore dust particles. Hope this helps

+2, when see crystal clear water going out, move the sand again, and more particles will float, and you'll be left just heavy sand that sink right away and don't put dirt in your water.

 

[BIG BAD BARRY]

+3. I had 50kg of pea gravel. Made sure i selected the least dusty bags from LFS.
Put it in a tub and tilted it slighlty and stuck the hose into it as far down as possible. Left it overnight.
Then washed it in sink using wifes colander before putting it in tank.

Water was still cloudy for a few days and the unused gravel i have left over is still a bit dusty.

 

[sara213]

okay...need to find a big tub now. lol

 

[Uriel]

I used a plastic storage container(toy box) and put a spray attachment on my hose and sprayed into the sand pouring the water off as it filled.

 

[weezawoo]

I use an old 15litre tank.put in a bit at a time with the hose right down the bottom of the sand. I keep moving the hose in the sand and the glass tank is excellent for seeing when it is clearing.

 

[symon_say]

I use a 5 gallon bucket a put half of a 50 pound bag of sand and clean it, the other half went to another 5 gallon bucket.