What tank should I change to sand?

[MegTheFish]

I've really wanted to have sand in one of my tanks for awhile now, so I thought I would try it maybe this weekend. Can I use the ordinary play sand? My LFS doesn't have any sand so that would be my only option.
I have to decide what tank to put it in. For now I'm just doing one tank but if I really like it I'll put it in a few more. So my tanks are:
2 gallon shallow bowl with betta (100% water changes)
3 gallon kritter keeper with betta (100% water changes)
5.5 gallon, filtered- 4 guppies, 1 snail
10 gallon, filtered, divided- 5 white skirted tetras, 1 false flying fox, 1 female betta /// Paradise Fish
18 gallon (divided)- bettas
50 gallon, filtered- goldfish, danios, WCMMs, bronze cories, a snail, a weather loach, and a common plec (which will be moved if he causes any problems, but he's still small)

I don't really want to do the 50 gallon, as that would be a lot of work (and I'm just seeing if I like it or not). If I had to choose, I would probably do it in the 18 gallon as it would be much easier to spot poop, right now I have marbles and stones in there so the poop always falls inbetween those and its a pain. I'm not too sure though...what do you guys think?

P.S.
If I were to put stones/marbles/river rock on top of the sand, would they sink to the bottom or stay on top?

 

[WILDER]

Sand no good for goldfish, plus sand nice when just maintained, but you can see the poo on it.

 

[MegTheFish]

Why is it not good for goldfish? I heard that it was great to use instead of gravel because goldfish can choke on the gravel (because they are always sifting through it). I won't be doing it in that tank anyways. And I don't mind being able to see the poop, I thought it would be easier to siphin it that way, because with the gravel I know I'm always missing some.

 

[WILDER]

Gold fish love digging in the gravel, wouldn't like to see the sand in a few days with them,lol

 

[MegTheFish]

Good point! I never thought of that. I think I've decided to try it on my 18 gallon.

 

[Mo_loves_fish]

the 10gal

 

[Synirr]

I'm still not seeing why sand wouldn't be good for goldfish...? My midas hybrid and oscar dig in their sand all the time and I think the tank actually looks better with their custom landscaping

 

[offutt_chris]

i would have to agree with synirr. i dont see how it would be bad for the gold fish. i also have sand in my tank, with my chichlids and albino cats which is fully planted with some driftwood and a castle that my little neice got for me (which looks really good in the tank) and they all love to play in the sand. the landscape seems to change everyday where a new valley is being formed where a mountain was the day before. and an easy way to solve your poop problem would be to put a crayfish in there. i have two in my tank, and cant not find any poop at all since those two eat it all.

 

[MegTheFish]

I thought they would make the tank cloudy because they would be flinging the sand everywhere...but maybe not?

 

[offutt_chris]

they will fling sand everywhere, but if it is properly washed out before you put the sand into the tank then it will settle back down within 5 seconds usually, at least mine always does.

 

[MegTheFish]

All I could find is play sand and it looks like crap. Grrr...

 

[yvez9]

play sand is fine. It looks like crap in the bag, but it looks pretty good in tanks. Sand is sand, it's basically big dirt! Your fish will love you for it though!

 

[MegTheFish]

Its just that I see peoples tanks and the sand looks a lot whiter then the stuff I was looking at.

 

[Synirr]

The sand looks a lot whiter in a tank than in the bag due to lighting and such. Playsand is what I have in all my tanks

 

[MegTheFish]

Really? Oops...maybe I'll go back and get it then! Thanks!