Which Would You Have?

[KISSfn]

I started off with gravel and switched to sand. Very glad I did. Gravel holds a ton of nasties and takes too long to vacuum. Sand is much easier to clean, especially since I installed a Koralia powerhead. And I think black sand looks better and brings out the color of my fish. I think you should decorate your tanks the way you like Lo Lo. I like em.

 

[shi24137]

well I took all of those plants out of the tank, put a few smaller fake ones for now, one of my platies is dropping fry, found one and moved it to my empty 10gal and am going to get some real plants to grow, thinking of going with sand, any pointers on how to clean the sand before I put it in the tank?

 

[KISSfn]

Depends on the sand. The cheaper the sand, the more cleaning it will need. Fill a bucket halfway with sand and top it off with water. Keep stirring it and replacing the water until the water runs clear and any floating sand should be discarded. Better to over clean it than under clean it or it will cloud your tank and clog your filter.

 

[Livewire88]

I voted Gravel, just due to my recent bad experiance using sand

 

[shi24137]

now when you say replace the water does that mean after a few good stirs that I should just dump it out or should I wait a few seconds or minutes before I dump the water? Which sand is better, white or black? Is there a certain kind I should get? I know not to get the Argos play sand

 

[This Old Spouse]

now when you say replace the water does that mean after a few good stirs that I should just dump it out or should I wait a few seconds or minutes before I dump the water? Which sand is better, white or black? Is there a certain kind I should get? I know not to get the Argos play sand

Fill a 5g bucket half full of sand. Take it outside and run the hose in it. Keep stirring and stirring and keep the bucket at an angle so the water slowly pours out, taking the dust with it. Shove the hose down into the sand and stir it that way too. Keep doing this until the water runs clear. Then take a break and do it again.

White or black doesn't matter.

Why not get Argos Play Sand? Lots and lots of people do. Nothing wrong with it.

 

[shi24137]

I've been reading a lot that it has something in it that makes the fish really ill. I have a 60gal tank, about how many bags of sand will I need?

 

[Dieses Madchen]

now when you say replace the water does that mean after a few good stirs that I should just dump it out or should I wait a few seconds or minutes before I dump the water? Which sand is better, white or black? Is there a certain kind I should get? I know not to get the Argos play sand

argos play sand works great actually. I have it my tanks.

 

[This Old Spouse]

Lots and lots and LOTS of people on this forum use Argos Play Sand with no problems. I use another brand of play sand, no problems. You'll only need a bag or two.

 

[guppi]

Just gone back to gravel, Just fed up looking at the poo all the time I was cleaning the sand every day.

 

[fluttermoth]

I have sand in most of my tanks as I have cories and loaches that I honestly believe need a sand substrate to be 'happy' (I guess by 'happy' I mean 'being able to exhibit their natural behaviour patterns').

Yes, you do get some poo on the surface, but it's the fish's wellbeing that should come before looks; it is their house after all, not yours! I don't think anyone would be very happy letting their fish choose the living room carpet

 

[This Old Spouse]

Just gone back to gravel, Just fed up looking at the poo all the time I was cleaning the sand every day.

Do you have a pleco?

 

[guppi]

I don't have any bottom living fish, nearest is a pair of Otocinclus.