Worried About Sand

[Mark Z.]

I am preparing to add Home Depot play sand to my 55-gallon aquarium this weekend and I'm a little worried.
 
I started cleaning the sand in a 5-gallon bucket and the water never seemed to clear up! I stopped cleaning it because I was afraid of getting too much sand down the drain. Tomorrow I will work on it outside with the hose.
 
Even after sitting still in the bucket for 24 hours, the water is still very cloudy. Will my tank water get cloudy every time a fish darts quickly around the bottom?
 
From everything that I have read, play sand should be fine to use. Can anyone reassure me??? I'm having my doubts. I have never had sand before.
 
I got a sponge prefilter for my canister filter and am hoping that will prevent the sand from getting sucked in. I am planning on the sand to be no more than an inch deep. My plants will be aunubias attached to driftwood.
 
Any suggestions?
 
Thanks,
Mark
 
 

 

[NickAu]

How to clean new aquariumsand the easy way.
 
https/www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-XB0bwtZh8

 

[BaylorPerez]

i had cleaned some play sand as well. i didnt clean it as well as i thought i did (maybe 2-3 times in a bucket), but when i added it to my tank it did become cloudy, but after a couple of hours the "dust" settled, and i havent had any of that dust come off when my corys dig into the sand or splash around in the sand.
 
But i got mine from acehardware

 

[Mark Z.]

I like the sand in that video, Nick!
 
I have been watching videos and I like the look of pool filter sand. Maybe I will get that instead of the play sand.
 
Mark

 

[BaylorPerez]

it does depend on how fine the sand is, also depends on the type of fish you want to have in the tank, what fish are you trying to have with the sand substrate

 

[Mark Z.]

Cories and an altifrons hecklii.

 

[Akasha72]

How to clean new aquariumsand the easy way.
 
https/www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-XB0bwtZh8
 

 
It'd take a long time if you were doing a 15 kilo bag!! 

 
Some sands clean up quite quickly, others take ages. I remember having one bag of play sand that was full of little black bits and that took forever to clean. You've just got to get your hand in and get it stirring round in the bucket to bring the crap to the surface and then pour that off. Perseverence is the key

 

[NickAu]

 
It'd take a long time if you were doing a 15 kilo bag!! 

True I estimate about 16 or so bottles, but whats better spending a few minutes more adding the sand or all those floaty bits? With the bottle method all that stays in the bottle.

 

[Byron]

That video is interesting, I must try that next time.  
 
But to your initial question, Mark, don't go overboard with the rinsing.  I have used Quikrete Play Sand (from Home Depot) in 8 tanks, and I place about five or six cups of the sand in a bucket, and rinse it six times.  The water is still somewhat cloudy.  After adding all the rinsed sand to the empty tank, I arrange the hardscape, add some water (not full), then siphon this off.  Sometimes I do the same after planting if it has really clouded up.  Running the water for the final filling into a bowl or similar will avoid stirring up the sand.  It may take a few days or more, but it will clear.
 
The bottom feeders will stir things up when feeding together (meaning, when you put in food, not all the time), but I saw this with gravel too.
 
Byron.

 

[Mark Z.]

Thanks!
 
I was passing by the pool supply place today, and the owner gave me a 5-lb bag of pool sand for $6. So, I may use that or mix the two together. I like the look of the pool sand.
 
Mark

 

[BaylorPerez]

Pool sand/quickrete/aquarium sand, works but as i said it depends on the fineness of the sand, as cories will sift the sand through their gills, so it shouldnt contain any large particles or sharp particles that could potentially harm the cories and their gills. 

 

[Byron]

Thanks!
 
I was passing by the pool supply place today, and the owner gave me a 5-lb bag of pool sand for $6. So, I may use that or mix the two together. I like the look of the pool sand.
 
Mark

 
Be careful here.  Mixing different types of substrate generally does not work, visually.  If you want a natural aquascape for the fish, stay with the play sand.
 
Pool sand is generally white, and this is not at all good in an aquarium.  I know many use this, but that doesn't make it a good substrate.  For the fish, it is completely un-natural, and it can cause issues.

 

[Mark Z.]

The pool sand that I got (it is in a clear bag) is almost the same color as the play sand (tan), except that where the play sand is all one color, the pool sand has slightly different shades, which is why I like the look of it better. It is a little courser. I wasn't even going to consider it if it was white.
 
I probably won't mix it. I think there will be enough for the whole tank if i choose to use it.

 

[Byron]

The pool sand that I got (it is in a clear bag) is almost the same color as the play sand (tan), except that where the play sand is all one color, the pool sand has slightly different shades, which is why I like the look of it better. It is a little courser. I wasn't even going to consider it if it was white.
 
I probably won't mix it. I think there will be enough for the whole tank if i choose to use it.

 
This is interesting, about the play sand.  The Quikrete Play Sand I get here is dark when dry, a mix of black, grey, white and buff/tan.  When under water and with the tank lighting, it lightens but viewed from above is still on the dark side.  I've heard elsewhere about the tan-coloured Quikrete.  Maybe they use relatively local rock to process into their sands, and thus the different shades depending where one is in NA.
 
Just make sure the pool sand is not rough.  Colour sounds ideal.  Hold some of the play sand in one hand and the pool sand in the other, and see if you can detect any difference.  The great benefit of play sand s that it is refined more than any other type of sand to achieve the smoothness.
 
Byron.

 

[RainboWBacoN420]

That video is amazing. Never thought of that technique. I feel so stupid now...