sand

[MPETERS]

Hi All,

Well I new to discus and am setting up my first tank. It will be several months before it is up as I have to buy a lot.

I have keep several reef tanks and used a fine sand for a live sand bed. I don't understand how you vaccum sand in a discus tank. Doesn't it make a mess when you try??

Thanks,

Mike

[dbfzurowski]

I just stir the crap out of it before I drain my water. The sand gets super dirty and so does the water. Its easy when you have nothing on the bottom besides sand.

[judy]

First, you don't use the sand you would put in a reef tank. Buy swimming pool filter sand. It's the perfect consistency and grain, and won't leach minerals and calcium into the discus tank.
When vacuuming the sand, you gently swirl the vacuum tube about an inch above the sand, at about a 45 degree angle, and the sand will stay put while any garbage on it comes up. Takes a bit of practice, but is easy to do once you get the hang of it.
Or you just go with a barebottom tank. Even easier to vacuum.

[Coffee1stLife2nd]

First, you don't use the sand you would put in a reef tank. Buy swimming pool filter sand. It's the perfect consistency and grain, and won't leach minerals and calcium into the discus tank.
When vacuuming the sand, you gently swirl the vacuum tube about an inch above the sand, at about a 45 degree angle, and the sand will stay put while any garbage on it comes up. Takes a bit of practice, but is easy to do once you get the hang of it.
Or you just go with a barebottom tank. Even easier to vacuum.

with the pool filter sand???? Do you just go to any pool and spa shop and ask for the sand OR is there a certain type to ask for??? how do we know if what they carry for sand is ok to use in Discus tank??? thanks??? Sorry to jump on your thread Mike...hope its ok??? Tina....

[x2h]

with the pool filter sand???? Do you just go to any pool and spa shop and ask for the sand OR is there a certain type to ask for??? how do we know if what they carry for sand is ok to use in Discus tank??? thanks??? Sorry to jump on your thread Mike...hope its ok??? Tina....

i bought my pool filter sand at a pool supply store called Leslie's. It's a chain store, so hopefully there's on in your area. This sand is coarse and does not float. There's probably only one kind, since they didn't ask me which kind I want. Vacuuming is easy like mentioned above.

[judy]

any pool store carries it, and it's all pretty much identical. sometimes it's more a sand colour, sometimes its is whiter. Tons of people use it in their tanks with no problems at all.

[lipadj46]

+1 you want course sand like pfs. It does not go anaerobic as easily as fine sand and you just run your gravel vac over the top of it and suck up the poop and stuff on the surface

[DonMD]

Leslie's pool filter sand for sure. And while I use the "float above the sand" vacuum method regularly, about every 2 weeks I stick the python down in the sand, it comes about a quarter way up the tube, then I tilt the tube at a 45 angle, and the sand slides out. The junk from that area keeps going up the python. It's a way of cleaning out the bed, but not really needed probably.

[MPETERS]

Hi,

Wow!!!!! Thanks for all the great answers, they sure answer the question. There is a Leslie's about two miles from me I will stop in and get some sand.

Tina, don't worry about "jumping" we are all here to learn.

Thanks again for all the help.

Mike

[lane mechtel]

I made the change to pfs 6 months ago and i love it. I keep it about 1/2" deep and just stir it up when i do water changes. the only downside I have to be careful not to scratch the glass.hope this helps.

[JEC11718]

Pool sand is very cheap here in Florida!

[Coffee1stLife2nd]

Great Help...Thanks All....

[MPETERS]

Hi All,

Thanks for all the advise. I went to Leslie's to pick up the sand and to my surprise they didn't have any!! They are going in to bring me in so.

Again thanks for all the advise.

Mike

[TURQ64]

with the pool filter sand???? Do you just go to any pool and spa shop and ask for the sand OR is there a certain type to ask for??? how do we know if what they carry for sand is ok to use in Discus tank??? thanks??? Sorry to jump on your thread Mike...hope its ok??? Tina....

Miller's Farm and fleet..PFS in white, dug in N.Dakota..(local suppliers vary accross the county; no one ships cheap sand very far)...

[MPETERS]

Thanks, I have already ordered and paid for the sand from the local store. I am in no rush to get it as I have a ton of things to set up the tank before I even put the sand in.

Mike