Adding pool filter sand with fish in tank

[Dave's Discus]

Does anyone have experience adding pfs with fish in the tank? Any suggestions or cautions?

[strawberryblonde]

I add sand all the time, since I tend to siphon some of it out now and then. I use a pre-rinsed sand, so mine is easy peasy, but PFS isn't a whole lot differnt.

1) Put the sand in a 5 gallon bucket. Only fill the bucket 30-50% with sand. Now add water and stir well till it gets cloudy, then run water over it to rinse out the cloudy water and super fine sand particles. Continue filling with water, stirring, then rinsing till the water is clear. Then carefully pour out the water till you're left with wet sand.

Now use a cup, scoop or kids sand bucket to scoop up the sand and lower it into the tank. When you're close to the bottom of the tank, tip the cup and dump it in. When you've gotten an inch of sand into the tank let it sit and settle for 15 minutes, then do a 50% water change to remove any cloudiness. After that, just let it continue settling. The tank should be nice and clear in an hour or so. If it's not, do another 50% water change.

[discuspaul]

Dave, If you're using good quality quartz-based PFs obtained from a reliable pool supply store, it will probably be of around #20 - #30 grade density, and be pretty much free of dust/dirt/grime. This requires little or no rinsing, and can be slowly added to your discus tank using a plastic scoop/small shovel, allowing the sand to fall out when you're near the bottom of the tank. If you have any clouding at all, it will disappear very quickly.
I've done it many times over the years, with never any problem.

[DLFL]

Not sure about the type of pool sand I used but had to change the water several times as I did not rinse it. Discus did not seem to mind.

[judijetson]

I use Estes aqua sand, funnel it into an empty plastic water bottle (fill about 3/4) then place it into the tank let it fill with water then tip it over and pour where you want the sand. Usually I do this during my water change when when the water level is lower and the plastic bottle is about 40 ounces so it's easy to handle.

Sent from my Galaxy S3

[Dave's Discus]

Brilliant! Thanks!



I add sand all the time, since I tend to siphon some of it out now and then. I use a pre-rinsed sand, so mine is easy peasy, but PFS isn't a whole lot differnt.

1) Put the sand in a 5 gallon bucket. Only fill the bucket 30-50% with sand. Now add water and stir well till it gets cloudy, then run water over it to rinse out the cloudy water and super fine sand particles. Continue filling with water, stirring, then rinsing till the water is clear. Then carefully pour out the water till you're left with wet sand.

Now use a cup, scoop or kids sand bucket to scoop up the sand and lower it into the tank. When you're close to the bottom of the tank, tip the cup and dump it in. When you've gotten an inch of sand into the tank let it sit and settle for 15 minutes, then do a 50% water change to remove any cloudiness. After that, just let it continue settling. The tank should be nice and clear in an hour or so. If it's not, do another 50% water change.

[Dave's Discus]

Do you know anything about Quick Crete pfs from Lowes?


Dave, If you're using good quality quartz-based PFs obtained from a reliable pool supply store, it will probably be of around #20 - #30 grade density, and be pretty much free of dust/dirt/grime. This requires little or no rinsing, and can be slowly added to your discus tank using a plastic scoop/small shovel, allowing the sand to fall out when you're near the bottom of the tank. If you have any clouding at all, it will disappear very quickly.
I've done it many times over the years, with never any problem.

[discuspaul]

Do you know anything about Quick Crete pfs from Lowes?

Dave, all I can say with some certainty is: DON'T buy your PFS from a big box store - 'cause you never know what you're going to get. Buy PFS only from a reputable pool supply store.

[Dave's Discus]

Thanks Paul. I didn't waste too much on the bag I bought- $6-8. I'll just use it to fill holes in the yard.


Dave, all I can say with some certainty is: DON'T buy your PFS from a big box store - 'cause you never know what you're going to get. Buy PFS only from a reputable pool supply store.

[decoy50]

I've used Quickcrete PFS before - it is fish safe but even w/ ALOT of rinsing, it will cloud your water for a while. I tried a new brand when I set up a 125gal this weekend - HTH pool filter sand from Ace Hardware & it is great. I hardly had to rinse it at all! It was around $13 for 50lbs so it was a little more expensive, but worth it.

[tonytheboss1]

I've used Quickcrete PFS before - it is fish safe but even w/ ALOT of rinsing, it will cloud your water for a while. I tried a new brand when I set up a 125gal this weekend - HTH pool filter sand from Ace Hardware & it is great. I hardly had to rinse it at all! It was around $13 for 50lbs so it was a little more expensive, but worth it.

:thumbsup: Chose HTH from Ace when I switched over from planted. Great stuff. Minimum clouding. Add sand periodically to replace siphon loss. Plastic kids shovel a little at a time. "T"

[Dave's Discus]

I went ahead and used the Quick Crete brand using only 1/3 bucket and rinsing thoroughly until clean. Took about 5-10 minutes just to rinse it clean, but it went into the tank without any clouding. Turned off filters and pumps and put in about 1 cup at a time. Looks good. Thanks


:thumbsup: Chose HTH from Ace when I switched over from planted. Great stuff. Minimum clouding. Add sand periodically to replace siphon loss. Plastic kids shovel a little at a time. "T"

[Disgirl]

Here is a neat way to add sand. Get a long piece of pvc pipe, about 2" diameter or a bit more, have it long enough to reach to the bottom of the tank from the top. Now you can put the pipe where you want the sand and pour or drop the sand down the pipe and it will go just where you need it, and won't cloud the water at all. I have done it and it works.
Barb

[Dave's Discus]

Thanks Barb


Here is a neat way to add sand. Get a long piece of pvc pipe, about 2" diameter or a bit more, have it long enough to reach to the bottom of the tank from the top. Now you can put the pipe where you want the sand and pour or drop the sand down the pipe and it will go just where you need it, and won't cloud the water at all. I have done it and it works.
Barb