sand

[mcsinny99]

What is the best sand substrate to use in a discus tank? I have around 200 lbs of playsand sitting in my garage...

[kenhappen2u]

sillica sand ...or pool filter sand

[DiscusDreamer]

Play sand will work too, thats what i use...

[CraigG]

I use torpedo beach sand and it seems to be working for my Discus/Planted tank.

[OIF03VET]

I got silica sand/pool filter sand from Leslies pool supply. $10 for 50lbs. I used about 75lbs in my 100 gallon. Its about 2in deep. It took forever to rinse it, that would be my only complaint. It look grey before I got it into the tank and turned the lights on. It is beautiful. All the poop and uneaten food (if there ever is any) stays right on top so cleaning the tank is almost as easy as a bare bottom. I love it.

[katt-ja]

sillica sand ...or pool filter sand

i agree

[FilmAddict81]

How does one properly clean sand? Gravel vac?

[CraigG]

How does one properly clean sand? Gravel vac?

when first putting it in the tank or during water changes?

[FilmAddict81]

how do you prepare to put it in your tank and then how do you clean it once it is in there?

[CraigG]

how do you prepare to put it in your tank and then how do you clean it once it is in there?

There are a few types of sand. Some of them don't require rinsing some do. Mine did the way I cleaned it before it went in the tank was purchase a 5 gallon bucket poured the sand into the bucket. Turned on the faucet rinsed the water poured it out and repeated this til the water was clean in the bucket. At first the water was greyish. Did this all in my tub since I live in an apartment.

Don't need to do any cleaning on the sand when its in the tank. I have a siphon with a nozzle control and I just control the flow so it doesn't suck up the sand.

Really don't have to do any cleaning on it since all the waste and extra food stay on the top. I just like to mix the sand around to get rid of the bad pockets that I heard can build up with sand.

[mcsinny99]

What is a good way to test it for jacking up ph?

[kenhappen2u]

What is a good way to test it for jacking up ph?

if you use silica sand or pool filter sand you wont need to test ....its when you get other types of sand and mixtures that you dont always know what your getting along with your sand ,

Ken

[CraigG]

What is a good way to test it for jacking up ph?

As Ken said you don't need to test it but if you haven't cycled your aquarium that you are adding the sand to you and you want to test it. You could just do a pH test after you add it.

If your adding it to an established tank just put some sand in a container with your established aquarium water and give it 24 hours and test it.

[Apistomaster]

Sand should be periodically cleaned in place using the HydroVac type siphons or water changers.
The sand does become loaded with bacterial growth and these die. In deep layers of fine sand, oxygen depletion can shift the types of bacteria from the oxygen using to those that are chemoautotrophs and are driven by a sulfur economy. These bacteria can form pockets within the sand that produce deadly hydrogen sulfide as a metabolic byproduct.
Regular vacuuming the crud out of the sand helps keep it from forming these dead zones.

As a general rule, the finer the sand, the thinner it should be used. Playsand and pool sands should generally not be deeper than 2 inches. The deeper you go with the sand, the more important regular HydroVac'ing it becomes. It will not be immediately apparent that problems are developing so vacuum the sand about once a month. Most rooted plants will tolerate this as you allow the cleaned sand to fall back in place but large show plants are often best planted in a pot that can be embedded in the sand and allows the economic use of expensive plant substrates. Fertilizers should be time released and pots confine the fertilizer within the plant's pot.

[grandrapids9]

Hi, does anyone know if you can use reef sand, either white or black. My local fish shop sells pre washed sand at a whopping 70 cents a pound. I tried play sand several years ago from the lumber yard, and wow that was the strongest algae bloom ever in my koi tank.

The reef sand does not contain any crushed coral - so it should be safe? Or am I missing something.

[CraigG]

Hi, does anyone know if you can use reef sand, either white or black. My local fish shop sells pre washed sand at a whopping 70 cents a pound. I tried play sand several years ago from the lumber yard, and wow that was the strongest algae bloom ever in my koi tank.

The reef sand does not contain any crushed coral - so it should be safe? Or am I missing something.

I may be wrong but when I had a reef set up the sand I used was in a bag with salt water as well. If it does I personally don't think it would be great for the Discus, but I don't know 100% just my opinon.

[plecocicho]

Reef sand is very high in calcium, so it will make a stabile hard water in your tank. It is suitable for salwater tank not discus tank.