Pool Filter sand

[Crossfire636]

Hello everyone,
I am changing over from black eco complete to pool filter sand. I am going down tomorrow to get some sand but i want to know if there is anything i should watch out for. Thank you

[Crossfire636]

also, anyone having trouble keeping white sand clean?

[rickztahone]

i have read that algae on the top layer of the sand can be a problem but you can just vac that. also, are you planning on having a planted tank? if so, i was going to recommend leaving the eco complete under the sand so the roots get more nutrients from the soil. this is just in my opinion of course and do not know what you plan on doing with this tank.

[Crossfire636]

i have read that algae on the top layer of the sand can be a problem but you can just vac that. also, are you planning on having a planted tank? if so, i was going to recommend leaving the eco complete under the sand so the roots get more nutrients from the soil. this is just in my opinion of course and do not know what you plan on doing with this tank.

Yeah I have plants. Maybe ill leave a 1/2 inch of soil under the filter sand. I just hope it doesnt mix. Thank you

[rickztahone]

that is honestly my concern as well but im weary about just sand as substrate for plants. it might not have enough to support many medium requirement plants. either way i do plan on doing an eco complete bottom but im not sure what would be a good ratio eg. 1" eco layer under 2" PFS layer. im just not sure if a 1" layer is enough for plants. i will have to research that further

[GrillMaster]

Using pool filter sand is no problem as long as you treat the plants that will be living in it. Swords and vals, just put fert tabs under the roots. Any plants that uptake ferts through the water column will be fine if dosed correctly according to the lighting you have. :)

Pool filter sand is easy to clean cause everything lays on top of it. Just vac it out when ya do WC's.

[Crossfire636]

My tank is def low tech but i would like a lighter substrate. Its a big job and i just want to know i am making the right decision before i make a move.

[Crossfire636]

How much brighter will the discus look with lighter sand. Does anyone have a before and after pic.

[cfi on the fly]

I went from natural color gravel to pool filter sand. Yes, the discus will definately lighten in color with the white sand.

[pinkjello]

Just putting my two cents in...:D

I found the sand was hard to clean because my cleaner pump would suck it up if i tried to put the pump in further then the top layer. When you add water after you do a water change the sand spreads everywhere - and I had a big bowl in there to help stop that, but it kept happening.

I went to bare bottom again after that. Couldnt stand watching my discus choke...

[cyberhog05]

Go to a masonry shop and get the larger grained silica sand. Im sure a pool supply store will have it as well. What ever you do dont buy the fine grained stuff. The larger grained sand WILL NOT blow everywhere in you tank. It just makes a depression where the water hits it during wc's. It will still get sucked up into a python but that is controlled by how far you dig in, raise the python up from the bottom and it falls back out. I have been using it for a while now. My wife bought the crap from lowes or Home depot. She has ruined a couple HOB filters from the sand getting sucked in from fish frolicking. She now has pea gravel over her crap sand in her angel tank. Which looks pretty good and was also cheap.

[Harriett]

Ditto Jared and MArk's comments,
Don't buy the really fine pool sand, get the little bit courser pool [silica] sand. It is well behaved--****when you put the python into the substrate, IF you are at a 90 degree angle it WILL shoot up into the tube more quickly and be less controlled. IF you put it in at an angle, it doesn't shoot up like that. ALso, remember to keep the python at an angle when you take it out of the actual sand and the grains will drift out immediately to the area--if you take it out of the sand at the 90 degree angle, it will continue to be sucked into the hose, but quicker. You have to learn how to manage it but it is easy. Once you understand it, you will not have any trouble. My sand is about 4" deep and I lose very very little. You have to pay attention while you are cleaning it, is all. Well worth it. Pool sand is inert and you will need to fertilize your plants. Plants root very well in silica sand, I have found.. My experience with layers of different substrates is that it is eventually all going to get mixed together...so assume that eventuality and if that prospect doesn't appeal to you, figure out which thing you are going to use.
Best regards,
Harriett

[pinkjello]

i should have posted a query about this when i was having problems..

One question, how does one stop the sand from blowing everywhere upon a water change? I put a large bowl in the tank and the sand still blew everywhere. Also, even trying all angles the sand still seeped into my bucket with the water changes.

[cyberhog05]

Sounds like you use a python to drain and buckets to fill? If you are using buckets can you figure a way to get the buckets above the tank...maybe set them on a corner of the tank and use you python to drain the water back in, or maybe get a submersible pump to pump it back in.

I am assuming you have a really fine grained sand. IMO it is not necessary to dig in really deep when you have a fine grained sand because not much can penetrate down into it. If you are losing sand which is no big deal just add more to the top of the existing sand. I found out if you put sand in a large bowl and get it wet and then put the bowl in the tank and dump it out inside on the bottom you can minimize the amount that floats around. Or suck out your fine grained sand over time and replace with a coarser grade.

[Harriett]

Jarred, the only thing I want to add is that if you ONLY vacuum the surface of the sand, eventually you will likely get anaerobic pockets in the compacted substrate which will result is a stinky bacterial situation. You need to have some way to stir up the sand occasionally [I do this with my weekly python vacuuming] and get deep into the substrate. If you hold the python at an angle, the sand will just drop straight down.

'Pinkjello' [do you have a name? LOL] I think you must have the really really fine sand--it's going to continue to blow around. The slightly courser pool sand is an entirely different situation and a breeze to keep clean and to vacuum. I know it's a lot of work but in this case I would change it out. You will be so glad you did....sounds like it will just get sucked out over time anyhow and drive you nuts.
Best regards,
Harriett

[pinkjello]

lol, my name is Gwynneth. :D

I actually took all the white sand out..i had babies in the tank and it worried me too much to continue having the sand blow around. I was SO looking forward to the "look" of it too..

my bigger tank has bigger reg fish rock in it, and it works great..its easy to clean and because its natural looking you cant see the poop..so it looks good all the time and i left this tank with a bare bottom now. I had a heck of a time cleaning out the tank tho and i was cursing the whole time lol!

Its too bad that playing around with different things costs money :p

[cyberhog05]

Jarred, the only thing I want to add is that if you ONLY vacuum the surface of the sand, eventually you will likely get anaerobic pockets in the compacted substrate which will result is a stinky bacterial situation. You need to have some way to stir up the sand occasionally [I do this with my weekly python vacuuming] and get deep into the substrate. If you hold the python at an angle, the sand will just drop straight down.

'Pinkjello' [do you have a name? LOL] I think you must have the really really fine sand--it's going to continue to blow around. The slightly courser pool sand is an entirely different situation and a breeze to keep clean and to vacuum. I know it's a lot of work but in this case I would change it out. You will be so glad you did....sounds like it will just get sucked out over time anyhow and drive you nuts.
Best regards,
Harriett

I agree 100% Harriet. I have MTS and as you know they are excellent substrate sifters. Having over a hundred they do a wonderful job. But I know it probably isnt sufficient so maybe once a month I really dig down in the sand to tumble it up. The sand I use is more like tiny gravel. The screen used to filter it from other sands makes the sand be about 1.16mm in dia. so it lets the air pockets out pretty easily.

[rickztahone]

sry to step on your thread OP but i'm having a difficult time finding some pool filter sand anywhere. i went to two pool places plus home depot and none had any. HD had the kids play sand but I remember someone saying it was too fine or something. anyone know where else i might get it? i might try Lowe's next

[cyberhog05]

Any masonry shop has it and they will have it in different grades/sizes or call a place that does sand blasting. They will have it or know where to get it.

[rickztahone]

Any masonry shop has it and they will have it in different grades/sizes or call a place that does sand blasting. They will have it or know where to get it.

thank you Jarred, now to find one close to me :p

[cyberhog05]

I live in Montana...pretty small town. If Its here its anywhere!!!:D

[rickztahone]

when i go to the masonry store do i just ask for pool filter sand or will they refer to it as something else? i'm tired of asking for something and people looking at me like i'm slow. is there a certain brand, or something along those lines that they would readily understand? would that sand-blasting sand be too fine for substrate?

[cyberhog05]

You are looking for Silica sand. In western montana we get silica sand from lane mtn co, its a company out of washington. I sent a guy in Canada looking for it and he found it. It is what our Home Depot carries just in the wrong grade or size. Here is a link to the site for Lane Mountain Company. It gives you an idea on how widely used silica sand is. If you click on the typical analysis link on the right side of the home page it tells a little bit about screen sizes used to get different grade/sizes. Good luck

http://www.lanemt.com/

[cyberhog05]

Not familiar with your area but these popped up for sand and gravel for Reseda Ca.
http://www.yellowpages.com/Reseda-CA/Sand-Gravel?expansion_factor=1&search_mode=any&search_terms=golf+coarse+sand

this one came up with a silica sand search
http://www.yellowpages.com/info-1793858/Arroyo-Building-Materials