pavestone pool filter sand

[morillonj]

can i put this in my discus tank?? it had no ingredients in it or anything. but is it safe to use??

[morillonj]

well ive read that its safe. hopefully the source was right.

[DonMD]

I use, and many Simply members use pool filter sand. Don't know about "pavestone" though.

[morillonj]

yea i think its ok. i must have cleaned my sand real good because it actually settled in a couple of minutes. no cloud what so ever. ill post a pic of the tank later. does pool filter sand alter ph??

[halo_demo]

Pavestone Pool Filter Sand is ok. My tank has it in there and everyone is doing good. Just be sure to rinse any sand you get out well. This type doesn't take too long to get ready though.

[morillonj]

thanks for the reply. i was thinking nobody uses it. it did make my tank water look brown after a couple of days so i did a water change and my tank looks clear now. ima see if i have to do another water change again just to get the color out.

[Discus master]

thanks for the reply. i was thinking nobody uses it. it did make my tank water look brown after a couple of days so i did a water change and my tank looks clear now. ima see if i have to do another water change again just to get the color out.

I like pool filter sand because well first of all it is cheap 8 bucks for a 50lbs bag. That and pool filter sand is pretty clean to begin with, probably becasue it is made for use in a sand filter for a pool that want it as clean as poosible in the first place. It would be like selling you dirty carbon or better yet a dirty filter floss or cartridge dose not make much sense does it? Also it did not take long to clean out and it is inert it nothing harmful at all it will not do thing to the chemistry of the water. I put about 20lbs of it in a large 5 gallon buckett I think sat it in my swer ran a hose from the shower attachment which I have for changing water and shoved it in the bottom ran the water on high went smoked a cigertet and when I cam back the water was crystal lear then I scoped it out with a plastic cup (after draining excess water) sat the buckett next to the aquarium and began to slowly place it in with the cup method and I did it slow to keep the clouds down there was known to speak of it setteled very fast kept this pace as well not to spook the discus. They loved it I could tell a diference within ten minutes in their behaviour they were much more lively I guess they did not like seeing there refection. Often times in a bare bottom tank they can see there refelction and you can get head standers s they are looking down at them selves looking at them selves thinking its another fish, if you have a BB make sure its sitting on soemthing that will cover the bottom panel from the bottom at least to eliminate this luckly my tank stand had a wood pice that coverd about 98% of the bottom panel. I know thats a little of topic bottm note worthy I supose. But yeah so many reason for pool sand i was worried it would make my discus looked washed out but actually it brought ou their colors the sand is not white its like a tan with some darker granuals in it looks very natural and as long as you do not disturb it to much the debris fish waste and un eaten food generally sits on top un like gravel where it can get traped deep into the substrate so its easy to skim the top and suck it out just like having a BB well almost.

[morillonj]

thanks discus master. did it make your tank dirty after like 4 days. cause mine threw like a brownish color and i had to do a water change. maybe the sand was colored or something. idk.

[Discus master]

thanks discus master. did it make your tank dirty after like 4 days. cause mine threw like a brownish color and i had to do a water change. maybe the sand was colored or something. idk.

no pool filter sand is very clean it did not do anything at all to my tank water nothing I did rinse it out well but it did not do anythuing and it seteled rite away, I know nothing about the stuff you used but if others used it you shud be ok. how are the fish acting now? if it does not get better or is it now? I would get rid of it and buy a bag of the pool filter sand 8 bucks for a 50lbs bag and you can get it any where above ground pools are sold.

[Discus master]

thanks discus master. did it make your tank dirty after like 4 days. cause mine threw like a brownish color and i had to do a water change. maybe the sand was colored or something. idk.

did some reaserch for you on some other forums from wht I read as long as it was the silica pool filter sand you r good to go and most likely you just did not rinse it enough thats what I read i rinsed the heck out of mine so ou can either vacum the crap out of it untill your water is finally clean or take it all out and rinse it all over again that would suck!!! though

[DonMD]

I just added sand recently to my tank. One day of somewhat cloudy water, but with the regular water changes that I do, it's as clear as a bell now.

[halo_demo]

I had trouble with sand before I used this.. I only rinsed until it was clear, but you should always rinse, agetate (sp?) and repeat.. if you mix it well while rinsing, it can be poured in the tank and it won't get cloudy at all.. Mine dropped in and the water stayed crystal clear. of course all my experimenting was pre discus, but if you ever have a problem with the sand.. rinse, fill a 2 or 3L bottle with rinsed sand, cap the bottle place it in the tank upside down (with at least enough water to submerse the bottle) open the bottle and let the sand pour out.. it's pretty cool, the cloudiness fills the bottle and you get nice sand and clean looking water. there is a youtube video somewhere, I can't look it up from work but.. yeah.

[Naexus]

... but if you ever have a problem with the sand.. rinse, fill a 2 or 3L bottle with rinsed sand, cap the bottle place it in the tank upside down (with at least enough water to submerse the bottle) open the bottle and let the sand pour out.. it's pretty cool, the cloudiness fills the bottle and you get nice sand and clean looking water. there is a youtube video somewhere, I can't look it up from work but.. yeah.

Found it for you, looks like it would take forever on a big tank but looks pretty effective.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-XB0bwtZh8

[halo_demo]

It did take awhile on my 60g, but IMO it was well worth not having a cloudy tank for a few days. Regardless the pool filter sand, if rinsed properly, will not need such headaches.

[Discus master]

It did take awhile on my 60g, but IMO it was well worth not having a cloudy tank for a few days. Regardless the pool filter sand, if rinsed properly, will not need such headaches.

When I rinsed mine I moved the hose around and deep into and out of the sand for about 15 minuets and that took care of it maybe thats why I had such good luck with it?

[halo_demo]

Possibly. I did the bucket thing outdoors.. I hand mixed the sand as I rinsed, then dumped the water once the bucket was full.. didn't take long at all until the pool filter sand was clear.