# Sand Substrate?



## Corykit (Apr 16, 2010)

Hey folks! I am doing some renovations on my 10 gallon which consists of one betta, neon tetras, and cory cats. I read that a sand substrate is great for corys, but how would it affect the other guys? I also have some live plants in there. I also read that play sand could be used, and my dad has some lying around in his garage labeled: Sakrete play sand, "screened and washed". But I don't know many sand brands and it says to be only used for play sand only. So if sand is okay, what kinds of brands should I go for? I assume sand in the pet store is a no go since they are for ocean aquariums.


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## SaylorKennedy (Aug 11, 2009)

Yes, sand is okay for each of your fish. My betta personally like laying on mine. I'm pretty sure most play sands are fine. I got mine at Menard's. Just make sure you wash it really well. There are some sands at that pet stores sell for freshwater aquariums, the only problem is that they're $20 a bag. I know Caribsea Tahitian Moon Sand (black) and Caribsea Moonlight (white) are sold at Petsmart. If you don't feel like shelling out the cash, though, play sand works fine.


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## Hadouken441 (Jan 27, 2010)

Play sand is fine. Just wash it LOTS. Wash it untill you think it looks clear and wash it 10 more times. Well worth the effort though. Looks better IMO. And sand is ok for everyone I dont see why it wouldnt


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## Corykit (Apr 16, 2010)

Thanks for clearing that up! The petsmart sand is pricey, but looks nice. I think I'll go with some play sand for now, washing it a few hundred times sounds fun!


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## Narnian (Mar 20, 2010)

Those of you who have sand, do you find it easier or harder then gravel? I'm curious how you siphon without sucking too much up, and MOSTLY how you don't end up with grains in your filter that grind and ruin it?

I'm also paranoid of one grain getting on the acrylic front and scraping when I wipe algae. ACK


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## TigerLily (Sep 17, 2009)

I have used sand before in different tanks and I love it. When I go to siphon the tank, I simply hold the siphon just above the sand and it picks up the debris and whatnot without picking up extra sand. 

As long as your filter intake isn't too close to the floor of your aquarium, I don't see there being any problem. I've never had sand get sucked up into a filter before, even when running a large filter on a smaller tank.


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## Narnian (Mar 20, 2010)

Thanks Tigerlily. And one more question (sorry to hi-jack this thread):

It's true that sand needs to be "stirred up" every so often to prevent gasses from building up underneath, correct? Like.....how often? (and I'm guessing I would shut the filter off while doing this? Lol.


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## TigerLily (Sep 17, 2009)

Hmm, That I'm not very sure about. My sand tanks usually have fake plants and so I rearrange them pretty often anyway since I don't have to worry about uprooting anything.
But yes, I do turn the filter off when I know I'll be kicking up dust storms.


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## Narnian (Mar 20, 2010)

Thank you!


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## Tinthalas Tigris (Jan 28, 2010)

My current setup is Generic Kitty LItter (Laterite) on the bottom, and playsand up top. 

The Kitty Litter I purchased from Stater Brothers Grocery Store, and the playsand I purchased from the Cement bagging area at Home Depot.

It was the least expensive substrate I have ever purchased, and it is the substrate I am more satisfied with after only previously using the colored gravel substrates sold at LFS.

With Hadouken, I recommend washing the sand at least until it is completely clean, and then washing it 10 more times. Rinse it with treated water, or old tank water. I wouldn't recommend clorine getting in there.

I've only had my tank setup in this way for 10 days, so I don't know yet how my plants like it, but my _fish_ and shrimp _love_ it. They have a great time digging through it and grinding through it, and with a fine particulate sand, shrimp can properly go digging through it and making their own burrows and breeding.


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## Hadouken441 (Jan 27, 2010)

Kitty litter is amazing for plants. I just didnt do it haha.

I dont even bother with the whole stirring up thing. I have heard that fish die from it but I never stirred my sand up.


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## Tinthalas Tigris (Jan 28, 2010)

It is a little ironic. The same local aquscape forum for southern california residents that I am a member of and read of instances using Kitty Litter with such great success, I posted I was using Kitty Litter in my new setup. 

Almost immediately after posting, there were more responses on my one that kitty litter was a bad idea and that after 1 or two years it fails as a substrate (most responses insist that it will turn to muck), than there were in any of the existing praises that lead me to believe that I was making a good decision in choosing it.

So far my kitty litter tank is wonderful. Fish responding great, and an awesome anchor platform to shape the playsand above it without it settling forward against the hill I gave it. Exactly what I wanted out of it. 

It is going to be about 2 more weeks before I can gauge any results against my rooted plants in the kitty litter than those I have left in the artificial gravel tank, but I am satisfied with the setup.

If it turns to muck in a year, or two years, I won't consider it a failure. I'll just have to start from scratch. It might be messy, but big deal. I take anything like that in stride and learn from it, and rebuild. 

I do highly recommend the playsand for anyone interested in pursuing that sort of natural look.

It is extremely low budget, and very natural looking. Rinsing is the only very necessary thing to keep in mind. 

A good power filter will clean up anything else that looks bad from dusty water rather quickly. So it is just important to keep an eye on the power filter if you don't rinse it enough and your water becomes cloudy; just maker sure to occaisonally (at least once a week) dismantle the filter, rinse it in changed aquarium water, give it a good scrubbing with a dedicated aquarium brush, and it will be fine. It might cut the light of the mechanical filter by a bit, but with proper maintenance it might even improve the over all capacities of the filter, similar to DE in a pool filter.


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## s3kshun62 (Apr 15, 2010)

I have sand in both of my tanks. Wash, wash, wash, and then wash some more. When you think you're done washing, wash two more times. Its a lot of work and it sticks to just about everything but it is totally worth it. Just be careful with a siphon. Stay above the substrate, so you dont suck it all up. Every once in a while, use a wooden dowel to kinda, break up any chunks in the water. Sand may compact and choke live plants. Other than that...it looks cleaner and better than gravel imo.


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## Welsh (Apr 13, 2010)

Hi. I am thinking about putting play sand in my 12 gallon, I have heard so many horror stories about it breaking the filter, that I'm sceptical. How easy is the sand to maintain? I have live plants and there are often dead leaves floating on the bottom, but with the sand your going to see all the fish waste and food. I don't see how you can properly clean the sand without siphoning the sand up. The bag I have found is 15kg so how many of these would I need for a 12 gallon? Sorry to hijack =) lol


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## ldempsey (May 2, 2010)

Corykit said:


> ...I think I'll go with some play sand for now, washing it a few hundred times sounds fun!


Hey, what did you do this weekend? ... I washed sand for 3 hours. Good times!


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## Hopeful (Dec 27, 2009)

You know I never even thought about putting sand in my tanks! I really like this idea! I hate the way gravel looks I have smooth black river rock in my tank currently. I think I'll switch then when I get all my real plants every thing should be good!


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## Welsh (Apr 13, 2010)

I never thought about it either, although I hear sand is quite difficult to keep clean unlike gravel.


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