# Sand regrets!!



## aquarimum (Nov 24, 2011)

Had my tank filled for a short while and introduced a small number of fish. Everything is going good...ph levels, nitates/nitrates are as they should be, fish are seemingly happy too. My only regret is that after just a couple of days with the fish the sand (very light coloured) which I chose so carefully looks horrible. Fish poop stands out a mile and when I do a vacuum once a day it seems to take ages to settle again leaving the water looking cloudy for a while. I wish now I'd stuck to gravel. I really should have done my homework before I decided on sand...I hate it! Its only going to look worse the more fish that go in the tank  Only one good thing is that the fish seem to like it. Put some corys in and they are loving it! Does anyone have any kind words to make me feel better?


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

I have sand, and yea you can see poo on it, but fill it up with live plants and then you cant see as much of it!


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## aquarimum (Nov 24, 2011)

I have quite a few plants in already but I thought that it would make water changes and maintenance harder if I planted too many.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

More plants the better. When vac out poo and such, just hover over the sand not in the sand, It won't cloud like that.


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## miles (Nov 27, 2011)

Maybe you could mix something else with your sand, like a little bit of a similar but darker small gravel/coarse sand. So your result would be something like this (the substrate not the crab). That way it would sort of camouflage droppings and such.


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## aquarimum (Nov 24, 2011)

More plants it is then  Going to have to wait till the weekend though...will have to put up with the sight of fish poo till then lol.


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## iadubber (Nov 6, 2011)

I hate my PFS color too! I am adding as many plants as I can. I thought about draining and replacing with more expensive black sand but it wasn't worth it to me at the time.


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## williemcd (Jun 23, 2011)

are you talking about Pool Filter sand or Playground sand?.. PFS should NOT cloud your water once stirred.. Playground sand?.. In my opinion, should never be used in a tank.. It compacts and can create an anaerobic toxic dump. Bill in Va.


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## Alasse (Mar 12, 2009)

I have playsand in 2 tanks, both are planted, it doesnt cloud my water at all when stirred. I also do not get gas from it either. 

I like sand in that it does show mulm up, at least i know when it needs cleaning, gravel hides much, but then you dont notice it you dont clean it.

I do not vaccum where plants are, only the clear areas, and i hover over it, this pulls mulm off it. If i see it gathering in a spot, i use my turkey baster and just suck out the gunk that caught


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## williemcd (Jun 23, 2011)

Playground versus Pool Filter sand. You'll note I stated it can cause a toxic buildup of gases due to the inability for water/oxygen to permeate to the base of the substrate. When you are talking about 5 bucks for sand that doesn't go thru a quality control measure like the Pool Filter sand that does at a cost of 10 bucks.. the extra 5 bucks really doesn't seem to be that much of an investment considering the inhabitants and overall cost of the tanks. 
When vacuuming PFS... I'll jam my python into the substrate and the sand will rise about 1/2 up the tube and fall back... the mulm does gather around the bases of the plants and I can aggressively siphon that out without worry. For me?.. The 5 bucks extra for PFS is well worth the net return. Bill in Va.


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## Alasse (Mar 12, 2009)

I dont fertalize my plants so i WANT the mulm around the base of the plants. ANY sand can get gas build up, never had it with my playsand, but my course river sand i have (and it to can be syphoned, by digging in if needed)

What do you mean considering the inhabitants and cost of tanks?? Using playsand doesnt affect either. 

I can syphon my sand no issues, i dont get anything under the surface to need to syphon aggressively, it all sits nicely on top, easy to clean

But it is personal choice


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## williemcd (Jun 23, 2011)

Not intending to get into a debate.. but.. playground sand has NO quality control measures over it's packaging.. PFS on the other hand is sieved to a consistent granular size of between .45 - .55 mm. It is graded that way to ALLOW water to pass thru it hence it's application as a pool filter media. Playground sand on the other hand is now being cited in a number of lawsuits for PLAYGROUND use due to compaction!... My sole point is.. for a 55G tank, 2 bags at 2.50 (5.00) sand of very questionable safety to the inhabitants of the tank.. plus the plants... versus 10.00 for 50 lbs of a plant friendly and non-threatening media as far as anaerobic concerns.. the 5 dollars extra isn't or rather shouldn't be a concern. If ya wanna save $5.00 setting up a 55G tank, lets hope you're only keeping water in the tank!... 
If it works for you.. fine.. but for $5.00.. why encourage what can be a fish-killing environment... Bill in Va.


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## Alasse (Mar 12, 2009)

Because its not a fish killing enviroment.

It cost me $12/bag for the playsand. Maybe our sand is better quality than yours, it is screened and partly washed (it is damp in the bag)/ Maybe yours has no quality control.

We have not used playsand in playgrounds for many many years, not due to compaction so much but more it getting into eyes and causing eye injuries

Many Australian use playsand in their tanks with absolutely NO issue, so you saying playsand is BAD does not apply to everything.

This is an international forum yes?


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## williemcd (Jun 23, 2011)

Just offering a different perspective my friend.. just a different perspective... Oh.. I need not rinse a bit my PFS.... Lighthouse brand... Bill in va.


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## Alasse (Mar 12, 2009)

Well that because it is meant to go straight into pool filters *LOL*

Playsand is meant for sandpits, having it spotless for that would just be silly wouldnt it *LOL*


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## aquarimum (Nov 24, 2011)

OMG what a debate I started lol. Well my sand is proper aquarium sand I didnt know that you could use any other sort. Good idea to mix in a little darker colour Miles...camoflage is a good option. Alasse I love your turkey baster suggestion...Im gonna get one today  If I had the time and money I would change the sand for a dark coloured one. I really dont want to disturb my tank because apart from the sand issue everything is going good.


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## williemcd (Jun 23, 2011)

So in Au they don't use playground sand for playgrounds... hmm... I'm confused... What is this sand that is or rather isn't playground sand? Aqua sand... pool filter sand.... surely it cannot be Playground sand as it's no longer used in your locale!... Remember.. this is an international forum... ^&^&$% Bill in Va.


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## Alasse (Mar 12, 2009)

it is called Playground sand on the packaging...it is used for sandpits (not that many public one have them anymore due to the eye thing) Schools still have sandpits.
It USED to be used at the base of swings, slides, seesaws etc, it is not used for that application anymore or VERY rarely.
The bags i used is bought by people for PRIVATE (as in their own backyards) to use in sandpits

IT is Playground sand, definately NOT pool filter sand, nor Aqua sand (whatever that is *L*)

Sarcasm is not required, i can answer a question just by being asked normally?

I asked if it was international not to be funny or smart but because i have been a part of some forum that just are not interested in what other countries do


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## Alasse (Mar 12, 2009)

aquarimum said:


> OMG what a debate I started lol. Well my sand is proper aquarium sand I didnt know that you could use any other sort. Good idea to mix in a little darker colour Miles...camoflage is a good option. Alasse I love your turkey baster suggestion...Im gonna get one today  If I had the time and money I would change the sand for a dark coloured one. I really dont want to disturb my tank because apart from the sand issue everything is going good.


The turkey baster makes it so easy, i have my peppermint bristlenose colony on white playsand, i clean it with the turkey baster twice a day, takes a few minutes, then i top up the tank.


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

Gee

doesn't the snail bloom i always get eat the fish poop?

my .02


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## TypeYourTextHere (Apr 20, 2011)

Alasse said:


> I have playsand in 2 tanks, both are planted, it doesnt cloud my water at all when stirred. I also do not get gas from it either.
> 
> I like sand in that it does show mulm up, at least i know when it needs cleaning, gravel hides much, but then you dont notice it you dont clean it.
> 
> I do not vaccum where plants are, only the clear areas, and i hover over it, this pulls mulm off it. If i see it gathering in a spot, i use my turkey baster and just suck out the gunk that caught


I also love the turkey baster idea. I have been looking for a way to get all the crap out of my sand. I don't think my wife will like me ganking her kitchen ware though. It was only a dollar after all.


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## frogwings (Aug 26, 2011)

Sand/no sand, playground sand/aquarium sand, international/no international;
Aren't we fortunate we can express our ideas and preferences on this forum without the threat of recrimination! *W


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## FishFlow (Sep 13, 2011)

Excellent. I enjoyed this thread. I for one really enjoy hearing feedback no matter from what part of earth. 

Bill you make excellent points (Sarcasm not even needed). I have a bag of ps on the garage floor, now after reading this, I think I'll go find the illusive bag of pfs that no-one carries around here.. (or maybe I'll go with the safetsorb on the floor who knows.)

I am now a bit more curious about this trapped gas, and it must be different than the gas produced by decomposing dirt. My tank has alot of gas in the substrate(dirt) but so far no ill effects I've noticed.


I plan to have enough plants in the tank that you see very little of the sand. So I'll be like "What poo".  (well, that's the plan anyways.)


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## dirtydutch4x (Jun 16, 2009)

I have been using ps for well over a year and have also not experienced a livestock depletion due to gas. When I do my syphoning which is not often I attach a hair pick with long teeth to the end and give a poke or comb to the sand as I go along, so far so good, and I do realize that it may one day happen but for now I can say no problems or complaints with ps.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

I have used many types of sand through out the years, and have found with playsand, most of it depends on location and process that it goes through. Here they carry 2 types of playsand, I have tried both, the second type though I have found it to be treated and killed off a tank full of bns.

I have never had problems with play sand, but one thing that helps is to have plants that have good size root systems, like swords, and keep cories and loaches in the tanks. 

Pfs here comes in different grits. I have gotten some that is very fine and powdery and as soon as I filled with water the tank was crystal clear. I just added a different grit of pfs to my 220 and it looks like tiny gravel, I didn't rinse it but it does tend to cloud a little during water changes. I imagine though that once the tank is settled it won't do that anymore.

Also everyone is entitled to their own opinions here and it makes for good discussions, but sarcasim in definately not needed.


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## aquarimum (Nov 24, 2011)

Ok I did it....went out today and got some very nice black gravel from the pet store. Have just finished the mammoth task of changing that took me 4 hours so far. The fish that I put in are back in with the others till the tank has settled. I used all the water from the tank again so hopefully it wont be long till they can go back. Just a little cloudy but nothing like with the sand...It looks really good so far cant wait to see the fish in there. Sand gets a big thumbs down for me but I am a bit of a neat freak lol.


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