# sand substrate



## M1ster Stanl3y (Dec 10, 2010)

So i have a 55g set up for over a year now. sand substrate on it and was using a 45g submersible and a 10g submersible pumps on it. well i wanted more filtration as i added more fish 3 bala sharks 3 angels and 2 boli ian rams. i hooked up my old 35g pump and removed the 10g. now its blowing sand all over as well as created a wicked current. my plants arent even all upright anymore. 45° angles. 

So anyway this was my first tank with sand in it. it makes moving plants a pain and gets dirty quick. next set up back to gravel. 

Actual question:
Is there anyway to cut the power down on the pumps to create less of a current?


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## ionix (Oct 11, 2012)

M1ster Stanl3y said:


> So i have a 55g set up for over a year now. sand substrate on it and was using a 45g submersible and a 10g submersible pumps on it. well i wanted more filtration as i added more fish 3 bala sharks 3 angels and 2 boli ian rams. i hooked up my old 35g pump and removed the 10g. now its blowing sand all over as well as created a wicked current. my plants arent even all upright anymore. 45° angles.
> 
> So anyway this was my first tank with sand in it. it makes moving plants a pain and gets dirty quick. next set up back to gravel.
> 
> ...


I find there are many finer pieces of sand that really tend to get loose and float. After a while though, the sand becomes laden with bacteria that weigh it down (guess). Don't really know but my plecos and cories kick it up all the time and its back down in half a minute.

I don't know about lowering the power to the pumps as much as maybe by putting something in-front of the pump to break the flow.

As for the pumps 45 and 10, I am not sure what you mean. Powerheads (fans), water pumps (like a sump pump), or submersible filters (my guess)?

Please post the name of the products if they're handy please. Maybe a picture. I am pretty confused.

Maybe, like indoor plants being put outside, they have to be weathered to withstand the wind.


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## M1ster Stanl3y (Dec 10, 2010)

They are submersible filters. they are both asian (chinese maybe) so i dunno what names they actually are. i just wanted more filtration for the new load of fish. since it is over poweri g and my fish stayed away from 3/4 of the tank due to the current. im just going to use the 45submersible filter and load more plants.


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## tbub1221 (Nov 1, 2012)

Sorry your having a bad experience with sand. I use it in in all but 2 of my aquariums. IMO if it were me I'd switch out to a canister filter out of tank it would elemenate all the issues your encountering , but I also know its hard to just up and buy a new filter let alone canister filters. I did this very thing in a aquarium of similar size and have never been happier with the tank setup .


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

I'm trying to envision the pump as well to get a grasp of it. Is it a sponge type filter maybe? Can you position the outflow to point to the glass to help diffuse the current?


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## M1ster Stanl3y (Dec 10, 2010)

Fluvel plus filters are closest thing to them.


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