[zoie]

i have salt water tanks and the sand I use is called Live sand. Petco carries a bag of this Live sand in black.

Can I mix a bag of this sand with pool filter sand to darken it up? (give it a salt and pepper look)

 

[John Doe]

I'm not sure, I saw that at Petsmart and asked about it. They told me they had black caribsea normal sand for cheaper. I mixed 20 lbs of it with 100 lbs of pool filter sand for a nice greyish salt and pepper look.

Not sure if you have petsmart in your area but you might check there.

 

[zoie]

I'm not sure, I saw that at Petsmart and asked about it. They told me they had black caribsea normal sand for cheaper. I mixed 20 lbs of it with 100 lbs of pool filter sand for a nice greyish salt and pepper look.

Not sure if you have petsmart in your area but you might check there.

thanks, I do have a petsmart. I'll check and see what they have in stock.

 

[DJRansome]

You don't want to use live sand in a freshwater tank.

 

[zoie]

You don't want to use live sand in a freshwater tank.

I thought so, but wasn't sure.

Thanks.

 

[Flippercon]

Just to ask what would be the affects of using live sand in a freshwater tank?

 

[DJRansome]

The live part of live sand is organisms that will live in a marine environment to help process toxins.

These marine organisms will not live in freshwater.

If you have live sand and have let the organisms die, drying out the sand, etc. then it is just sand. But freshly purchased, the organisms should still be alive, thus the name.

 

[Flippercon]

Okay didn't know if there would be an ill outcome.

 

[dielikemoviestars]

That and it's packaged in saltwater...

 

[zoie]

I just went to PetCo and PetSmart. Neither had a 20lb bag of sand. they had the white sand, but not the black.

PetSmart had a 5lb bag for 7.99!! My LFS was going to sell me (2) 20lb bags of the Caribsea ecco complete for $25.

I was thinking- now I'm using the pool filter sand which was free, so if I bought 10lbs of black sand, it's still cheaper than $25 and I could just put it on the surface and mix it a little to get the salt and pepper look.

But then I remembered the fish like to dig and I'm sure that little bit of black sand would be lost in about a week.

Is it possible to add the black sand after I get my fish? well, I know it's possible, but is it safe?

 

[Piper]

I recently set up a 55G Malawi tank with playground sand. It is very white and fine and takes a good deal of washing. I am working on a 20G quarantine/fry tank and inquired about pool filter sand and they warned me about it containing a lot of dust. Quikrete is available at most home supply stores and they have course, medium and fine as well as the playground sand. I just picked up a bag for course to see how I like it. Through the bag, it looks like very small gravel mixed with sand.

Adding sand with fish shouldn't be an issue with the fish if it is well washed and it is placed fairly gently.

 

[zoie]

I recently set up a 55G Malawi tank with playground sand. It is very white and fine and takes a good deal of washing. I am working on a 20G quarantine/fry tank and inquired about pool filter sand and they warned me about it containing a lot of dust. Quikrete is available at most home supply stores and they have course, medium and fine as well as the playground sand. I just picked up a bag for course to see how I like it. Through the bag, it looks like very small gravel mixed with sand.

Adding sand with fish shouldn't be an issue with the fish if it is well washed and it is placed fairly gently.

I washed out my pool filter sand yesterday and it wasn't very dirty. The water ran clear in about 15 minutes. I mixed it up good, stirring as I rinsed. It's not as white as I was thinking it was going to be so I'll have to see how it all looks with the rocks.

I'm putting the sand in today. I should be getting the rocks this week.

 

[DJRansome]

Remember you want to put in the rocks first. So there is no substrate underneath for the fish to dig out and topple everything.

 

[zoie]

Remember you want to put in the rocks first. So there is no substrate underneath for the fish to dig out and topple everything.

I was going to put my rocks first if I used my yard rocks, but these rocks are hollow and dont weigh much so I will just twist them into the sand. I figure the bottom ones I might even fill with sand a bit.

And I'm hopfully adding about 10 more lbs of sand thats black to mix in with the white.

Here is a pic of the tank thismorning. I added a few things so it would look better until my rocks and fish come.

 

[zoie]

My black sand came in before my fish!! I didn't like how my sand and rocks were the same color, so I wanted to mix in some black sand for some contrast. But I decided if the sand did not come in before the fish, I wouldn't do it.

Here is a pic after the rocks and before the black sand: (a little cloudy, just added sand)

A picture after the black sand:

I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I love it!! Can't wait to get the fish in there. Seems like it has been forever!

 

[Flippercon]

Very nice set up. I need to get me some of those cichlid stones. :thumb:

 

[zoie]

Very nice set up. I need to get me some of those cichlid stones. :thumb:

Thanks, I think I might get some more of them so I can stack them a little higher. Still looking at other things too. I'm hoping the LFS I get my fish at will have somthing cool I can put in there as something extra for them to swim through.

 

[dotbomb]

Love the sand.

I just put sand in my 100g tank. A bout 2" of pool filter sand. Be prepared for slightly cloudy water for a while even though you rinsed it.

There will be a lot of silicate that gets suspended in the water and then diatoms start proliferating. Eventually it will die back and your water will be clear though. My 20g long with sand has been running for 2 months is crystal clear now.

 

[Flippercon]

The pfs is by far the easiest sand to clean. I just did two 55's and 2 29's in pfs all of them are clear and its been less then a week. I find using pillow cases to rinse sand is the easiest way to rinse the stuff.

 

[dotbomb]

The pfs is by far the easiest sand to clean. I just did two 55's and 2 29's in pfs all of them are clear and its been less then a week. I find using pillow cases to rinse sand is the easiest way to rinse the stuff.

Yeah I should clarify on the clarity... the water looks clear if you have standard lighting. I have LEDs so I get the spotlight effect with any fine particle suspended in the water column. If you aren't using LEDs you probably will never notice what I'm talking about.

Great tip about pillow cases. I'll have to remember that for the next time :thumb: