Pool Filter Sand

[nathanAcs]

i was wondering where can i get this sand to use as a substrate for my fish tank? is it expensive?
how do you clean this substrate?
does it change the ph of the water.
can i grow plants in that substrate?

I basically need all the info i can get on this substrate. thanks

[aweeby]

you can get it at a hardware store. it's very cheap. as for cleaning, a wide gravel vac seems like the only way. it is inert, it doesn't do anything to your pH. You can grow certain plants in it, but like i said, it's inert. You'd do well to have some substrate fertilizer in it.

[nathanAcs]

does it have another name? I am trying too look it up in the home depot website and when i type in "pool filter sand" there are no results? any suggeestions

[Big O]

pool and hot tub supply store.thats where i got mine. if you want it in black, it's called blasting sand. Black diamond. and i got it at the trackor supply store.

[nathanAcs]

oh okay my tank is about 4 feet long. how many bags would u think i need?

[Big O]

it comes in 50 pound bags. and i used almost a whole bag in my 20 long(maybe 5/8. how many gallons is your tank?

[In.a.Box]

2 1/2 bag 50# is enought for a 75 maybe to much.
before you can find out how many bag you want.
you need to find out how many inch you want in your tank.

if your doing 2inch in the front, 3inch in the back 2 bag should be enough.

BTW IMO black blasting suck, hate the fact that stuff is full of these small glass piece in each bag i got.
those glass look alike piece will fade and turn yellow.

[Titan17]

I paid $8 for a 50lb. bag from a local pool supply store where I live. I grow plants no problem in mine and it is very easy to clean. Here is a pic of my tank from about a month ago. I use Seachem Flourish Tabs and that is it.

[dbosman@msu.edu]

Swimming pool filter sand is one of the few things you probably won't find at most Home Depot stores. Where you will find it is places that sell swimming pools.
Two bags should be find for your tank.

Titan17 shows a picture of what has to be the smallest grit pool filter sand.
It looks more like white silica sand. Which might be used in some filters.

[TWA]

Look up pool supply stores in your area. They'll have it for sure. 2 bags is enough, by far. I have a good amount in a 75, and a thin layer covering another 75 of two bags. If your tank is a 55 you'll probably be fine with just one bag. If its a 75 1 bag would work but the bed would be a little shallow

[m00se]

Lowes sells it. It's in the garden center. It usually looks like the cardboard box has been there for 100 years. I think the sand's in a plastic bag though. It's also way more than $8 for 50 lbs. When I last saw it I think they wanted $28 for it. I use Black Diamond.

[nathanAcs]

Okay thanks ill go chek out a place where they sell pools and look for the sand. One more thing. My tank is cureently already set up. It has fish and gravel and a plant. Its been up for a couple years now. Will i have to take all the wter out. And heve it cycle again in order to change the subtrate from gravel to pool filter sand?

[Titan17]

Mine is pool sand but it is silica sand. I absolutely love it. Have had no problems. There are three pool stores in my town and this is the only sand any of them sell. None of the Lowes, Home Depots, or hardware stores in my area sell pfs.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk

[Fishly]

Originally Posted by nathanAcs

My tank is cureently already set up. It has fish and gravel and a plant. Its been up for a couple years now. Will i have to take all the wter out. And heve it cycle again in order to change the subtrate from gravel to pool filter sand?

If the tank has a filter, you should be fine as long as you don't clean the filter for a week before or after the switch. If you're worried, remove half of your gravel and test your water for ammonia/nitrite. If no ammonia or nitrite shows up after a week, then remove the rest of your gravel and put in the sand. If you see an ammonia or nitrite spike, put some gravel in a nylon stocking and let it hang in the tank by your filter.

To remove your gravel without removing too much water, use a 1/2-3/4" hose to suck it out of the tank and into a 5g bucket. If you rinse your sand well, or if you don't mind having cloudy water for a few days, you can just pour the sand directly into the tank. However, if you are worried about cloudy water, it's easiest to drain the tank before you put in the sand.

[mickmac247]

RINSE RINSE RINSE and oh ya rinse again