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Sand or what?

1409 Views 9 Replies 7 Participants Last post by  efface, 
L
I've been a saltwater fanatic for years now and I recently just started getting into freshwater im selling everything in my freshwater tank right now and starting over because i have to many aggresive fish i have like 15 sharks my tank is a 55 gal and im going for a sand bottom if you all could tell me what is a good sand to put in the bottom of the tank so where i can have live plants if i cant have sand can you possibly tell me and very low grain pebble i could put in the bottom ty any adivice helps right now:smile:
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monkeyfish
Pool filter sand is good. You will need something to give the plants nutrients though. Many people use mineralized topsoil under the sand. Or you can use root tabs or dose the water column.

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monkeyfish said:
Pool filter sand is good. You will need something to give the plants nutrients though. Many people use mineralized topsoil under the sand. Or you can use root tabs or dose the water column.

+1
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L
ok tyvm
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Hilde
My favorite sand is river sand that I get from a local landscaper, 50lb for $3. I just sift the large pebbles out. I started my tank out with Scott's top soil and calcium sulphate and topped the dirt with the river sand.
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aaronbrown
black diamond sand blasting media works good and is 8 dollars for 50 pounds it can be purchased at any tractor supply company
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aaronbrown said:
black diamond sand blasting media works good and is 8 dollars for 50 pounds it can be purchased at any tractor supply company
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I think it looks great, and grows plants very well, but it is very sharp particles, able to damage the mouth parts of bottom digging fish like cories. I used to get lots of tiny cuts on my hands while planting in it.
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E
Whatever you do, thoroughly (and i mean thoroughly) rinse that sand to get rid of all the dust. I placed sand in my tank, didn't rinse, constantly have suspended particles which settle on my plants and make them look poor and I have to clean my prefilters every couple of weeks because they are clogged with mud!

I knew I was taking this tank down within 6 months so I didn't bother fixing it.

I am sure you don't want to redo it either :D
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Hilde
efface said:
Whatever you do, thoroughly (and i mean thoroughly) rinse that sand to get rid of all the dust.
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The river sand I didn't even rinse for fishless tank and had no dust. But best to rinse 1x to get rid of any toxins in it for tank with fish..
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E
Not all sand is made equal and you wont know it until you have filled it :)

Oh yeah...run a magnet through the sand before purchase. If you get lots of iron skip it.

The iron content in my sand attracted to my magnetic algae cleaner and it scratched the hell out of my glass tank!
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