Pool filter sand

[valiko]

I've seen some recent posts about pool filter sand.

From what I've read before, sand is not a very good substrate unless you steer it up regularly, or else it will become anaerobic.

Any experiences are welcome.

[Marx]

never mix up your sand.. you will cause a tank crash..

get some mts snails.. and your good to go.. i've only used Pool filter sand as substrate never a problem..

[darkdep]

Why would it cause a tank crash?

[BigDaddy]

Here's a clarification:

If you don't stir regularly.. then yes Marx is right.  Compaction will lead to anaerobic conditions, and you'll release that into the water column potentially harming or killing fish.

Now, if you have sand that tends to compact... and you make an effort to regularly stir up the substrate as a PREVENTITVE to those anaerobic conditions, then you have no problems.  Or, as Marx indicated, get some MTS to do it for you.

[pegasus]

........get some mts snails.. and your good to go.. i've only used Pool filter sand as substrate never a problem..

The MTS do wounders to gravel also. I only had them for a couple of months now. They are great in my plantless tanks.

[darkdep]

Do MTS:

A) eat plants?
B) not get eaten by the average African?

:lol:

[BigDaddy]

Do MTS:

A) eat plants?
B) not get eaten by the average African?

:lol:

A) No.  Malaysians are the most plant friendly snail out there

B) Not likely.  Simply because they spend so much of their time buried in the substrate.  Even with snail eating fish like loaches, I don't think its possible to completely erradicate them with a predator.  They're survivors!   :lol:

[yellowtang]

Hi Valiko.
As A present user of pool filter sand(white)
I can tell you that I haven't had any problems at all.....
better yet I find that my tanks look better with white sand,than
your normal color gravel.................the only problem I been having so I think,is my plants taking roots in it........I keep having to replant them....could be the fish stering the sand,I don't know, as far as steering the sand......I never had with pool filter sand.......I have plants so you can see the night mare this would be (got tons of MTS to do it for me..(HARD WORKERS)........pool filter sand is easy to get and cheap....
there is a poolplace in huntclub close to Costco. right besides
Mark motors they always have it .I would imagen other pool places will have as well........They cost around $3.50 per 50lbs bag........might be a bit dusty at the start...but it soons settles down with good filtration.
just my two cents.

[Marx]

i have enough for a 60-90gal tank in my garage.. its used and cleaned..  its free bring buckets.. need it gone ASAP..

its gray and black.. really nice..

[kennyman]

I used sable playsand mixed up with a bit of Carib-Sea's Aruba Puka shell. One thing about the gass pockets is if they can be kept small they are actually helpfull. They will provide habitat for NitrAte eating bacteria. Some Aquarium books talk about the benifits of small pockets of anerobic activity for this reason. So I only work up a small section of substrate in my mbuna tank at each water change. Moving to a different spot next time around.

As for MTS I have them in my brackish tank since they will tollerate moderate salinity. It has a fairly deep layer of sand and I realy on them to keep it fresh as mentioned above.

I have not had an issue with rooting but that could be the difference in grain size between pool filter sand and basic $4 /66lb bag of playsand.

[luvfishies]

i have enough for a 60-90gal tank in my garage.. its used and cleaned..  its free bring buckets.. need it gone ASAP..

its gray and black.. really nice..

AUGHHH! You're killin me here! I would love to have that sand!

[valiko]

What about sandblasting sand? It should be bigger in size than the filter sand right?

It is my understanding that pool filter sand has a size ~ 0.5mm

[BigDaddy]

What about sandblasting sand? It should be bigger in size than the filter sand right?

It is my understanding that pool filter sand has a size ~ 0.5mm

DO NOT USE SANDBLASTING SAND!!!!!

From personal experience.  It's almost always slag from the smelters.  So, if it doesn't completely scratch your glass to hell, it'll get in your impellors and rip it to shreds.

Thankfully, I was extremely careful with it, so I didn't have any major problems.  Funny, even though the stuff was obviously full of iron, my plants hated it.  Probably to dense for the roots to get through.

[dpatte]

i use the brownish sand that use to be available from mermaid pools. Itis large enough that it doesnt compact yet small enough to look great. It can be python'd clean if the flow rate is low.