Play box sand in an aquarium?

[drunkendj]

I heard you could use it so I bought some and put it in my 100 gallon. Its just its so messy. I thought it would clear up in a couple hours but its been 24 hours and still looks the same as the time I filled up my water. Ive seen videos of people cleaning sand in their tank and the sand wasnt too messy but when I even touch my sand the slighest, it forms a messy cloud. Does play box sand just suck and I have to get better sand to do the whole process over again, or do I just have to wait an extra long time for it to settle? I got burnco sterilized and washed sand at rona.

[NatureNut]

I've been warned not to believe that washed sand is washed. I think the recommendation is to rinse your sand VERY thoroughly before you add it to your tank.

[drunkendj]

Ah great should of just washed it. I was hurrying because I have two oscars that I had to put in a styrofoam box while I was doing this all and I felt bad for them. Is there anything I can do that wont make me put them back in that box (I put them in the tank because the ammonia level was getting dangerous in the box)? Perhaps water changes to take out excess sand? Above the sand there is a little layer of even finer sand, the sand that gets swirled around when I touch the sand.

Edited April 24, 2007 by drunkendj

[BigA]

As far as right now you have 2 options. Wait for a week or so without touching it and let it settle, or take it out and start over. Play sand is very commonly used in tanks ( I have it in my 29g) but it needs to be washed thoroughly before use. Put it in a bucket and run it in the bathtub mixing it around untill the water comes clean. Once it is clean, put it in the tank and place a large bowl or plate on top of the sand. Slowly pour water into the plate and let it overflow onto the sand. This keeps the silt and dust to a minimum and doesn't disturb the sand either.

[jvision]

This is how I add any type of substrate to my tanks, and rarely get any clouding... if there is any, it's soon gone:

1) empty tank of water

2) add substrate

3) pour water in SLOWLY

- pouring water onto a plate or into a dish will help to not stir up the substrate

4) turn on filter

5) enjoy

[drunkendj]

If it will eventually settle or be filtered out I will glady wait a week rather then take all the water out not to mention put like half of it in a bucket to retain the bacteria culture and then add it back in, on top of that, putting the fish in the styrofoam box with the filter and airstone in it.

[FishBrain]

Washed burnco sant is just that. washed. It means more the fact that it is onky sand and not other "junk" that is in the pile when they wash it.

For them to get sand is basically running it up a conveyor belt and letting it fall out the smaller holes while the rocks fall out the larger holes. If you were to go to the yard you will see stuff like 9mm Rock, and 14mm Rock which is what has been separated in the process.

It wouldn't hurt to try and siphon out the top "dust" that has been settling. at least that way it wont stir up as big a mess as it was.

GL

[finaddict]

I must say I bought some target play sand from totem, ANd love it, rinsed really quick and clean

heavy grain size,

I found rona/home depot paly sand way to fine... clouded easliy.

around $5 for a bag

[Danzig]

Since you already have it in your tank i would wash it in there. take out all your fish decor/plants etc, do repeated water changes while stirring the sand up gently when draining. Its alot of work but will clean it up better than waiting for it settle, which wont really clean it at all anyways.

Just devote a day for your tank and hopefully you have a python hehe

[Tanker]

As suggested, water changes and plenty of them. You MUST get that silt out of the tank, or you're actually going to harm the fish in the long term (imagine you trying to breathe in a room filled with smoke, as an example) and it'll just end up plugging your filters.

One option I have used was to run a HOB filter filled with nothing but floss on the tank for a day, while stirring up the sand every once in a while. Worked ok, but I had to change the floss every couple hours as it would just get plugged up. I lived in a place where the facilities were not condusive to rinsing the sand, and I was in a tight spot. After a full day, the water was clear enough to put fish into, and still be able to see them!

Just to state the obvious, but make sure if you're going to do a bunch of water changes to clear it up, make sure you remember to treat the water each and every time. It'll only take one slip and you'll nuke your filter's bacteria and cause a lot more headaches than this already is.

[Morhua]

I must say I bought some target play sand from totem, ANd love it, rinsed really quick and clean

heavy grain size,

I found rona/home depot paly sand way to fine... clouded easliy.

around $5 for a bag

I use this play sand and think it's great. The sand you have is fine (no pun intended) but you do have to wash it like the others have said. The weather's not too bad today so if you're able to get the sand out and wash it outside using a bucket and hose that would be good. Regarding whether you should do something like this or wait for it to settle out is up to you but think of this ... fish use their gills to breathe, so can you imagine how irritated their gills may get if you leave them in those conditions (it'll stress them out and leave them open for disease, I'd do my best to minimize this). Good luck.

Cheers

[CalgaryFan]

I must say I bought some target play sand from totem, ANd love it, rinsed really quick and clean

heavy grain size,

I found rona/home depot paly sand way to fine... clouded easliy.

around $5 for a bag

That's the same I am using Great stuff, it took about 15 minutes through the hose to wash out, but I got it real nice and clean :P

[Vallisneria]

I would say try and clean out as much silt as you can.

If you just leave it to settle without clening out the dirty stuff, the oscars will just keep stirring it up and making it cloud up all over again.

Either do lots of water changes, or take out all the sand and wash it in a bucket.

If you remove the fish put them in the styro box or a rubbermaid and add their filter to it. That will help with keeping the water healthy.

[Fishnut]

I use Target Playsand in my 55's and it was great for me too. $5 or $6 a bag (Good Price).

[Sam Chicklets]

I use Sil brand traction sand in my aquariums with no problems