Rinsing sand

[super fish]

Ok well I've always had painted gravel (colourful stuff) in past tanks and now I got geo system sand and just set up a 10 gallon tank with it in (but had to fill the tank about 25 times and empty it to rinse out sand (and still was very nasty). I'm going to be setting up a 90 gallon tank w/ same stuff. Any suggestion to rinse it easier/faster?

[Sam Chicklets]

Use a bucket and run put 3 to 4" of sand in it run tap water into the bucket so it flows out slowly. stir gently letting the bucket over flow until it is clear.

[todd3x]

The best way I have found is to use a 3 gal pail. Put about 1/2 to 1 gal of sand in it, fill it half full of water, stir it around with your hand, quickly pour off the dirty water, repeat until you get clear water. I find doing little batches is faster than all the sand at once.

[jvision]

Here's how I do it every time w. very little to no cloudiness:

1) Starting w. an empty tank, add your sand

2) Place a plate or dish on top of the sand

3) Pour your water in SLOWLY

4) Take out plate

Have fish, have fun! :thumbs:

[geoff]

i do the same as sam chicklets. get a fairly large pail fill it with a small amount of sand and stir it till water is clear dump sand out and repeat. It's alot of work at the start but its much better for you in the end because every time you do a deep syphon you won't have to worry about murky water.

[duff]

I pour some in a 10 gallon pail and put my pressure washer in an let have it

[Stacey]

Here's how I do it every time w. very little to no cloudiness:

1) Starting w. an empty tank, add your sand

2) Place a plate or dish on top of the sand

3) Pour your water in SLOWLY

4) Take out plate

Have fish, have fun! :thumbs:

So you're saying you add the sand to the tank dry? As in right out of the bag? Because if that true then I just spent the last 2 days rinsing 3 55 lbs. bags the hard way!

[jvision]

Yep, that's what I do. The trick is to add water quite slowly - especially at first, so you don't stir the sand. Once the tank gets to be about 1/2 full, then you can add it a bit faster, just don't stir up the sand too much.

Here's how I do it every time w. very little to no cloudiness:

1) Starting w. an empty tank, add your sand

2) Place a plate or dish on top of the sand

3) Pour your water in SLOWLY

4) Take out plate

Have fish, have fun! :thumbs:

So you're saying you add the sand to the tank dry? As in right out of the bag? Because if that true then I just spent the last 2 days rinsing 3 55 lbs. bags the hard way!

[spcy]

I do the same as Jason. Never work harder than you have to.