Changing Gravel To Sand

[DragonNeko]

I swapped out my gravel for sand and put the old gravel in my wifes old nylons and just left it in the tank for a while and no ammonia spike. I went with the one big mess plan as opposed to making a few little messes over the course of days. It clears pretty quick. Play sand (Target brand) from home depot works well. Just rinse rinse rinse. Squeeze the ol filter floss everyday and it will clear up in a couple of days. If you dont have nylons around, put the gravel in mixing bowls and leave them in there. Just pull some of the gravel out, keep it wet just in case you need to throw it back in if you get an ammonia spike. If all is good keep reducing the old gravel in the tank, until it's gone. Good luck.

lol, I'll have to check to see if I have any nylons. That's a really good idea, thank you

[DragonNeko]

Be careful with sand and cories. Sand is deceivingly sharp and can wear the barbells off. Just saying, read up before switching.

sand is actually the substrate that cories prefer, and most sands won't hurt their barbels. what can potentially erode barbels is a high amount of the wrong kinds of bacteria in/on the sand in a tank that doesn't receive the required maintenance.

when choosing sand for your tank, take a handful of it in the palm of your hand and feel it with your other hand, putting a good amount of pressure on the sand. this way you will be able to tell if the particles are sharp or jagged.

play sand and pool filter sand are both perfectly safe for cories.

Is the maintenance for sand different than gravel? I'm sure I'll get some strange looks if I ask to feel the sand, but I don't want my cories to get hurt Where do you buy pool filter sand? I've never even heard of it before.

[DragonNeko]

Hi, I am new here, but for this I have a nice solution....maybe 2.

Depending where you are, you could get your hands on Frac Sand from one of the oilfield service companies. Just go into there field office, and ask the Field service manager for fracturing, or stimulation if they would let you have some of their swept out sand. Ensure that you don't take the curable resin coat. They would likely give you new sand if you are only looking for a pale or 2. The pales that you take will be worth more than the sand is. This works well if you live in Red Deer, GP, Medicine Hat, or Hinton, or if you are passing through. Frac Sand is very spherical, and is sieved. 20/40 is a good size, and if you can get 12/20 is even better in my opinion....its a little bigger.

Frac Sand is brown, or natural color.

The other option that I found is white quartz silica sand. It is the kind of sand that you find in the bunkers at golf courses that is very white. If any of you ever drive through Golden, just west of town you see the nice white piles of sand. I did a road trip to Golden to pick some up. I got 6 5 gal pales for $20 ea. It is dirty, has crushed up leaves, and lots of dust. It does clean up very easy though. I split one pale into 2, and stuck a garden hose in it to the bottom on high, and circulated out all of the crud. I stirred and stirred, and in about 10 min the water was cleared up very nice.

I used 2 pails for my 180, and it is likely enough, but I think I am going to add 1 or 2 more.

This is the web site http://www.heemskirkcanada.com/products.aspx?ProductID=16

You will need to call the lady in Moberly and ask nice.

I don't know how much a super sack cost ( i think 1 tonne) but if enough of you got together, it may be easier and cheaper to call the main office in Calgary and buy one of those. Saves a trip.

Anyway, I may have a pale or 2 that I would part with.

Cheers.

Unfortunately all those places are a bit outta my way to drive to. I think their's a place that has sand somewhere nearby though. I remember getting some years ago in the back of my husbands truck. I'll have to ask my husband where that was. Though I think I'm going to go with pool filter or play sand. Depends which I like better when I look at them. Thanks for the idea though

[ty_s]

white junk looks like a cotton ball gone bad man it is cheep to get at any of your lfs

[jvision]

There is a sand plant somewhere up by Morinville - you should be able to get some PlaySand there for cheap.

[DragonNeko]

white junk looks like a cotton ball gone bad man it is cheep to get at any of your lfs

Is that the stuff you put in the filter tube? Kinda like how some filter tubes have sponges over them, but this cotton ball like filter goes inside the tube?

[DragonNeko]

There is a sand plant somewhere up by Morinville - you should be able to get some PlaySand there for cheap.

I knew there was one close by! Thank you! I would have never thought to buy sand for my tank from a place like that before. I'm so glad I joined this site, everyone is so helpful nice

[ty_s]

white junk looks like a cotton ball gone bad man it is cheep to get at any of your lfs

Is that the stuff you put in the filter tube? Kinda like how some filter tubes have sponges over them, but this cotton ball like filter goes inside the tube?

this crap http://www.bigalsonline.com/Filter-Floss_9385217_82.html?green=20893081952&tc=fish not saying use that brand or store but that is the junk

[DragonNeko]

white junk looks like a cotton ball gone bad man it is cheep to get at any of your lfs

Is that the stuff you put in the filter tube? Kinda like how some filter tubes have sponges over them, but this cotton ball like filter goes inside the tube?

this crap http://www.bigalsonl...3081952&tc=fish not saying use that brand or store but that is the junk

lol, thank you, I'll be sure to use some of that stuff

[RebelThunder]

speaking of sand, there's a golf course here where I work here in Jasper. I was wondering if those sands are good for aquarium.they are light brown almost cinnamon in color. thanks