Sand for tank

[stripes]

Hi

Can I use Building sand for my tank.

[Henk Hugo]

might be to fine and impure. best is to go for pool filter sand at R50 odd for a 40kg bag

[TyroneGenade]

Hello,

Building sand should be OK, but if it comes from the sand dunes on the Cape Flats (I'm assuming you in the Cape) then it may turn the water alkaline. Take a sample of the sand and add some pool acid to it. If it bubbles and fizzes then it will cause your pH to increase. That is the only real concern. If it is building sand you can assume it isn't toxic---can't build houses from toxic sand. Just wash it thoroughly.

I have used "river sand" that I bought at a nursery or even pool filter sand for fishtanks. Try get some Malayian liverbearing/trumpet snails to help keep the sand clean and tilled over.

Sand is much better than gravel to grow plants in as well as being kinder on the barbels and lips of bottom dwelling fish like Corys.

[stripes]

Thanks I live in a small town called Koffiefontein in the Free state. As far as I know it is from the Vaal river sand.

[Lula123]

I would rather use poolfilter sand, just to be safe, isn't the Vaal River rather polluted and maybe the sand might've absorbed some of it.

I received some Jeffreys Bay sand, but are also too scared to use it, it is very fine and I'm not really sure how to rinse all the salinity out.

[Zoom]

Hi Stripes,

I have only been in the aquatic hobby for a little over 6 weeks now, so I can't advise you on what sand you should/shouldn't use, but I am in the building industry, and I can tell you that building sand ("pit" sand as is commenly known) is usually VERY dirty, and would probably take AGES to clean, if you ever do manage to clean it. The sand usually dissolves very readily with water too.

If you looking for a more affordible substrate, I would recommend rather use River sand, (Also freely available from any Hardware). Again, from what I've read, this would also need to be checked to see how it will change the chemistry of your water, and would also need to be thoroughly washed.

From the posts I've read, and books I've read, silca sand, (ask for pool filter sand at any hardware or pool shop) is what a lot of people are using.

[Henk Hugo]

so in other words - inert silica pool filter sand....

[LanceP]

Does inert silica pool filter sand come in different colours or are they all that off-white/grey colour?

[Zoom]

As far as I know, only in that off-white/grey colour.

What about adding about 10% "old fashioned" gravel to get a colour?

[Henk Hugo]

"normal" gravel is silica gravel.... ie its the same as the sand just not as fine

[TyroneGenade]

I have also used beach sand. I never had any problems with it being too fine. It did alter the pH though. It stays whitish...

The river sand ranges in colour from off-white/grey to a nice orangy colour.

If you want a nice red substrate then you can use the native sand from the Karoo but this will be very rich in iron---excellent for Crypts.

Pool filter sand is by far the simplest solution.

[LanceP]

I like the filter sand, but would prefer if it was a darker colour. The poop shows up too easily in the white sand.

I've heard of someone who bought black sand and stated that it was similar in size and texture as the filter sand. Does anyone know what kind of sand this might be and if it suitable?

[TyroneGenade]

This is volcanic sand. You can take a holiday to Hawii or Japan and collect some. :-)

Seriously, talk to your local nursery and see if they can source some for you.

tt4n

[Big G]

Hey!

I got some pool filter sand from builders warehouse and its a really nice colour. Its not white at all... Its more of a light brown, almost beach sandy colour, but with some darker flecks mixed in! It looks awesome and only cost me R45 for the 40KG's! Unfortunately, I tried to get some more, and aparently the supplier is out of stock. Its been that way since new year!

Just keep an eye out in the building places for it, you really can't go wrong.

Cheers!
Big G!

[stripes]

Thanks all,

I think I will stay with pool filter sand. Manage to get a lift for a bag from Kimberley this morning.

Thanks for the input.

[solex69]

Thanks all,

I think I will stay with pool filter sand. Manage to get a lift for a bag from Kimberley this morning.

Thanks for the input.


Add some cement powder to the sand to give your plants nutrients as they grow

.........


ONLY KIDDING :bigsmile:

[theosmit]

I use a rather uncommon substrate. Bought a secondhand tank from a guy who bred discus and he used these pebbles. I descibe them in this thread...http://www.tropicalaquarium.co.za/showthread.php?t=801

I have found my pH to be around 6.5-ish (my kit is not that acurate). Could it be that my "pebbles" are affecting the pH? And would a low PH like this be a problem? I read another post earlier where some members were happy with 7.6-8 (more stable :huh:). I always thought you want as close to 7 as possible with a community tank...

[Gilbertr14]

Cape Town has naturaly hard water, so it could just be your water?

[veegal]

Cape Town has naturaly hard water, so it could just be your water?

Don't you mean that Cape Town has naturally soft water :bigsmile:

[Gilbertr14]

Don't you mean that Cape Town has naturally soft water :bigsmile:


Uhm.....

:)
Acidic = soft. :embarrest:

[Henk Hugo]

the CPT water is extremely soft and acid.... it just comes out of the tap hard and alk.... add an airstone and you sill be amazed how quickly it drops

[Zafgak]

Hey Gilbert - soft and hard refers to the mineral content in the water, normally carbonates. The cape Town water comes from a Loooong concrete pipe where it picks up its pH to around 8+ after a little settling and aeration that pH will drop to about 6. This is caused by a lack of buffering.

[Gilbertr14]

Hey Gilbert - soft and hard refers to the mineral content in the water, normally carbonates. The cape Town water comes from a Loooong concrete pipe where it picks up its pH to around 8+ after a little settling and aeration that pH will drop to about 6. This is caused by a lack of buffering.


Thanks Zafgak