iisfaq Posted November 1, 2005 Report Share Posted November 1, 2005 I cam across this site with great pictures of a planted aquarium. The guy used 3 bags of sand when he started and the results are impressive. He did use other stuff as well such as a home made Co2 device. http://www.nature-aquarium.com/tank.htm My question is what sort of sand can I use? His sand looks like you could use it for a concrete path. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucid Posted November 1, 2005 Report Share Posted November 1, 2005 We use Daltons Propogating sand in ours, can be attained from most garden centres. B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iisfaq Posted November 1, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2005 We use Daltons Propogating sand in ours, can be attained from most garden centres. B Hi Ballistic Do you do anything special with the sand? Like clean it? Do you add any type of fertilizer below the sand? Is your sand on top of stones or directly on the tank bottom? Cheers Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iisfaq Posted November 1, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2005 Heya Chris, We (Ballistic and I) use it on its own. We clean it off lots before we use it. In one tank, I have juss layered it ontop of the stones/pebbles that were already in the tank. Its great stuff! I have also juss used beach sand, picked out all the weed etc, washed it, and chucked it into the tank. I like sand better than gravel! :bounce: I have done a bit of phoning around and found a local supplier of the Daltons products. They were out of stock but have ordered some in for me. A couple of days and I should get it. Thanks for your help. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted November 2, 2005 Report Share Posted November 2, 2005 How do you vacuum sand? :oops: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misnoma Posted November 2, 2005 Report Share Posted November 2, 2005 Carefully :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted November 2, 2005 Report Share Posted November 2, 2005 Funny :lol: :-? But...do you vacuum sand :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted November 2, 2005 Report Share Posted November 2, 2005 The same that you use for the gravel? I guess I just figure with the size of sand it would all be "sucked" up :roll: :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke* Posted November 2, 2005 Report Share Posted November 2, 2005 You don't "plumb" the sand, you just hover the gravel suction tube over it and it picks up all the detritus that collects on top of the sand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dally Posted November 3, 2005 Report Share Posted November 3, 2005 Well described Luke erm Mystic, how do you avoid the bad bacteria that forms in sand... how wellare your tanks with sand planted? are they planted? and how many cms of sand are at the bottom. :bounce: so many questions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HummingBird Posted November 3, 2005 Report Share Posted November 3, 2005 What sort of 'bad' bacteria forms anyways? The bacteria that converts nitrates to nitrogen gas is anaerobic and so it could live in there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klaymann Posted November 4, 2005 Report Share Posted November 4, 2005 You guys have any probs with PH rising while using sand?? ... I use a normal gravel cleaner for the sand base in the marine tanks ...but always have the syphom hose half crimped ( with my hand) to slow down the flow rate ....( helps when you get a sand clog to cut off flow then just bang the tube against tank to loosen sand).... this method is useful when going deep into the sand bed to airate the lower regions ...( leaving sum areas undisturbed is good for the anerobic bacteria to "denitrify" the system too..).... by the way still think these guys are cool ===> :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: ... go the bouncing pea's ... :lol: 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted November 5, 2005 Report Share Posted November 5, 2005 I am in Christchurch also and use sand for growing plant. I get mine from the nursary next to the pet shop on the corner of Smith Street and Ferry Road. Get a kitchen seive and run it through. Wash the gravel carefully. Place the sand in the tank along with plant suppliment from pet shop next door and put washed gravel on top to keep silt down. Only siphon off excess mulm as it is food for plants. Plenty of light and away you go. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRSkz Posted November 5, 2005 Report Share Posted November 5, 2005 Hey Mystic I've striped down my 3 footer adding malawi mbuna cichlids and want to use sand instead or ontop of the gravel that's there (haven't removed it just yet otherwise tank's empty) what do ya recon? will the mbuna's reak havic w/the sand? I'm opting for the "small peacefull" one's mined you. ty, Me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loopy Posted December 13, 2005 Report Share Posted December 13, 2005 i just thought i would give this post a boost for everyone else. It is neat to know that there is an alternative to gravel for your freshwater aquariums. I thought it would be neat to try some sand in one of our tanks and then felt really dopey when it got a lovely layer of crud on the top! Like caper mentioned earlier in this post, about siphoning i wasn't sure how to go about it and worried about sucking all my sand up in one water change! Now reading this post i have it sussed!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doubie Posted December 15, 2005 Report Share Posted December 15, 2005 All, Just the topic I am looking for... I was picking up some plant a while back and recall a tank that apparently had 'silica sand' as the base medium - apparently the plants love this. Anyone have any experience with this? Can you let me know where I might get some in Auckland (Waitakere City would be good) and any known effect on pH? Looking at establishing a 4 ft Jebo mainly discus tank this weekend. Thoughts/feedback appreciated. Cheers Doubie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted December 15, 2005 Report Share Posted December 15, 2005 I use sand in my plant tanks and have had no problems. The sand is greywacke which is about as inert as it gets and I only siphon off the excess mulm from the top of the sand every 2-3 months. The tank is heavily planted and has lots of fish. the sand is between 75mm and 150mm deep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doubie Posted December 15, 2005 Report Share Posted December 15, 2005 Thanks alanmin4304...appreciate the tip! :bounce: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monaro1 Posted December 15, 2005 Report Share Posted December 15, 2005 you can buy silica sand at placemakers/stevensons about $9 a 25kg bag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doubie Posted December 15, 2005 Report Share Posted December 15, 2005 Cheers monaro1. Looks like a trip there on the weekend is in order! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iisfaq Posted December 15, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2005 Cheers monaro1. Looks like a trip there on the weekend is in order! This is what I ended up with for my tank. The plants do appear to love it and the fish also since the sand is quite small compared to stones. It is also visually very nice. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sancti_hag Posted December 15, 2005 Report Share Posted December 15, 2005 Ohhh maybe I will try this for the tank I am getting for christmas...do you think I will able able to achieve the same kind of thing with a cold water tank as opposed to the tropical? I know I can get the plant varieties to make it interesting.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dally Posted December 15, 2005 Report Share Posted December 15, 2005 get a sand with high silicon/silica content or whatever. silica dosent effect the pH. someone should try westcoast black sand! i think the colour will bring out your discus or any fish! :bounce: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doubie Posted December 16, 2005 Report Share Posted December 16, 2005 Again...thanks all for input. Some good ideas here for sure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigstatistics Posted January 4, 2006 Report Share Posted January 4, 2006 Wow that looks cool as but I have a question and hopefully its not to much of a no brainer :roll: but when you do a partial water change and use the gravel cleaner well how do you go about cleaning the gravel if its sitting on top of the sand and aquatic mix and not sucking the bottom to layers out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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