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Fishy Lee · 11-17-2005, 06:40 PM

Okay, I did a search and didn't find a whole lot of info that seemed helpful, so I'll start a new one.

I just got a 55 gallon tank (check this out, 55 gallon glass tank, two functional filters, a heater, about 150 punds of decorative rock, a light, and pine stand for $50, can you say S-T-E-A-L!?!?!). Anyways, I want to do sand in the tank, my roomate has a 135 with sand, but he doesn't know a thing about fish and it annoys me.

So to get the sand in his tank, we went to Home Depot, got play sand, put it in buckets, and just shoved a hose in the bottom of the bucket, put it on high, let it sit for half an hour and the sand is great. LOOKS awesome, you can run your entire hand submerged in it and NO clouds form at all. I know my Fluval filter will have no problem with the sand, that's not really my concern.

Here are my concerns:
1. Are airstones okay underneath sand? Do you have to get the airstones that have the suckers? And will the bubbles coming out of the airstones just kick the sand up so there's a little "canyon" over the airstone?

2. How does sand work with "gravel" vacuums? I feel i've come close to perfecting gravel vacs with gravel, it so easy because there's no way for the gravel to get sucked up, but how does it work with sand? Seems like sand would just get sucked up???

3. This maybe be a stupid question, but are there any problems with decor (such as fake plants) in sand? will they ancor in the sand okay?

These may be rediculous questions...but if there are any other concerns beyond these I should be aware of before setting up this super-steal-of a tank let me know!!!

Thanks in advance

11-17-2005, 06:40 PM	#1
Fishy Lee Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Age: 27 Posts: 86	Sand Okay, I did a search and didn't find a whole lot of info that seemed helpful, so I'll start a new one. I just got a 55 gallon tank (check this out, 55 gallon glass tank, two functional filters, a heater, about 150 punds of decorative rock, a light, and pine stand for $50, can you say S-T-E-A-L!?!?!). Anyways, I want to do sand in the tank, my roomate has a 135 with sand, but he doesn't know a thing about fish and it annoys me. So to get the sand in his tank, we went to Home Depot, got play sand, put it in buckets, and just shoved a hose in the bottom of the bucket, put it on high, let it sit for half an hour and the sand is great. LOOKS awesome, you can run your entire hand submerged in it and NO clouds form at all. I know my Fluval filter will have no problem with the sand, that's not really my concern. Here are my concerns: 1. Are airstones okay underneath sand? Do you have to get the airstones that have the suckers? And will the bubbles coming out of the airstones just kick the sand up so there's a little "canyon" over the airstone? 2. How does sand work with "gravel" vacuums? I feel i've come close to perfecting gravel vacs with gravel, it so easy because there's no way for the gravel to get sucked up, but how does it work with sand? Seems like sand would just get sucked up??? 3. This maybe be a stupid question, but are there any problems with decor (such as fake plants) in sand? will they ancor in the sand okay? These may be rediculous questions...but if there are any other concerns beyond these I should be aware of before setting up this super-steal-of a tank let me know!!! Thanks in advance