Too much sand?

SouthernJustice · 07-19-2005, 07:33 PM

I just got my 55 gallon set up and cycling. I put 100 pounds of playsand inside and its about 3-4 inches deep in most places I'd say. I was wondering, is there a limit to how deep you can have your sand/substrate? I was wondering if thats too much...?

euRasian32 · 07-19-2005, 09:13 PM

That's a decent depth, is it all level or did you slope it high in the back to shallow in the front? You can always take some out if your not satisfied with the effect. It'll siphon right out w/ hose without the gravel sweep attatchment. I'd do it in a bucket tho', and not with a python. (common sense i know, but you never know)

SouthernJustice · 07-19-2005, 10:15 PM

its varied depth

Cichlid Man · 07-20-2005, 06:11 AM

If you like the look of it then don't worry. As long as it's lime free thats the main thing.

DavidDoyle · 07-20-2005, 07:57 PM

Unless it is in a planted tank sand should be 1- 1.5 inches deep. At the depth you have there is a risk of anerobic pockets and if they form and then the sand is disturbed, releasing the gas, you end up with a tank full of dead fish. I would suggest you decrease the depth or else add some MTS which will burrow and keep the sand moving around.

SouthernJustice · 07-20-2005, 10:04 PM

What are MTS?

Damon · 07-20-2005, 10:34 PM

Malaysian trumpet snails. Very handy livebearing snails that don't eat plants (bonus for us). But yes, 3 inches is too deep with not plants or snails. Hydrogen sulfide is very toxic to fish (not to mention it smells very bad). Just go by a landfill on a hot windy day to see how bad it smells.

Thunderkiss · 07-21-2005, 11:03 AM

Or a river when the bubbles rise

Lexus · 07-22-2005, 09:07 PM

Another thing is, the more substrate you have the less usable gallons of water you have since it displaces water and the tank holds less

Cichlid Man · 07-23-2005, 07:56 AM

Yeah, I had a 10 gallon tank once, it was 3ft by 2ft by 1ft long. I kept fire eels that liked to burry themselves in the sand!

SouthernJustice · 07-23-2005, 02:26 PM

Can anyone direct me to these snails? How big are they? Will the be alright with my Piranha? Also, would just througholy stirring up my sand every water change (weekly or so) be fine?

Cichlid Man · 07-24-2005, 06:24 AM

Piranha? If you don't mind risking a few dollars. One day the piranha will probably get the better of them. Then again if you buy a huge MTS then the Piranha's jaws will have more or less met their match. Make sure your Piranha are well fed.

judya · 07-24-2005, 11:15 AM

Just curious- did you use that amount of sand for a reason?

If you want to terrace it, you could use clear acrylic strips several inches wide as walls to make higher and lower areas - maybe plants in the deeper sections. Rocks also work for terracing although the sand trickles out and levels out eventually.

07-19-2005, 07:33 PM	#1
SouthernJustice Self Described Huguenot Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Michigan, but my heart resides in the South. Age: 21 Posts: 103	Too much sand? I just got my 55 gallon set up and cycling. I put 100 pounds of playsand inside and its about 3-4 inches deep in most places I'd say. I was wondering, is there a limit to how deep you can have your sand/substrate? I was wondering if thats too much...? __________________ 10 Gallon: FW Community 20 Gal Whisper Filter, Heater, Red Gravel, Fake Plants and a plastic Artillery gun 55 Gallon: 4 Red Belly Piranha

07-19-2005, 09:13 PM	#2
euRasian32 Why So Serious? Join Date: May 2005 Location: Virginia Age: 33 Posts: 772	That's a decent depth, is it all level or did you slope it high in the back to shallow in the front? You can always take some out if your not satisfied with the effect. It'll siphon right out w/ hose without the gravel sweep attatchment. I'd do it in a bucket tho', and not with a python. (common sense i know, but you never know) __________________ “Corporations pay people just enough money so they won’t quit. People work just enough so they don’t get fired. What's that about?” – Christopher Walken, Pool Hall Junkies

07-19-2005, 10:15 PM	#3
SouthernJustice Self Described Huguenot Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Michigan, but my heart resides in the South. Age: 21 Posts: 103	its varied depth __________________ 10 Gallon: FW Community 20 Gal Whisper Filter, Heater, Red Gravel, Fake Plants and a plastic Artillery gun 55 Gallon: 4 Red Belly Piranha

07-20-2005, 06:11 AM	#4
Cichlid Man Super moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,093	If you like the look of it then don't worry. As long as it's lime free thats the main thing. __________________ If you have a big enough tank with enough hiding places, pH of around 7, you can keep virtually any fish together as long as all the fish are around the same size and these two groups of fish are avioded: Serrasalmus Tetradon(figure eights and dwarfs are the exception). I keep a successful community of fish in a 4 foot tank including the following families: Cichlids, tetras, loaches, gouramis, barbs, rainbows, livebearers, killiefish, catfish, puffers.

07-20-2005, 10:04 PM	#6
SouthernJustice Self Described Huguenot Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Michigan, but my heart resides in the South. Age: 21 Posts: 103	What are MTS? __________________ 10 Gallon: FW Community 20 Gal Whisper Filter, Heater, Red Gravel, Fake Plants and a plastic Artillery gun 55 Gallon: 4 Red Belly Piranha

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07-20-2005, 07:57 PM	#5
DavidDoyle Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Age: 90 Posts: 496	Unless it is in a planted tank sand should be 1- 1.5 inches deep. At the depth you have there is a risk of anerobic pockets and if they form and then the sand is disturbed, releasing the gas, you end up with a tank full of dead fish. I would suggest you decrease the depth or else add some MTS which will burrow and keep the sand moving around.

07-20-2005, 10:34 PM	#7
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,971	Malaysian trumpet snails. Very handy livebearing snails that don't eat plants (bonus for us). But yes, 3 inches is too deep with not plants or snails. Hydrogen sulfide is very toxic to fish (not to mention it smells very bad). Just go by a landfill on a hot windy day to see how bad it smells. __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

07-21-2005, 11:03 AM	#8
Thunderkiss Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 376	Or a river when the bubbles rise

07-22-2005, 09:07 PM	#9
Lexus Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Wisconsin Age: 22 Posts: 2,407	Another thing is, the more substrate you have the less usable gallons of water you have since it displaces water and the tank holds less __________________ 55 Gallon 1 Fantail Goldfish 1 Albino Bristlenose 4 African Dwarf Frogs 4 Black Skirt Tetras 4 Angelfish 3 Zebra Danios 14? Assorted Corys 46 Gallon 8 Tiger Barbs 8 Pulcher/Brichardi Cichlids 29 Gallon 1 Snail 1 Betta 8 Pulcher/Brichardi Fry

07-23-2005, 07:56 AM	#10
Cichlid Man Super moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,093	Yeah, I had a 10 gallon tank once, it was 3ft by 2ft by 1ft long. I kept fire eels that liked to burry themselves in the sand! __________________ If you have a big enough tank with enough hiding places, pH of around 7, you can keep virtually any fish together as long as all the fish are around the same size and these two groups of fish are avioded: Serrasalmus Tetradon(figure eights and dwarfs are the exception). I keep a successful community of fish in a 4 foot tank including the following families: Cichlids, tetras, loaches, gouramis, barbs, rainbows, livebearers, killiefish, catfish, puffers.

07-23-2005, 02:26 PM	#11
SouthernJustice Self Described Huguenot Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Michigan, but my heart resides in the South. Age: 21 Posts: 103	Can anyone direct me to these snails? How big are they? Will the be alright with my Piranha? Also, would just througholy stirring up my sand every water change (weekly or so) be fine? __________________ 10 Gallon: FW Community 20 Gal Whisper Filter, Heater, Red Gravel, Fake Plants and a plastic Artillery gun 55 Gallon: 4 Red Belly Piranha Last edited by SouthernJustice; 07-23-2005 at 02:35 PM.

07-24-2005, 06:24 AM	#12
Cichlid Man Super moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,093	Piranha? If you don't mind risking a few dollars. One day the piranha will probably get the better of them. Then again if you buy a huge MTS then the Piranha's jaws will have more or less met their match. Make sure your Piranha are well fed. __________________ If you have a big enough tank with enough hiding places, pH of around 7, you can keep virtually any fish together as long as all the fish are around the same size and these two groups of fish are avioded: Serrasalmus Tetradon(figure eights and dwarfs are the exception). I keep a successful community of fish in a 4 foot tank including the following families: Cichlids, tetras, loaches, gouramis, barbs, rainbows, livebearers, killiefish, catfish, puffers.

07-24-2005, 11:15 AM	#13
judya Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Columbus, Ohio Age: 55 Posts: 223	Just curious- did you use that amount of sand for a reason? If you want to terrace it, you could use clear acrylic strips several inches wide as walls to make higher and lower areas - maybe plants in the deeper sections. Rocks also work for terracing although the sand trickles out and levels out eventually.

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