Sand

[Fishy Lee]

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

[Neon_Tetra]

Yea, it will all work out great. Good Luck!

[fishfreaks]

1. We have airstones with our sand and the fish sometimes pile the sand up on top of it, but so far we've had no problems with it clogging up or anything. We just take it all off when its time for a water change.

2. You just hover the vac an inch or so above the sand and it will suck up all the nasty stuff, not the sand. Unless its a real light-weight sand you dont have have to worry about it

3. As long as the sandbed is deep enough you shouldnt have any problems unless the fish you have like to dig them up

[Fishy Lee]

Now when I vacuum my gravel...I start the water flowing, and I push the vacuum "through" the gravel all the way to the bottom of the tank, and as I lift it, the rocks sort of flutter up, but then quickly settle as the dirt flows up through the siphon. Am I doing this wrong? It seems right because it picks up TONS of dirt that I don't think I could get if I didn't push it down, and my fish have been alive and healthy for 2+ years, so I must be doing something right. Is my techinque off, or is it just different for sand? Will all the fish "crap" not sink down within the sand the way it does for gravel, and I just won't have to dig as deep?

[fishfreaks]

Originally Posted by Fishy Lee Will all the fish "crap" not sink down within the sand the way it does for gravel, and I just won't have to dig as deep?

Yes. You're right it will all just lay on top of the sand. Just be sure to stir up the sand a bit to prevent gas pockets that can be toxic to the fish. We just add this too the weekly schedule with our water changes