I put all 4 50lb bags of sand in my daughters kiddie pool filled it up with water and let het play in it while the hose was running, cleaned up all 200lbs in less than a hour. Her playing stirred it up pretty good.
A long time ago I did this, busted my ass prepping all that pool filter sand but the results are excellent. Also used a couple sets of Sylvania led mosiac light strips and they cost way less than pet store led's. Only LED's produce the natural light effect of the sun, ie the wavy pattern that shines on the sand.
Even time I do a quarter water change I also take a quarter of the sand out rinse it and add it back with the water, keeps the sand super white and clean
I found that Malaysian trumpet snails help a lot in preventing those pockets because they constantly dig and stir the sand so it doesn't have time to form pockets of gas.
I go to pool store get pool filter sand. It like 8 to 10 bucks for 50lbs. That stuff more of a play sand. Really filter sand was cleared before pack it.
The pockets of hydrogen sulfide will be neutralized very quickly by oxygen in the water. It really isn’t a problem. If your water isn’t sufficiently oxygenated to buffer this...well your fish would have suffocated long before.
That's the coolest aquarium I've seen yet. I got a 10 gallon and I've been all about the planted tank thing, I spent a small fortune! It's never enough though so I picked up a 30. That's as big as I can go but I'd like to get a school of fish going back and forth like that. I was thinking danios. Maybe go for a creek look. You're the man, do u got any suggestions?
I'm thinking about putting Pool filter sand in my 60 gallon I'm cleaning up and about to set up in my room, The only thing I'm scared of is it ruining my HOB filter! I'm going to keep the Intake at least halfway up the tank so it minimizes the risk of breaking my filter. I'm not going to have cichlids just Cory cats and other tropical community fish so would I have any problems you think? Please give me any advice you feel necessary! I'm going to get a canister filter soon but for now I'll be using the HOB filter
how often do you need to clean the sand and agitate it, every 2 weeks with a partial water change? I guess you would need to but do you have to remove the fish when you agitate the water? last question I have a clay gravel substrate all live plants and everything, when I move a plant or anything debris from it and kinda a dust will kick up, if cleaned properly will sand just settle really quick or will it get cloudy as well?
I do it monthly. I do not remove the fish. Sand will settle back really fast. Just make sure you wash the sand over, and over before using in in the tank.
So even when agitating the sand and disturbing the "gas pockets" that will not bother the fish while they are still in the tank? So just stir around the sand once a month with water changes? sorry for the questions but I am going to do this just heard horror stories of having sand and want to make sure I know what to do before I put it in my tank. Also yeah I know you have to rinse the sand VERY good before it goes in that tank lol
Thank you so much for this video lesson u save me 200$ i was about to buy those sand from pet-smart good thing that i research and I learned also please if u can of course can u show us how to clean it and how often we have to clean thank you one more time and also beautiful design fish tank i love it where i can find those stones also
Your sand is way too thick. Plus you need to stir the sand more. You have way too many air pockets. I got pool sand in my tank and never had that many air pockets.. you also should had purchased pre washed sand. It way easier to wash. Don’t hook the Python to your faucet to clean your sand the pull is too hard. Instead Hydro siphon with the Python. I run my outside to a bucket any sand that I suck up while cleaning the tank falls to the bottom of the bucket and the water overflows. By doing this the Python has less pull and you can use the Python in the sand just as you would in gravel. Plus the air pockets are not released into the aquarium and the water and sand are well mixed. You wont have the wet/dry line seen in your video. I tend to have only a cup of sand in the bucket after cleaning my tank. This sand is easy to clean and returned to the tank. I then connect the Python to my faucet flush the line and refill my tank. Because i keep goldfish I do big water changes this works well plus i am able to pull dust out of the sand while cleaning so my tank tent to stay very clear and my fish are happy
Is it a good option to use a less powerful or maybe China made siphon and collect it in a bucket while doing the water changes? This way you get to rinse the collected sand again and put it back on and also not worry about sand getting wasted.
That looks great, but it's a lot of work. I like the idea of sand. I use sand as a cap to dirt. Dirt is great for a planted aquarium, but dirt fowls the water column. Sand is great from keeping the dirt out of the water column. A natural capped dirted aquarium is beautiful and a lot less work to keep.
Im looking to switch my gravel tank to sand , and i have a lima shovel-nose and a couple of rainbow sharks , any suggestions on a good sand to choose ?
Jr Salazar I would use the sand that he used in this video. It's the most cost efficient, and is 100% silica which is great for fish as it won't affect the Ph levels.
I recently switched from gravel to pool filter sand & i moved a plant & have realized that below the top layer of sand the rest of the sand has turned like darker almost gray color. Should i be worried ?
i used 100 pounds of sand in my 220 and still got close to 2 inches of sand i think its maybe because we might have similar foot print not necessary volume
I'm considering switching to sand for a 180 gallon goldfish aquarium i'm now in the process of setting up. I have two very large goldfish that love to dig so thought sand might be better for them than regular gravel. My concerns are if their digging would keep the tank in a constant cloudy state? Also I'm concerned at the possibility of the sand scratching the viewing glass while cleaning algae off with either scrubber or mag-float. Any thoughts on those two concerns? How do you generally keep your front viewing screen clean and clear?
I've had no issues with any of this. The fish LOVE sand! I use a wash cloth and gently wipe the entire tank while doing water changes. No scratching at all. As for worrying about cloudiness no issues. You must wash / rinse the sand many times before you put it in the tank. I washed mine over and over. No issues with cloudiness. The more you wash / rinse the better your results will be.
i don't know when this video was shot or if you still keep fish...i simply put my pool filter sand in a bucket and it removed the dust was easily removed. 2 days of soaking. i'll also add that my hth pool filter sand had NO WHERE NEAR the amount of dust as the product you're using. no idea why.
any brand of this pool filter sand safe? or any specific brand considered not safe? my workplace is shutting down all of their pools and they have about 200 bags of sand that they don't want. just wondering if they're all safe, as i forgot the brand name.
I have stock filtration and lights on maybe 3 hours and im getting algae...i put a piece of paper between the light and the tanks so it isnt so bright. Any tips on filtration?
I literally just did two of those same bags about two weeks ago in less than 45 minutes.. The reason that it's taking you so long is because you are just letting that bucket fill up.. Instead turn it at an incline and keep the water about 5 inches away and just let it hit it with hard pressure while you stir it with your hand.. You seriously are wasting your time and you're doing it the long way. Whenever I put it in my 125 and filled my tank up it was crystal clear.. Not one bit of cloudiness.. Also, I did half the bag at a time too...
Getting pool filter sand from the pool equipment store does not require hours of rinsing or many gallons of water. My industrial sand was took about 6 gallons of water and about 30-45 minutes. Also it's white& does not have the brown like this person had. Only use 1-1.5 inches. Not 3 inches. This video shows what not to do.
Hey mate, why have you got your sand beds so deep? There is zero need for that, what is that? 4-5ins? Crazy, just asking for noxious gas build up, 2ins is fine, half an in at the front slopeing up towards the back, this also gives your tank depth to the eye! Absolute no need for what you doing at the moment mate, with all due respect:-)
Look at " Father Fish " videos he has tanks that are 20 years old with 6-8" of sand no problems what so ever. Even if a " bubble " or " fart " should come out of the sand it will simply go to the top of the tank and burst. Whatever gas is there if any will not dissolve in the the water,
PROBLEM WITH THIS IS ITS MADE OF SILICA clean the shit outta it before you use this type of sand when its clean Rinse again and again Silica can be Deadly to your fish if not rinsed good enough .. i do use Pool filter sand it is worth it in the end but for the price you save you pick up not being lazy and filter and clean it first
I put all 4 50lb bags of sand in my daughters kiddie pool filled it up with water and let het play in it while the hose was running, cleaned up all 200lbs in less than a hour. Her playing stirred it up pretty good.
i think you are the first person that actually had tanks that i like. great style!👌👌
Thank you. I appreciate that.
Your fish are awesome! And very lucky they have a good pops!
One way to prevent air pockets is to put some water in the tank first , then add sand.
A long time ago I did this, busted my ass prepping all that pool filter sand but the results are excellent. Also used a couple sets of Sylvania led mosiac light strips and they cost way less than pet store led's. Only LED's produce the natural light effect of the sun, ie the wavy pattern that shines on the sand.
It was so worth it!
I use less than an inch and never have a problem with gas build up..3 inches is asking for trouble.
I've never had any issues with mine.
MELODY MUNRO I was just going to comment that the deeper the sand is increases the chance of air pockets.
I’ve never had a problem either
Even time I do a quarter water change I also take a quarter of the sand out rinse it and add it back with the water, keeps the sand super white and clean
You can use more than 1 inch if you have cory catfish. The root through the sand and gets rid of those gas pockets.
I found that Malaysian trumpet snails help a lot in preventing those pockets because they constantly dig and stir the sand so it doesn't have time to form pockets of gas.
I go to pool store get pool filter sand. It like 8 to 10 bucks for 50lbs. That stuff more of a play sand. Really filter sand was cleared before pack it.
The pockets of hydrogen sulfide will be neutralized very quickly by oxygen in the water. It really isn’t a problem. If your water isn’t sufficiently oxygenated to buffer this...well your fish would have suffocated long before.
Glad I don't have a water bill. This takes me hours!! It is worth it.
Great video is this same one sold ace hardware? Which is more white? I'm going to switch from gravel to sand. Thanks.
i'm not sure about ACE hardware. Sorry. Thanks for watching.
Are you using a root tab for sand cause i know sand dont have nutrients.
Where did you find the rocks you have leaning are the real or Resin????
They are real slate rock. Most rock quarries sell them.
Love your background it has given me lots of great ideas i had never thought about b4 great work looks amazing and natural.
How do you keep your water so clear
That's the coolest aquarium I've seen yet. I got a 10 gallon and I've been all about the planted tank thing, I spent a small fortune! It's never enough though so I picked up a 30. That's as big as I can go but I'd like to get a school of fish going back and forth like that. I was thinking danios. Maybe go for a creek look. You're the man, do u got any suggestions?
Beautiful video does this sand is risky for your pump does it not enter the pump
I'm thinking about putting Pool filter sand in my 60 gallon I'm cleaning up and about to set up in my room, The only thing I'm scared of is it ruining my HOB filter! I'm going to keep the Intake at least halfway up the tank so it minimizes the risk of breaking my filter. I'm not going to have cichlids just Cory cats and other tropical community fish so would I have any problems you think? Please give me any advice you feel necessary! I'm going to get a canister filter soon but for now I'll be using the HOB filter
I used my HOB filters with no issue at all. Sometimes I just had to clean the sand from the impeller.
how often do you need to clean the sand and agitate it, every 2 weeks with a partial water change? I guess you would need to but do you have to remove the fish when you agitate the water? last question I have a clay gravel substrate all live plants and everything, when I move a plant or anything debris from it and kinda a dust will kick up, if cleaned properly will sand just settle really quick or will it get cloudy as well?
I do it monthly. I do not remove the fish. Sand will settle back really fast. Just make sure you wash the sand over, and over before using in in the tank.
So even when agitating the sand and disturbing the "gas pockets" that will not bother the fish while they are still in the tank? So just stir around the sand once a month with water changes? sorry for the questions but I am going to do this just heard horror stories of having sand and want to make sure I know what to do before I put it in my tank. Also yeah I know you have to rinse the sand VERY good before it goes in that tank lol
Is that quickrete sand more of a white or brown? It looks pretty tan but the one tank look pretty white
Very good video.
Do you have to add the sand to a full tank of water or can you add the sand before filling the tank with water?
thank you for the indepth tutorial
Really nice tanks, n informative vid...carry on with the good job...is it same to using directly beach sand?
Thank you so much for this video lesson u save me 200$ i was about to buy those sand from pet-smart good thing that i research and I learned also please if u can of course can u show us how to clean it and how often we have to clean thank you one more time and also beautiful design fish tank i love it where i can find those stones also
Thank you. The rocks can be purchased at rock quarry locations. This is slate rock.
Good vid. Thanks
Thanks for posting
Your sand is way too thick. Plus you need to stir the sand more. You have way too many air pockets. I got pool sand in my tank and never had that many air pockets.. you also should had purchased pre washed sand. It way easier to wash. Don’t hook the Python to your faucet to clean your sand the pull is too hard. Instead Hydro siphon with the Python. I run my outside to a bucket any sand that I suck up while cleaning the tank falls to the bottom of the bucket and the water overflows. By doing this the Python has less pull and you can use the Python in the sand just as you would in gravel. Plus the air pockets are not released into the aquarium and the water and sand are well mixed. You wont have the wet/dry line seen in your video. I tend to have only a cup of sand in the bucket after cleaning my tank. This sand is easy to clean and returned to the tank. I then connect the Python to my faucet flush the line and refill my tank. Because i keep goldfish I do big water changes this works well plus i am able to pull dust out of the sand while cleaning so my tank tent to stay very clear and my fish are happy
thanks for the info going to do that to my tank
You bet.
What brand of pool filter sand are you running on the tank that came with the sand?
why is the sand 2 different colors?are you using 2 different types ? or is that just the way it looks on video ?
I use hth pool filter sand and it gets clear after rinsing
Is it a good option to use a less powerful or maybe China made siphon and collect it in a bucket while doing the water changes? This way you get to rinse the collected sand again and put it back on and also not worry about sand getting wasted.
Your second aquarium is so lovely
Just did the same thing works pretty good🙏
That looks great, but it's a lot of work. I like the idea of sand. I use sand as a cap to dirt. Dirt is great for a planted aquarium, but dirt fowls the water column. Sand is great from keeping the dirt out of the water column. A natural capped dirted aquarium is beautiful and a lot less work to keep.
Is this brand safe to use with corydoras and loaches?
Yes it is. I seen it on KGTropicals and Aquarium Co-op. They said it's good with corys.
would it be better to siphon the waste 1st then scrape the sand then finish the water change?
thank you for this awesome tip and vid
You're welcome. Thank you!
May I ask why the sand looks 2 tone? Is it all the same type of sand?
It's one tone. What you're seeing is the lack of light on the lower layer.
To wash my sand I usually just dump the sand into a pillow case and rise in that for a solid like 5-10 minuets and never had a problem
Am I able to use multi purpose sand?
Im looking to switch my gravel tank to sand , and i have a lima shovel-nose and a couple of rainbow sharks , any suggestions on a good sand to choose ?
Jr Salazar I would use the sand that he used in this video. It's the most cost efficient, and is 100% silica which is great for fish as it won't affect the Ph levels.
I recently switched from gravel to pool filter sand & i moved a plant & have realized that below the top layer of sand the rest of the sand has turned like darker almost gray color. Should i be worried ?
What do you use to clean the sand??
Did you not watch the video...
Thank you for sharing!
what filter should i use?
What light is on the 75
Nice Tank Man looks really good
Very informative video. Just bought 50 lbs pool filter quikcrete sand @10.95 from local pool supply. Jealous of your broods. What are they?
Thank you :) They are Yellow Tail Acei.
nice aquarium s ,I love to keep like u ,but my parents not allow me to do that
Someday you can have your own place and then you can! :)
How are those acei's?
They are great. I have far too many lol.
Reviews and How-to 😂😂 i could take some off you😀
i used 100 pounds of sand in my 220 and still got close to 2 inches of sand i think its maybe because we might have similar foot print not necessary volume
great vid!
I'm considering switching to sand for a 180 gallon goldfish aquarium i'm now in the process of setting up. I have two very large goldfish that love to dig so thought sand might be better for them than regular gravel. My concerns are if their digging would keep the tank in a constant cloudy state? Also I'm concerned at the possibility of the sand scratching the viewing glass while cleaning algae off with either scrubber or mag-float. Any thoughts on those two concerns? How do you generally keep your front viewing screen clean and clear?
I've had no issues with any of this. The fish LOVE sand! I use a wash cloth and gently wipe the entire tank while doing water changes. No scratching at all. As for worrying about cloudiness no issues. You must wash / rinse the sand many times before you put it in the tank. I washed mine over and over. No issues with cloudiness. The more you wash / rinse the better your results will be.
i don't know when this video was shot or if you still keep fish...i simply put my pool filter sand in a bucket and it removed the dust was easily removed. 2 days of soaking.
i'll also add that my hth pool filter sand had NO WHERE NEAR the amount of dust as the product you're using. no idea why.
thanks for this video
You're welcome. Thanks for watching.
any brand of this pool filter sand safe? or any specific brand considered not safe? my workplace is shutting down all of their pools and they have about 200 bags of sand that they don't want. just wondering if they're all safe, as i forgot the brand name.
As far as I know they are all safe. Just rinse them well.
awesome! thanks for the reply. I brought 6 bags home last night and began rinsing them. hoping they'll be fully rinsed by tonight 😊
oh the brand was Seagull brand, silica based
Woah how are your tanks so clean? No algae problems?! How?!?!
I have stock filtration and lights on maybe 3 hours and im getting algae...i put a piece of paper between the light and the tanks so it isnt so bright. Any tips on filtration?
Could i use that sand in a outdoor pond?
Home depot, $5.95 for a 25lb bag of pool filter sand... just rinse the shit out of it.
Bingo!!
Pool filter sand can only cost $12.99 from Ace hardware HTH brand. Perfect for tanks
I'm going to get some how hard was it to clean?
I literally just did two of those same bags about two weeks ago in less than 45 minutes.. The reason that it's taking you so long is because you are just letting that bucket fill up.. Instead turn it at an incline and keep the water about 5 inches away and just let it hit it with hard pressure while you stir it with your hand.. You seriously are wasting your time and you're doing it the long way. Whenever I put it in my 125 and filled my tank up it was crystal clear.. Not one bit of cloudiness.. Also, I did half the bag at a time too...
Living room? What's that? Its a Fish room! Who needs to watch Finding Nemo on TV anyways? Especially when you can find him in your tank?
Who was watching this in VR? If so, who felt like the water was gonna spill on them when he was cleaning the sand?
This sand use marine aquarium tank
You don't want to do it don't do it don't ask cute ankle look like crap you need to do this the guy knows what he's talking about
Getting pool filter sand from the pool equipment store does not require hours of rinsing or many gallons of water. My industrial sand was took about 6 gallons of water and about 30-45 minutes. Also it's white& does not have the brown like this person had. Only use 1-1.5 inches. Not 3 inches. This video shows what not to do.
I have a 20 gallon tank
I used to use this for years but discontinued using it because its an ugly muddy, brownish colour that never changes.
Hey mate, why have you got your sand beds so deep? There is zero need for that, what is that? 4-5ins? Crazy, just asking for noxious gas build up, 2ins is fine, half an in at the front slopeing up towards the back, this also gives your tank depth to the eye! Absolute no need for what you doing at the moment mate, with all due respect:-)
Look at " Father Fish " videos he has tanks that are 20 years old with 6-8" of sand no problems what so ever. Even if a " bubble " or " fart " should come out of the sand it will simply go to the top of the tank and burst. Whatever gas is there if any will not dissolve in the the water,
Put live plants in your tank!
Use less substrate....your 120 tank is like a 75gal with all of that lol.
Sold them all except my 55g. :)
so, you were really into it....for how long before ya got bored with it?
Add some bacteria…from a river or pond… get real plants would help. To clean up the poop..❤
PROBLEM WITH THIS IS ITS MADE OF SILICA clean the shit outta it before you use this type of sand when its clean Rinse again and again Silica can be Deadly to your fish if not rinsed good enough .. i do use Pool filter sand it is worth it in the end but for the price you save you pick up not being lazy and filter and clean it first
Damn your house filthy asf LOL