lennon

Hi everyone. I am getting ready to set up my tank and will need to decide what to use.

I totally prefer the sand since it tends to look like a SW tank but have heard it is alittle difficult to clean.
Anyone that has sand, please help me out and let me know how it is going and how you maintain it.

I got the tube cleaner and the extender hose. They said that with the extender hose, the sand will go up..but will then fall down.

Anyway, how often do you clean your sand?? How about your gravel??

Please just take a moment to give some hints and advice.

Thanks so much for your help everyone!



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ahill3780

I chose to go with sand in my tanks because I think it lends a more natural look in most cases. Cleaning the sand should done just as often as you would clean a gravel substrate. The good thing with sand is that all the waste sits on top of the substrate instead of sneaking its way down through the cracks as it would in a gravel bottom tank.

Cleaning the sand is just as easy as cleaning gravel and is done in much the same way using the very same vacuum that you have. Once you start the syphon simply press it into the sand for a second and lift it out again. Much of the sand dust will be sucked out along with any waste, but the larger, denser sand grains themselves will slide back down onto the ground after being lifted for a moment. Some sand may find its way into the bucket but not all will.

The only other issue with sand is seen in planted aquariums where some plants may find it difficult to push their roots through the dense sand. In these cases I recommend that the person lay down a bottom substrate of gravel that the plant can easily develope its root system in, and simply lay the sand over the gravel to give the illusion that it is an all sand bed.

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lennon

Hey there. Thanks for the info. I am getting a 90 gallon. How much gravel would you use and how much sand on top?

Also, would I still be able to use the gravel if I plan to get a stingray in the future?

Thanks again

ahill3780

OK, so this will be a saltwater tank then?

If so, then there are some other factors to consider and I may need to retract my suggestion of using an underlying gravel bed.

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lennon

Hey there.

No, it will be a freshwater tank.

What do you suggest then?

thanks

ahill3780

Hmm, I wasn't aware that the stingray had a freshwater cousin...

Anyway, to answer your question: If you do not plan on keeping live plants then I wouldn't really bother with the addition of gravel, but would stick with just sand.

The amount of sand to use in a tank is the subject of hot debate in most forums across the 'net. The generally accepted rule is that a deeper sandbed (DSB) is better than a shallower sandbed. There is a reason for this conclusion - a deep sand bed allows denitrifying bacteria a place to form groups in low-oxygen areas (known as "anoxic zones") which greatly help to convert nitrogenous waste into carbon dioxide which floats to the surface of the aquarium and escapes. The general consensus of an adequate sandbed to produce these results is between 4-6 inches. In a 90 gallon aquarium this calls for somewhere in the ballpark of about 150-200 lbs of sand. If you plan to keep rays then I would go so far as to say that a 4" sand bed is a requirement, and you should not make use of gravel or crushed coral at all.

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lennon

thanks for the advice. Is there a benefit to the plants though?

I probably will not be doing the stingray until next year when I learn much more about their care and maintenance.

I just get nervous about cleaning the sand.

Hopefully it will go smoothly.

Jay

Yep there is and they get very big.

In a freshwater tank, IMO the choice is yours, but get into it knowing the consequences of your choice up front.

IME and in addition to Ahill's comments sand also allows for anaerobic bacteria pockets, and the formation of Hydrogen sulfide (rotten egg smell) not good.

Sand will compact very easily and as mlum accumulates will become hard, and therefore not good for root development if you want to add plants.

IMO and IME, as a planted tank person, sand has a "0" CEC. "Cation Exchange Capacity" Very important if you want to be successful with plants.

Simply Put. CEC means a substrates ability to ADsorb / ABsorb minerals, nutrients etc. and make them available to plant roots.

As always, Look before you Leap. 200 pounds of substrate is a lot of substrate.

Jay