# Help! What type/size of Sand/gravel for 20gal Walstad tank?



## mihzyd77 (Jan 11, 2017)

Hello Everyone,

I'm working on building my first Walstad 20 gallon tank this weekend and need some advice.

I may be over thinking this but just came back from Home Depot looking for sand and not having luck....why....because there a MILLION CHOICES!!!! I want to be sure I set it up as correct as possible the first time so that I don't kill every plant and fish I will be putting in there  I saw bags of Sandbox sand but it seems to be very very fine......Do I want to get beach sand like this -http://www.homedepot.com/p/Akasha-15-lb-Beach-Sand-Box-Contains-3-5-lb-Bags-BCHSNDHD/203553860 ? 

So I guess big question is does sand have to be a specific size, very fine or grainy..etc.?

Also with the Walstad method everything I've read and watched shows the Miracle-Gro Organic Potting soil then Sand....question is is it just 2 layers in Walstad tanks or is there a 3rd layer consisting of aquarium gravel on top of the sand and soil?

OR can I just RE-USE the current aquarium gravel I have in there right over the dirt and not use any sand or does it look to big to allow potential air pockets --Here's what I currently have, for comparison the moss ball on the left is about 2" inches wide, you can click on picture to make it bigger: https://www.amazon.com/photos/share/ZWC3Mqj5byLSpC03PJWphq3FkXfnW3oSVaWD9zxjxZt

I think my biggest fear is it being to fine that it doesn't help keep the dirt down or to coarse and it creates air pockets and causes an anaerobic effect which would suck 

Thanks for anyone's help in advance!

Anyone? At this point I'm thinking my current gravel over the dirt will be ok? Any help would be appreciated


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## Fishly (Jan 8, 2010)

> I may be over thinking this but just came back from Home Depot looking for sand and not having luck....why....because there a MILLION CHOICES!!!! I want to be sure I set it up as correct as possible the first time so that I don't kill every plant and fish I will be putting in there  I saw bags of Sandbox sand but it seems to be very very fine......Do I want to get beach sand like this -http://www.homedepot.com/p/Akasha-15-lb-Beach-Sand-Box-Contains-3-5-lb-Bags-BCHSNDHD/203553860 ?
> 
> So I guess big question is does sand have to be a specific size, very fine or grainy..etc.?


Play sand might be too fine. Pool filter sand is generally better. Gravel is too coarse. 



> Also with the Walstad method everything I've read and watched shows the Miracle-Gro Organic Potting soil then Sand....question is is it just 2 layers in Walstad tanks or is there a 3rd layer consisting of aquarium gravel on top of the sand and soil?


No, there's usually not anything on top of the sand.



> OR can I just RE-USE the current aquarium gravel I have in there right over the dirt and not use any sand or does it look to big to allow potential air pockets --Here's what I currently have, for comparison the moss ball on the left is about 2" inches wide, you can click on picture to make it bigger: https://www.amazon.com/photos/share/ZWC3Mqj5byLSpC03PJWphq3FkXfnW3oSVaWD9zxjxZt


I think that gravel would be too coarse. You could use it if you really wanted, but you'd have trouble getting plants to stay rooted and it would be really easy for dirt to work its way up.



> I think my biggest fear is it being to fine that it doesn't help keep the dirt down or to coarse and it creates air pockets and causes an anaerobic effect which would suck


It's the other way around - fine substrates are better at holding the dirt down than coarse ones. Fine substrates are also the ones that are more likely to compact and cause anaerobic pockets.

Don't worry too much about anaerobic spots. People make it sound like they're the aquarium equivalent of a nuclear bomb, but almost all fine substrates more than an inch deep are anaerobic to some extent. It actually helps reduce nitrate (though not by much). If you have enough plants, the roots will carry oxygen into the substrate and prevent any seriously large pockets from forming.

And don't worry too much about killing all your plants and fish. Water changes covereth a multitude of mistakes. As long as your tank is cycled before you add fish, you stay on top of maintenance, and you look at your tank every day to check for problems, you'll be fine. You'll probably lose a fish or two and maybe some plants as you figure things out, but that's part of the learning curve and nothing to be ashamed of. Give it a shot, and have fun with it!


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