# sand



## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

Don't know what kind of sand you're thinking of, but I'd suggest you seriously consider quartz-based silica pool filter sand over any other type of sand, if you can get it (from a pool supply store).

Do yourself a favor and avoid any 'play sands' available at the big box stores, and I'll be glad to tell you why if you want to know the details.

Other than that, any specialty sand sold by LFS's will usually be quite expensive, whereas PFS can be had for $10. to $15. for a 50 lb. bag.

And that's about all you'd need to do a suitable job in your 75 gal tank, by sloping it slightly from say 1" to 1.5" in front, to no more than 3" at the back. Any deeper than that depth of sand, and you significantly increase the risk of anaerobic gas pockets developing - and plants can be rooted well in 2.0" to 3.0" of sand depth.
Hope this helps.


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## nilocg (Jul 12, 2010)

For 3" of sand, you will need roughly 100-150lbs depending on which type of sand you use.


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## mcaquatic (Apr 26, 2010)

perfect thanks


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## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

nilocg said:


> For 3" of sand, you will need roughly 100-150lbs depending on which type of sand you use.


I don't know what kind of sand you're using, nilocg, which compacts that well, but I'm quite sure that 100 to 150 lbs. of sand in a 75 gal would result in too great a depth of sand substrate to be safe from development of gas pockets.
I used about a 50 lb. bag of PFS sand in my 70+ gal tank, and it has a depth of 1.5" at the front, to well over 2" at the rear. An earlier 40 gal tank of mine had 30 lbs. of PFS at a sufficient depth to grow plants well.


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

I just set up my 90 gallon with PFS. 2 50lb bags for $24. Rinsed really easy. I wanted about 2.5 to 3 inches all the way across the entire bottom. It takes about 75 to 100lbs to do that. 75 and 90 gallon tanks are pretty close in foot print. Im also doing 2 different things to keep from getting gas pockets in the sand....... That is ....... PLANT HEAVY... More roots less issues with gas pockets. MTS Snails..... They can help tons by keeping the sand churning underneath.


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## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

I used 100 lbs of Black diamond blasting media for 80 gal tank which has same foot print as 75 gallon except 80 gal is taller.
Gave me a depth of around two inches at the front, and three inches in back corner's where sword plant's are.
Throw some trumpet snails in the tank, and depth is no issue for they are very good at aerating the substrate.(no sifting,poking, needed).


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## mcaquatic (Apr 26, 2010)

if i get the MTS will they breed and end up being every where? Also will loaches eat them?


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

mcaquatic said:


> if i get the MTS will they breed and end up being every where? Also will loaches eat them?


Yes they can and if you have some active breeds of loaches they can help you control the population.


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## nilocg (Jul 12, 2010)

discuspaul said:


> I don't know what kind of sand you're using, nilocg, which compacts that well, but I'm quite sure that 100 to 150 lbs. of sand in a 75 gal would result in too great a depth of sand substrate to be safe from development of gas pockets.
> I used about a 50 lb. bag of PFS sand in my 70+ gal tank, and it has a depth of 1.5" at the front, to well over 2" at the rear. An earlier 40 gal tank of mine had 30 lbs. of PFS at a sufficient depth to grow plants well.



Regular sand weighs about 100 lbs per cubic foot, which is 1728 cubic inches, 3" of sand in the bottom of a 75 gallon tank would take nearly 2600 cubic inches.


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## proaudio55 (Oct 20, 2011)

discuspaul said:


> I don't know what kind of sand you're using, nilocg, which compacts that well, but I'm quite sure that 100 to 150 lbs. of sand in a 75 gal would result in too great a depth of sand substrate to be safe from development of gas pockets.


Yep, +1 on that. I have a 72 bow front with 2 bags pool filter sand and 1 bag black diamond. It is about 3" thick and I occasionally have bubbles come up out of the substrate, but I don't know what gas that is. (??) I haven't had any fish die from it so it must be OK.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/substrate/162169-black-diamond.html#post1690983


100lbs pool filter sand, 50lbs black coal slag blasting media








http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/pHosting/f/8757_Sand_2c.jpg


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## NWA-Planted (Aug 27, 2011)

I did about 2" on mine little more little less in areas, my tank is 125 gallons, I only used 100 pounds of PFS










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## mcaquatic (Apr 26, 2010)

I am going to pick up the sand on Tuesday. How well do you have to rinse it before putting it in the aquarium?


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

PFS is pretty clean, so try this:
Put about 10 pounds in a 5 gallon bucket and run a garden hose in there to the bottom of the sand. As the bucket fills, swirl it around with your hand. Allow the water to run out over the top. 

If the water is too dirty, wash less sand at a time, and it will take a while. 
If the water is fairly clean even at the start then you are already done with that batch, put it in the tank and rinse the next 10 pounds. (This is what happened when I used PFS, Tahitain Moon Sand, or 3M Colorquartz. Less than a minute of rinsing, just a trace of dust) Any product that is graded for size will have very little dust in the bag. 

If you use play sand there may be so much dust you will wash away half the bag before the water runs clear.


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## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

NWA-Planted said:


> I did about 2" on mine little more little less in areas, my tank is 125 gallons, I only used 100 pounds of PFS
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Great-looking tank, NWA. I like it !


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