# Play Sand



## Rex Grigg (Dec 10, 2002)

Read my guide.


And depending on where you live play sand can be used as a substrate or can cause you no end of problems. If you can/do use it you still need to add some peat moss to it and some mulm and some laterite.


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## AaronT (Apr 11, 2004)

Umm...I wouldn't go recommending that rookies put oraganics like peat in their tanks. Play sand is okay usually, but is very fine textured and clouds the water easily if disturbed. I prefer to use pool filter sand found which can be found at any pool supply store for just a few dollars more per 50lb. bag. The grains are courser and nicer to plant in and it won't cloud the water as much. Put a layer of laterite on the bottom that just covers the entire bottom and cover it with the sand if you go that route. Two 50lb. bags should be enough for that size tank.

Now, seeing as how you got the tank and filter for free why not invest in quality substrate? The area of the base of a 55 gallon is not that large. It would only take about 4-5 bags of Seachem Flourite to provide a nice 3" layer and then that's all you need. 

Lighting: For a 55 gallon to start off with you don't have a lot of room overhead to work with. If you don't mind a little DIY work check out the article on www.gwapa.org about overdriving normal output flourescent bulbs. I think overdriving two 48" T8 bulbs would do the trick for that tank. The T8s have less wattage than T12s, but produce more lumens, which is really more important than wattage when measuring light output. In my opinion Zoo Med makes the best T8 bulbs there are. I would go with either two Ultrasuns or one Florasun and one Tropicsun.


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## Chamelian (Apr 7, 2005)

*Playsand*

Thanks for the responses guys! Grand i was actually looking at the seachem site last night and saw they have a product called black onyx. Have you tried it? I asked around and was told it shows up more red than black in the tank.


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## Chamelian (Apr 7, 2005)

*New to this tank stuff would love some advice *

Grand you also commented on the lighting. My tank is split at the top so that it can hold two hoods. I was going to put two twenty four inch lights on the top.. Bad idea? I was actually looking at the 48" and noticed it has two bulbs side by side. Is that better? I fully agree with you on spending more on the materials since i got that tank for free. Thats why i'm here  I want to do it right the first time and i don't want to attempt it poor lighting and substrate. My primary interest is the grow the plants first. Fish will be second.


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## AaronT (Apr 11, 2004)

Use the 48" lights. Everyone's tank has that split in the middle. The plants in the middle still get plenty of light. If you follow the article I linked you too you can use the fixture from Home Depot (*shutter*...I hate that place, but they are the ones that carry it). For mine I made legs out of pvc piping and attatched it to the ends so it sits on top of the tank. So long as you don't have hatchet fish or other super notorious jumpers just keep the tank open-top. You'll be planting and trimming and fiddling with things enough that a top gets old real fast. 

I personally prefer to use Flourite. Onyx will buffer the pH of the water and make it more basic...i.e. not as good for many plants. Most plants will thrive in a pH of about 6.5-6.8 or so. Weak acid water also helps to fight algae. Ever wonder why the pH in swimming pools is acidic?  Flourite is inert and is great for growing plants. Next to shelling out big money for Aquasoil from Aqua Design Amano, it's the best substrate we have in the USA in my opinion. Others will say that Eco-Complete by CaribSea is good too and it is...I've just heard too many people say they have pH stability problems with it. The color of the substrate is really not all that important either. It all gets covered in plants anyhow.


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## Clownknife (Feb 11, 2004)

I used two inches of flourite topped by on inch of HomeDepot play sand and haven't had any problems.

The sand doesn't cloud as bad as I thought it would. After a water change it takes 2-3 hours for it to clear up.


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## Rex Grigg (Dec 10, 2002)

Onyx is gray. It comes in two sizes boulders and dust. (I'm not a real fan of Onyx).

And do put a fine layer of peat under your substrate. You should still be able to see the glass though the peat in most of the tank.


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## Chamelian (Apr 7, 2005)

*to gravel or not to gravel???*

Ok so i made a trip to PETSMART last night.. I wasn't real happy with the service there they didn't seem to know much more than me and i don't know Jack Dempsy! hehe  sorry just a lil newbie fish pun. Any way.... They told me that all they use in their planted tanks are laterite and gravel. No sand. So now i'm a lil confused do i need to use the sand or will using just flourite or laterite and gravel work too? They seemed to be against using sand when i mentioned it. By the way i can't tell you all how wonderful this is to have a place to ask these questions. Thank you all SO SO much :fish:


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## Rex Grigg (Dec 10, 2002)

It depends on the sand. IMHO the best size for a planted tank for a sand/gravel is in the 1-2 mm range. This is smaller than most of the common gravel at a pet store. It's actually very coarse sand. Fine sand will work but it can easily cause problems.

For many years people used coarse sand or fine gravel with a layer of laterite because that's what was available. The cost of a high tech substrate is a very small part of the over all cost of the tank. IMHO it doesn't pay to try and save a few bucks on substrate.


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## Creedog (Dec 17, 2004)

You can go with sand it that is the look that you want. I have pool filter sand in my 7g tank and it get pretty messy looking. 

I reccomend either eco complete or flourite as they are simple and easy and look nice. They are a bit expensive however but they are worth it.

As a newbie I would sugguest reading a bit before you jump in to the hobby. Just browse the site and check out other people'e personal sites as well.


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## AaronT (Apr 11, 2004)

Chamelian said:


> Ok so i made a trip to PETSMART last night.. I wasn't real happy with the service there they didn't seem to know much more than me and i don't know Jack Dempsy!


That is why I believe their name to be an oxymoron. I hate that place with a passion. Big box mentality stores get on my nerves in general and this one is at the top of my list. You get horrible service, ill advice, and come out paying tons more than you would anywhere else. Of course Petsmart doesn't want you to use sand. They don't sell sand. They sell Laterite, gravels, and Flourite. 

Run as far as you can from Petsmart and find yourself a decent aquarium specific shop. If you are near Lancaster I recommend you check out That Fish Place. They have really good prices there and the people there ought to know more.

Most Petsmarts do carry Flourite, but they sell it for $24.99 a bag. $15.00 a bag is what you should pay for it. Anything under $15.00 a bag is a steal.


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## Rex Grigg (Dec 10, 2002)

While wandering around on the streets today I had a thought. 

It's a way to test to see if "sand" is suitable for a planted tank.

Take a paper cup. Fill it full of sand. Add water. Tap it on a flat surface a couple of times. Add more water. Then turn the cup over on a flat surface. If the sand holds the shape of the cup it's probably too fine to use as a substrate in a planted tank.

Thought? Comments?


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## AaronT (Apr 11, 2004)

It's more than just grain size, although that pry would work. Some of that play sand stuff can also have chemicals added to it to keep kids from getting sick so it might not be good for fish or plants.


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## Chamelian (Apr 7, 2005)

*Sand test.*

Rex the sand test sounds like a good idea. Thanks! 
I do have one suggestion for you also..... wear flourecent orange when you wonder the streets? Becareful k? :wink:


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## Rex Grigg (Dec 10, 2002)

Chamelian said:


> Rex the sand test sounds like a good idea. Thanks!
> I do have one suggestion for you also..... wear flourecent orange when you wonder the streets? Becareful k? :wink:



Nope. I wear blue. That's the color of the day for my employer.


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## Betowess (Dec 9, 2004)

Ahh, if your were on me route, I'd give ya a couple shots of Oban, man.


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## New 2 fish (Dec 26, 2004)

Chamelian- any chance you're around the Allentown area? I know some good LFS that will get you what you need, and not point you in the wrong direction. Also, I'm in that area and would be happy to get together with you and show you my setups....


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## Chamelian (Apr 7, 2005)

Betowess. What is oban??
New 2 Fish thank you so much for the generous offer but no i'm not near Allentown. I'm actually in NW PA. ALso what does LFS mean??? lol sorry i'm still new to this stuff. Thanks guys! Have a great day!


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## Rex Grigg (Dec 10, 2002)

Oban is a single malt scotch http://www.scotchwhisky.net/malt/oban.htm I'm not a scotch drinker. I prefer Vintage Ports.


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## bigpow (May 24, 2004)

43% alcohol? Geez... beats Listerine!


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## Rex Grigg (Dec 10, 2002)

bigpow said:


> 43% alcohol? Geez... beats Listerine!



And it's a LOT more expensive.


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## New 2 fish (Dec 26, 2004)

LFS stands for Local Fish Store. Keep poking around- someone on here will have a good local one for you. If you tell us what town, someone may chime in. I've seen people from Pittsburg around here somewhere <looking under fert bag>


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## Chamkeeper (Apr 12, 2005)

New 2 Fish, I live pretty close near Hazleton. 

Chamelian, Do you have a Chameleon(s)? I spent the last five years getting out of raising them, and I still have some great stuff for chams. 

Sorry to hijack. 

Cham


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## Betowess (Dec 9, 2004)

Rex Grigg said:


> And it's a LOT more expensive.


Yup, and its sure is smooth at that. Fishers love the stuff. The good, the bad and the algae. bob :icon_roll


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## New 2 fish (Dec 26, 2004)

Cham- I'm 4 miles south of Jim Thorpe! Nice to find someone in the area


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## awrieger (May 12, 2005)

grandmasterofpool said:


> That is why I believe their name to be an oxymoron.


I suspect it's based on Pets-mart, as in Kmart or Walmart etc inferring a low-price warehouse type of retailer, rather than Pet-Smart.


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## TigerLilly (Oct 11, 2004)

I agree most petsmarts know anything. The one near me is different however. Except for their plant knowledge, which is none. Anyhow, they sell sand and it is way to expensive. However, where I live the cost of fish is outragous. So petsmart's fish prices are the lowest here. Other places sell a firemouth that's .5'' long for $5.


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