Sand in a Tropical Freshwater Aquarium for plants

iisfaq

I cam across this site with great pictures of a planted aquarium. The guy used 3 bags of sand when he started and the results are impressive. He did use other stuff as well such as a home made Co2 device.

http://www.nature-aquarium.com/tank.htm

My question is what sort of sand can I use? His sand looks like you could use it for a concrete path.

Chris

ballistic · Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 7:32 am Post subject:

We use Daltons Propogating sand in ours, can be attained from most garden centres.

B

iisfaq · Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 8:03 am Post subject:

MysticVampyre · Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 8:07 am Post subject:

Heya Chris,

We (Ballistic and I) use it on its own. We clean it off lots before we use it.
In one tank, I have juss layered it ontop of the stones/pebbles that were already in the tank.
Its great stuff!

I have also juss used beach sand, picked out all the weed etc, washed it, and chucked it into the tank.
I like sand better than gravel!

iisfaq · Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 9:41 am Post subject:

MysticVampyre · Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 9:49 am Post subject:

No probs at all Chris, we are always here to help!

Caper · Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 1:22 pm Post subject:

How do you vacuum sand?

misnoma · Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 1:23 pm Post subject:

Carefully

Caper · Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 1:24 pm Post subject:

Funny

But...do you vacuum sand

MysticVampyre · Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 1:26 pm Post subject:

Yes caper, u use a plastic pipe type thing that vaccumes and syphons the crud out of ya gravel etc ....

Caper · Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 1:28 pm Post subject:

The same that you use for the gravel? I guess I just figure with the size of sand it would all be "sucked" up

Luke* · Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 7:58 pm Post subject:

You don't "plumb" the sand, you just hover the gravel suction tube over it and it picks up all the detritus that collects on top of the sand

dally · Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2005 12:40 am Post subject:

Well described Luke

erm Mystic, how do you avoid the bad bacteria that forms in sand... how wellare your tanks with sand planted? are they planted? and how many cms of sand are at the bottom.

so many questions

HummingBird · Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2005 9:21 am Post subject:

What sort of 'bad' bacteria forms anyways? The bacteria that converts nitrates to nitrogen gas is anaerobic and so it could live in there...

klaymann · Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2005 1:58 am Post subject:

You guys have any probs with PH rising while using sand?? ... I use a normal gravel cleaner for the sand base in the marine tanks ...but always have the syphom hose half crimped ( with my hand) to slow down the flow rate ....( helps when you get a sand clog to cut off flow then just bang the tube against tank to loosen sand).... this method is useful when going deep into the sand bed to airate the lower regions ...( leaving sum areas undisturbed is good for the anerobic bacteria to "denitrify" the system too..)....

by the way still think these guys are cool ===>

... go the bouncing pea's ...