# I have a question about sand



## ladycamperlinda (Feb 11, 2016)

when I log onto this home page the first thing I see is the HTH pool filter sand advertisement. This is fine, because I am trying to read all the info I can regarding types of aquarium sand for freshwater tanks. I have a 180 gal that I am setting up and I want to use sand as the substrate. I have read about alternatives to actual aquarium sand and this HTH pool sand has been mentioned positively quite often as a substitute. Does anyone have experience using this sand? I was thinking that because this ad was one of the first things I saw when I logged on that this HTH sand was a recommendation. Any comments?


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## Warhawk (Feb 23, 2014)

I have not used pool filter sand but I know a lot of people here do use that. I have used common play sand and never had a issue. I'm planning on buying a few bags of sand blasting sand because it is black. 

Just make sure you wash the sand very well.


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## Dylandrewlukesdad (Feb 11, 2016)

I also just use plain play send in my tanks that have sand. Cheap and readily available. I think the pool sand has bigger granules.


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

Play sand here too. $5 for a 50 lb bag. Just rinse, rinse, rinse really well before using.

Warhawk, be careful on the blasting sand. Make sure it is not too sharp. I haven't used it but have heard it can be too sharp for fish such as cories, rays, etc.


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## Warhawk (Feb 23, 2014)

jeaninel said:


> Play sand here too. $5 for a 50 lb bag. Just rinse, rinse, rinse really well before using.
> 
> Warhawk, be careful on the blasting sand. Make sure it is not too sharp. I haven't used it but have heard it can be too sharp for fish such as cories, rays, etc.


Thanks for the info. I didn't think about it being sharper then normal sand, but it's a good point. I love the color but maybe not the best choice.


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## ladycamperlinda (Feb 11, 2016)

thank you. Do you think this sand would be to heavy for a 'ray? I know they like to burrow and I don't want them to have a hard time doing that. Do you think regular aquarium sand would be better?


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## beaslbob (Oct 17, 2012)

You might check out the methods in the link in my signature. It is a balanced planted type system.

For substrate I use 1" of peat moss, 1" of play sand, one 1" pro choice select. Peat moss is the 1'x1'x3' Canadian sphagnum peat moss for about $12 from building supply places. The play sand is $3-5 play sand in 50 pound bags again from building supply places. Pro choice select is an baseball infield conditioner that is a red baked clay gravel. I had to contact pro choice to get a local supplier and thye had to order. I got 4 50 pound bags for $8 per bag.
I have found the peat moss necessary to prevent hardness build up over the years.

my .02


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## Observer54 (Mar 6, 2016)

I have pool filter sand in my 60 gallon unplanted FW tank and it works just fine. I can't speak to how well it would work for living plants. I quite like sand because no detritus and/or uneaten food can sift down under like gravel and either require gravel siphon cleaning or it becomes a nitrate factory.


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## henningc (May 20, 2013)

I use pool sand for my african shell dwelling cichlids and have had a great experience with it. For a ray, pool sand is what you want. Playground sane is larger and rougher. Rays typically inhabit intercostal brackish water areas and the substrate is typically equal to pool sand.

As for rays, be careful and consider they are not a beginner type critter. If they do get scraped up they will need treatment and that is an expensive percision project. You will need a significant salt content if you wan hem o be healhy. Just an FYI, they are easy to train to hand feed and at some point you will get a really expensive and unpleasnt demonstration of how much damage they can do. My advice, DON'T HAND FEED


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## kd0603 (Jan 25, 2016)

Dont know about over in the united states but here in australia if we want white sand we use mined beach sand which is a silica sand ,or if we want an off white to grey /pae light brown we use washed it sand ,both come from landscape yards with the pit you just gotta make sure its straight pit and not a blend ,because it will have loam in it and that will make a mess of your tank when you fill it, both these sands are great with cories and other fish like loaches and wont destroy their barbels


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## aussieJJDude (Jun 9, 2012)

*henningc* I thought that the "teacup" stingrays are entirely freshwater, so wouldn't adding salt have an adverse effect?


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