# Play sand or pool sand?



## Bigdawg355 (Jun 24, 2013)

Which San is better for freshwater. By better I mean easier to set up and clean. I have play sand in two of my tanks but have heard pool sand is easier to clean. 


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## BWG (Oct 11, 2011)

Pool sand is a breeze to clean compared to play sand. The major drawback with pool filter sand is that bright, blindingly white totally unnatural look.


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## Bigdawg355 (Jun 24, 2013)

The play sand is a pain. It clouds up every water change. 


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## BWG (Oct 11, 2011)

Might not be cleaned enough then. I've used both, the pool sand in a 40B and the play sand in a 10. The pool filter sand never got cloudy and barely took a cleaning. I spent hours on the play sand and eventually got it to the point where with just some care I could prevent cloudiness even in the short tank. Both work, I just *really* hate that white color.


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## Bigdawg355 (Jun 24, 2013)

Ya I cleaned the play sand for hours and did it in small amounts at a time so I could make sure it was clean. 


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

Honestly I'd bypass both of them and go for black sand. I have a white sand tank and a black sand tank. The black sand just looks so much more natural. AND most black sands are made for aquariums so there is minimal cleaning needed. I washed my black sand... once. I washed my white sand for 4 hours and was still unbearably cloudy when I put it in the tank. I have the Estes Marine Reef sand. It's made for both saltwater and freshwater, so it doesn't have yucky saltwater stuff in it.


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## Boredomb (Feb 21, 2011)

I have never used pool filter sand before so have no input on it other then from pics it looks sooo white! 

Playsand or even multi purpose sand that looks natural is my choice. I really don't know how it takes y'all hours to clean it?? *scratches head* the longest I have spent cleaning it was an hour maybe and that was enough for 3" in my 55gallon. 20 gallon tote filled half way with the stuff rinsing it with the water hose outside with good pressure only takes like 30mins to do it. Maybe its just that I have done it soo much that I have it down to an art??


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## Bigdawg355 (Jun 24, 2013)

I like the look of play sand so maybe you could tell us how u do it


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## Boredomb (Feb 21, 2011)

I seriously just take a 20gallon tote pour in half the bag of sand into it. Then turn the water hose on a little more then half way. Then I stick it into the sand. While its filling up the tote I use the hose to stir the sand. I don't let the tote fill up with water through. I usually watch the lvl of water and it gets about half way up I tilt up one end of the tote to dump the water out while still stirring the sand. Usually I will also just leave it tilted and continue to rinse/stir till the water is clear. Usually doesn't take long. I have put a whole bag in there like that too. Once the water is clear while you are stirring you can put it in your tank and it should not cloud up on you. I have never had to cloud up on me doing this process.


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## Bigdawg355 (Jun 24, 2013)

I used a five gallon bucket kinda the same way. I see how the tote would be faster tho 


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## KPainter (Jun 12, 2012)

I have play sand in my 36 gallon tank and it never clouds during a water change. I cleaned it basically the same way as Boredomb.


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## angelcraze (Aug 31, 2013)

I bought pool filter sand from "club piscine" and the colour is black, brown and light, the grade is a bit bigger than sand, but looks very natural and works very well as a cap on soil for plants too. There was still a considerable amount of rinsing to do though, imo


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## rexpepper651 (Dec 25, 2012)

i have both and ill have to say the pool filter sand is wonderful. the light color of mine i really like. downside is i can see every tiny lil piece of poo. now the play sand i have isnt as fine as the pool filter sand. it also hides more poo and looks more natural. i like it alot. and i was like 2.50 for a 50 pound bag. either one is nice. and works the same.


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## Bigdawg355 (Jun 24, 2013)

I guess I never really thought about color. Is there really that much difference


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## rexpepper651 (Dec 25, 2012)

Bigdawg355 said:


> I guess I never really thought about color. Is there really that much difference
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


here you can tell that the first pic (pool filter sand) is more yellow ligth colored








and here is the play sand. they both need washing but the pool filter sand needs a little less.


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## KPainter (Jun 12, 2012)

Wow - my play sand looks nothing like that. It's very smooth and light tan, pretty even in color with none of those bigger pieces. I guess it depends where you buy it or maybe the brand.


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## rexpepper651 (Dec 25, 2012)

yeH prob has alot to do with your location.


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## Boredomb (Feb 21, 2011)

It does have a lot to do with location because I have bought that same brand of playsand and it looks nothing like yours. Its more yellowish and smooth KPainter said. 

To get sand that looks close to that I have to buy multi purpose sand from Sakrete at Lowes.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

blackwaterguy said:


> Pool sand is a breeze to clean compared to play sand. The major drawback with pool filter sand is that bright, blindingly white totally unnatural look.


I have a couple of different pool filter sands and neither are anywhere near white. They are a very natural tan color. Brand probably plays a large role, but it is not fair to say that pool filter sand is white since many of the pool filter sands out there are not white. I've not seen white PFS, personally.

As for the color of lighter sands, how it looks in the bag dry and how it looks in the tank wet are two different things, in my experience.

As for not needing to wash black sand - try that with Tahitian moon sand....


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## angelcraze (Aug 31, 2013)

Here's a pic of the pool filter sand in my 90g before I added water, it looks even more brown after a while. So there are a multitude of colours out there, I just called around at pool and spa stores and asked what the colour of their pool filter sand was. They told me a mix of black/white and tan. There is black pool filter sand out there too.

Be careful not to get silica sand, this will cause a lot of diatoms (brown algae) in the future.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

angelcraze said:


> Be careful not to get silica sand, this will cause a lot of diatoms (brown algae) in the future.


With the exception of sands like aragonite, all sand is silica sand. Silica IS sand.


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## angelcraze (Aug 31, 2013)

Idk, the pool filter sand bag I got says "safe product without free silica , inert and non-toxic" The other white sand I got was made of something else, but the bag is gone, and I forget the name, idk what to say, it was not silica based anyway.

Maybe it is synthetically manufactured, which I guess opens a whole new can of worms, but it worked fine for me, just my experience. I knew too much silica may be responsible for causing diatoms, so on my sand search I was researching the compositions.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

They sell "silica free" sand, which is still made of silica....because sand is silica. If its not silica then it's calcium based, like the aragonite I mentioned.


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## Bigdawg355 (Jun 24, 2013)

Thanks everyone for your input. I have three tanks at home with play sand in them. I'm thinking I may not have washed it enough cause every time I do water changes it clouds up for a few hours. But I definitely like the look of sand better then gravel and I think it's a little easier to clean. Here is my 10 gal planted


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## Bigdawg355 (Jun 24, 2013)

Ok so it's not letting upload the pic let me try again


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## moghedan (Aug 19, 2013)

For black, 

Northern Tool and Die Black Diamond Blasting Media, 20/40 grit

$8 for 50 pounds, local tractor supply.




Never even washed it, just dumped it straight in. Never clouds. 

Make sure to get 20/40... 30/60 is finer grain, and has all the sand problems like clouding, compacting, impeding root growth...


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## Boredomb (Feb 21, 2011)

moghedan said:


> For black,
> 
> Northern Tool and Die Black Diamond Blasting Media, 20/40 grit
> 
> ...


I have used this once and only once. It was the same grit but I washed it first. It made a HUGE mess!!
It turned everything it touched black. It actually stained the tote that I was using to wash it out with black. Also remember its blasting grit.....so it might have pieces of metal shavings in it. Mine did. Actually got a piece stuck under my nail when i was washing it out.:shock:
I have also been told its not the safest for bottom dwellers, through I have read where ppl say it is. After my experience with it I would never have bottom dwellers on it. However it does look pretty when it is in the tank.


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## Bigdawg355 (Jun 24, 2013)

I think black would be cool but would worry bout the metal. Maybe go over it all with magnets?


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## Boredomb (Feb 21, 2011)

Or use tahitian moon sand for a black sand. I have never used it but know ppl who have and love it. Its just not cheap. : (


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## Bigdawg355 (Jun 24, 2013)

Ya I've heard it's expensive


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

TMS is nice, but it's not exactly soft. There are shards and stuff in it - it's not a uniform rounded spheroid like pool filter sand is. I've kept bottom dwellers such as corys and loaches with it without problems, and many others have too. But... it's a relatively sharp sand.


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## Bigdawg355 (Jun 24, 2013)

Didnt know it was sharp all of tanks have bottom dwellers so I'm gonna have to stay with the safe stuff I guess😒


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

Sharp is relative. Take a second to examine the individual grains.


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## moghedan (Aug 19, 2013)

Weird. I use it all the time and never have the troubles you describe.

Just sparkly black sand.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

moghedan said:


> Weird. I use it all the time and never have the troubles you describe.
> 
> Just sparkly black sand.


I didn't describe any troubles. in fact I said the opposite of that - I've had no issues with it.


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## Boredomb (Feb 21, 2011)

moghedan said:


> Weird. I use it all the time and never have the troubles you describe.
> 
> Just sparkly black sand.


You talking about the Black diamond?? Yeah it was bad or me. Once I got it into the tank it was pretty but sharp! It never clouded the water tho. I have read where others have done like you before and been fine. *shrugs* might just be my bad luck!


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## rexpepper651 (Dec 25, 2012)

that black diamond blasting grit isnt sand at all. its actually like glass. its coal slag. its very sharp. i use it to sand blast car parts works great! i thought about this stuff when doing my tank but didnt use it due to the fact you cant have bottom dwellers. its made right in the town i live in so its dirt cheap. if you want black you have to pay thats what i learned! for a small tank not big deal but to spend 60 dollars on sand for a 60 55 gallon doesnt seem worth it! 


here is the actual material safety sheet for it. http://www.menards.com/msds/101672_002.pdf


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## Boredomb (Feb 21, 2011)

I knew it was coal slag when I bought it. Also knew it was blasting grit. I also have read threads (not here) where ppl swear by this stuff! Even have bottom dwellers on it. I just can't see how after trying it.


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## Chesh (Feb 17, 2012)

I've read many reviews in which people say the same thing about the slag being sharp. I suppose it may depend on the 'batch' you get, but I wouldn't risk bottom dwellers on Black Diamond. 

I do have Tahitian Moon Sand in several tanks, and have kept Kuhli Loaches on it for well over a year with no problems, though they can't burrow underneath of it - I think it's too heavy for that. 

TMS is a great sand for beginners, since it stays put (more or less) I've never had issues with it floating into the filters - even when my Bolivan Rams were spawning, and intent on digging up the entire tank. Though I _did _have to pay a bit of attention to that with the lighter pool filter sand. 

TMS is coarser than play sand or pool filter sand, definitely, and expensive, for sure - but so PRETTY! ^.^ Its my favorite - I'm planning to use it in my 125, too! 

There is a *slightly* cheaper 'generic' TMS that is sold at PetCo, I've read that it's the same, but have never used it myself. . .


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