# Sand Vs Rock



## goldfishkiller (Mar 26, 2003)

I'm getting ready to setup my 265gl tank, was thinking about using sand instead of rock on the bottom. My question is how hard is to keep sand in a tank vs rock?


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## Death in #'s (Apr 29, 2003)

after sand get saturated it wont fly around in the water and alot easier clean up


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## FeederFish33 (Jan 22, 2003)

well you can forget about vacuuming the bottom, but sand does look a lot cooler. Also, they say with sand that the particles of food and crap sit on the top for easy cleaning, but when your ps get startled or fight or something, it stirs up the bottom and sending the crap all over. If you are willing to put up with the extra hassle for looks, go for it. However, some may say that gravel looks better.


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## LouiCypher (Mar 10, 2003)

I have sand in my 300 and i'll never go back to gravel for 4 reasons:

1) it looks a hell of a lot better
2) I find it easier to clean... all the crap accumulates in one or two areas so I hold the siphon just above the sand and it takes up the crap and not the sand.
3) it holds plants down much better. I haven't had any up-rooted plants since I switched to sand.
4) It was free. With large tanks, that much gravel gets very expensive. I just stole some playground sand and rinsed it.

I say go with the sand... you wont be dissapointed.


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## DBROWN (Mar 8, 2003)

I'm curious, how did you rinse it? And how did you make it safe to put in your tank, I to found gravel instead of buying it but I boiled it to make it safe so what and or how did you rinse this sand???? If easy amybe I'll switch because sand is cool!


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## InSinUAsian (Jan 3, 2003)

I went with sand in my tank for looks mostly. A close second was the fact that sand is only $3 for a 50lbs bag at homedepot. Cleaning sand is no different from gravel. Some does get sucked out, but thats only about a teaspoon per cleaning of a 180 gallon tank. I just attach a media bag on the other end of my python to catch the sand before it goes down the drain.

~Dj


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## MikeR (May 29, 2003)

I have been using sand for the last 2.5 years with great results. Cheap, looks better, and more natural. Plants love it too.


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## SnowCichlid (Jan 10, 2003)

so it has been determined, next setup or makeover I will be using sand :smile:


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## LouiCypher (Mar 10, 2003)

I just use a window screen with small enough holes to which I poured boiling water three times. I've had no probs with dirty water or diseases or anything like that.


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## ttldnial (May 14, 2003)

Someone here came up with the idea of dumping your sand in a pillow case, and running water through it like that.
Worked with my ashtray sand.


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## scrapedogg (Apr 28, 2003)

I think the key must be surface area, to get all of those silt particles out of the sand. even if you have like little bits at a time in a bucket and keep stirring it up to get the dirt out, it still turns out not so good depending on what kind of sand you have. Mine is playground sand, and is dirty as hell. Where do you buy ash tray sand? That seems like a great alternative, and high quality, is it cheap?


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## goldfishkiller (Mar 26, 2003)

I just got play ground sand today, got it cleaned up and in the tank.....here goes nothing fish are going in the water


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## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

gravel scratches glass tanks, I would surely think sand would scratch it less because of the smaller size


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## ttldnial (May 14, 2003)

What I meant was- thats how I cleaned the sand that came out of my ashtray. sorry. 
Just got 150 lbs. of play sand today, going to clean it tommorow.


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## pcrose (Mar 9, 2003)

Sand sounds easier and looks cooler


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