If you're like me, then you've longed for some form of substrate that seems a little more natural than the bright blue and pink gravel offered at most pet stores. I can't seem to dig up any memories of visiting lakes, rivers or ponds that offered any such from of brightly hued gravel. Therefore, I set out on an adventure to find a type of sand that might offer a more pleasant and natural tone for my freshwater fish tanks. There are multiple choices out there but I decided upon Playsand by Quikrete.
Playsand is fantastic as it has a very natural look and is very cheap. Now, before anyone jumps right into sand , there are a couple things to take into consideration. First, sand is very, very dirty and must be rinsed prior to being added to the tank. The easiest way I’ve found to rinse sand is to put it in a bucket sitting at an angle and sift through the sand with a hose. This makes all the small, light particles flow up and over the rim of the bucket while keeping the heavier grains down. Second, Sand can compact and create pockets of toxic gas which can harm fish. This means that sand must be stirred up from time to time. The extra effort is definitely worth it when you consider that you’ll have the best looking fish tank in town!
Editor's Note: this post introduces Sam Page, a freshwater expert with 15 years of experience.
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Great article! I am all for using sand in freshwater tanks.
Posted by: Merrritt | 04/30/2009 at 01:54 PM
I agree! I'll never go back to gravel now.
Posted by: Samo | 04/30/2009 at 04:45 PM
Ha, very true the pink and blue gravel can look a little tacky. I like your idea of the sand, and great tips you added. You definitely want to make sure the sand is clean and pure you don't want your expensive fish to suffer any consequences of dirty sand. Great work, keep it up.
Posted by: Fish Tanks | 05/08/2009 at 04:58 PM