setting up a 20 G

[ndntakeover]

im thinking of getting a 20 Gallon for the house

since i already have a gravel substrate
i want to know how to set up a sanded aquarium

ive heard that im supposed to get playground sand from places like home depot? what then? would i have to clean it? how would i clean it? and i was advised by someone to cover the filter with a thin layer of foam to avoid the sand being sucked in.

and do any fish despise sand?
thanks : )

oh and would the sand raise the salinity in the tank? would this be dangerous for freshwater fish?
thanks again!!!

[loachcoach]

Play sand works well, but I've heard a lot of people really prefer pool filter sand....and yes, you have to rinse it REALLY well. I think the best method I've heard for rinsing sand is to put some in a pillow case and run the hose through it. If you can't do this, you can use the bucket method....put sand in the bucket and run copious amounts of water into it until the drain water runs clear.

3M also makes a product called Colorquartz that comes in a variety of colors and granule size....so if you want some different color choices and it's in your area, I would check it out....it's a bit more expensive than playsand, though.

I think putting some sort of foam cover over the filter intake is a good idea. Sand can do a number on the motor....

Lots of fish love sand substrate.....I know my loaches like to dig in it and so do my Africans. I can't think of a fish where it would be detrimental.

It's easier to keep clean, too...because detritus sits on top of it rather than sinking down into it. You need to be sure you stir it up from time to time to prevent pockets of noxious gas forming.

[ndntakeover]

thanks loachcoach : P

i was hoping for more responses

surprised i only got one O_o

[AABatteries]

Getting sand cleaned is a task. It will take at least a dozen rinses per bucket. And yes, if you can find something to cover the intake on the filter, you should.

[MrJim]

I just set up a sanded 20 last week, used Estes Marine Sand, and yeah it cost $3.39 for a 5 lb bag and I got 4 bags and I poured it in a bucket and ran some water through it for about 4-5 minutes and put it in and it didn't cloud up. Stuff is fairly heavy and very clean. Mine was a 5 hour process changing over from a 10 to 20 but everyone is doing fine. The only thing is that the sand does trap air and the sand particles cling to the bubbles and hold them down so ya have to stir it around to get the trapped air out though the residents have helped in it too. While there is expense ya just have to weigh all the pros & cons between cost and time and appearance..but I plan on using Estes sand again..

[lava]

It really depends on what type of sand you use. I've used pool filter sand (WITCH SUCKS ) at least in my opinion. I gave it lots of good washing, and it still clouded up my tank. Sand is really nice, but I suggest LOTS of washing, unless you wanna end up taking it out . Also when you want to use sand, try to find some that isnt very fine, or eles it will go into your filter. You want something that is heavy and will fall down quickly.