filter wash after sand?

[fontell]

so i spent like 2 hours washing my PLAY SAND seemd like the sand wasnt getting any more cleaner at that point. so i then filled my tank put the water in. i let it settle for 20 minuts befor i put the filter on... i go to sleep wake up water is clear.... now the question is all that stuff i saw floating in the water had to of gone somewhere and im thinkin my filter cleand most of it. should i clean out the filter pads and put them back on there? first time sand user here so any info would help

[octoxpuss]

I never washed my filter pads after adding sand. I do take them out every 3-4 weeks and swish them around in some of the existing tank water i siphoned out. I dont think you ahve to it could have settled back into the substrate too.

[Northernguy]

I never washed my filter pads after adding sand. I do take them out every 3-4 weeks and swish them around in some of the existing tank water i siphoned out. I dont think you ahve to it could have settled back into the substrate too.
:19: Well said!
I have changed 4 tanks over now and have not seen any sand make it into the filters yet.
If you are concerned about it do a small water change and use that water to clean it out.

[aspects]

You may want to check your impeller housing for damage.

[dmagerl]

It sort of makes me glad I used pool filter sand. That stuff didnt require any cleaning. Just a quick wash and then into the tank. Now the tank is cycling. So far I like the looks of it but I'm wondering how you vacuum it without sucking up all the sand.

[aspects]

It sort of makes me glad I used pool filter sand. That stuff didnt require any cleaning. Just a quick wash and then into the tank. Now the tank is cycling. So far I like the looks of it but I'm wondering how you vacuum it without sucking up all the sand.

It takes a little practice but its not hard. Just use the hose from the python (not the plastic tube) and hold it about an inch above the sand. Just enough to vacuum the stuff off the top without sucking up the sand.
When I used to keep sand bottom tanks, I would keep a large container of pre washed sand next to the tank, so I could just replace any sand that accidentally got sucked out.

[octoxpuss]

It really didnt matter if i sucked up the sand or not becuase i have rubbermaid bin made specially for sand. See i took the rubbermade bin and put a bowl in the middle like a big bowl and put a rock to keep it submerged and then i would take the hose from the siphon and stick that into the bowl and any sand would be stuck in the bowl while all the debri and garbage flowed out into the rubber maid bin

[aspects]

I did something similar, but with buckets.

[octoxpuss]

It just made sense to me and i also got to clean the sand again. Kind of an extra bonus.

[aspects]

Indeed. But because I buy my sand from a local sandblasting supplier (50-100lb bags. Depending on what they have availible)sometimes I just add new sand of I'm too lazy to mess with the buckets.

[octoxpuss]

Ha, yeah i still have bags of sand left too. My uncle owns his own contracting service and gets huge bags of paver sand. So i get them. Ha. But i only use them if i see the sand getting a wierd collor. I once had it turn like blackish and idky but i just siphoned it out and put new stuff in.