Diy Sand
- Thread starter cosguy20
- Start date
beaslbob
Well-Known Member
Originally posted by cosguy20
how do you recommend making your own live sand?? I just setup a 40 gal and i have a little budget
so i was going to do most of the stuff i can myself. THANKS FOR YOU HELP I just use play sand from hd. I also use plant life as my primary filtration. So I don't care if the sand processes anything. To me it is just a place where plant life can get a foothold.
sabby
Member
To play it safe, you should always cure the sand first before adding it to your tank. Curing provides a bacterial coating on the individual sand grains so the clouding will dissipate in a few hours instead of a few days. Here's how:
Put the sand you are wanting to cure in a large rubbermaid container or several smaller containers along with some saltwater.
Add a small powerhead for circulation and a small heater.
Add a few pinches of flake food to get the cycle started.
Cure it for a few weeks, stirring the sand daily so that all the sand gets coated with bacteria.
Add no more than 1/2" of sand over your existing sand per week until you reach your desired sand bed depth in your display tank.
Put the sand you are wanting to cure in a large rubbermaid container or several smaller containers along with some saltwater.
Add a small powerhead for circulation and a small heater.
Add a few pinches of flake food to get the cycle started.
Cure it for a few weeks, stirring the sand daily so that all the sand gets coated with bacteria.
Add no more than 1/2" of sand over your existing sand per week until you reach your desired sand bed depth in your display tank.
jedininja
Member
Cosguy,
Let me apologize for Bob. He does not like to answer people's question, just likes to advertise plants for some reason.
One thing you cxan do for your sand is use southdown or other dry argonite sands. It will become "live" with bacteria when you cycle. You can then also seed it with a cup of sand from other people's tank or your LFS tank.
You do not need to sure the sand first if this is in a new tank. You can actually just cycle it in your tank.
Let me apologize for Bob. He does not like to answer people's question, just likes to advertise plants for some reason.
One thing you cxan do for your sand is use southdown or other dry argonite sands. It will become "live" with bacteria when you cycle. You can then also seed it with a cup of sand from other people's tank or your LFS tank.
You do not need to sure the sand first if this is in a new tank. You can actually just cycle it in your tank.
cosguy20
Member
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/49967/southdown-in-cincinnatti
PLEASE READ ABOVE LINK down towards the bottom where i posted
I bought the sand and just dumped it right in. I'm converting my 40 gal fresh water to salt (don't worry I changed the water and cleaned the tank out.) So two days ago I did that and filled it with saltwater. Today after dumping in the bags of sand (I got 120 pounds but used only 80) There a scum on the surface of my water is it okay or what?
PLEASE READ ABOVE LINK down towards the bottom where i posted
I bought the sand and just dumped it right in. I'm converting my 40 gal fresh water to salt (don't worry I changed the water and cleaned the tank out.) So two days ago I did that and filled it with saltwater. Today after dumping in the bags of sand (I got 120 pounds but used only 80) There a scum on the surface of my water is it okay or what?
beaslbob
Well-Known Member
Originally posted by cosguy20
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/show...threadid=49967
PLEASE READ ABOVE LINK down towards the bottom where i posted
I bought the sand and just dumped it right in. I'm converting my 40 gal fresh water to salt (don't worry I changed the water and cleaned the tank out.) So two days ago I did that and filled it with saltwater. Today after dumping in the bags of sand (I got 120 pounds but used only 80) There a scum on the surface of my water is it okay or what?
Scum is very common right after adding sand. let it settle for a few days. The use a net to get most out. It will clean up but takes some time. surface skimmer do help. as to top feeding fish such as mollies.