Quickrete Play Sand is fine for tank?
- Thread starter jeo
- Start date
jastim
Member
Good question jeo. It was a real pain in the a@#. I will tell you what I did then tell you what I would do differently.
I took out the rock then removed the cc with a cup. I then started adding the sand a bit at a time. When I realized how cloudy the water was going to get I caught all the fish and put them in a 5g bucket with water from the tank. I then proceeded to put the rest of the 200lbs of sand in the tank. I tried to put it in as carefully as I could but the tank water looked like a mud bath! It took a long time for the water to clear enough for me to put the fish back in to where I thought it was safe.
What I would do differently: Put fish in clean container with tank water (with heater and air stone). Siphon all water from the tank into a large, clean trash can. Take out the cc. Put in the sand. Slowly pump the water back into the tank. Put fish back in tank after water is allowed to clear (maybe an hour to two).
Anyway, it has been 24 hours now and the tank is still cloudy but not too bad. I think in another 24 hours it will be completely clear. Fish are doing great. I was a little worried about them last night.
Live and learn I guess.
I couldn't believe my luck in finding that sand. I bought about twice as much as I needed so if I start up another tank I will have some. <img src="graemlins//urrr.gif" border="0" alt="[urrr]" />
I took out the rock then removed the cc with a cup. I then started adding the sand a bit at a time. When I realized how cloudy the water was going to get I caught all the fish and put them in a 5g bucket with water from the tank. I then proceeded to put the rest of the 200lbs of sand in the tank. I tried to put it in as carefully as I could but the tank water looked like a mud bath! It took a long time for the water to clear enough for me to put the fish back in to where I thought it was safe.
What I would do differently: Put fish in clean container with tank water (with heater and air stone). Siphon all water from the tank into a large, clean trash can. Take out the cc. Put in the sand. Slowly pump the water back into the tank. Put fish back in tank after water is allowed to clear (maybe an hour to two).
Anyway, it has been 24 hours now and the tank is still cloudy but not too bad. I think in another 24 hours it will be completely clear. Fish are doing great. I was a little worried about them last night.
Live and learn I guess.
I couldn't believe my luck in finding that sand. I bought about twice as much as I needed so if I start up another tank I will have some. <img src="graemlins//urrr.gif" border="0" alt="[urrr]" />
tiggerbengal
Member
I don't have quickrete, but I do have the white playsand from Home Depot. It's made by Paragon Industries, I believe, and it is silica. I didn't buy the quickrete because I wasn't too fond of the color. I really am happy with the other stuff, though..... it is a nice white color. I also rinsed it before I put it in my tank. It clouded the tank for a few days. I also seeded it with 30 lbs of live sand. It only cost me $3.89/#50 lbs. A lot cheaper than buying sand from the lfs.
lionpicasso
Member
I was just gonna let you know I went to Lowes yesterday and bought 250#'s of quick crete play sand for my 75gal, the sand down here looks like
regular looking brown tint play sand.
I'll let you know how it comes.
regular looking brown tint play sand.
I'll let you know how it comes.
lionpicasso
Member
I got my quick crete in my tank today.
One thing I noticed is that there was a oily something in my sand, I couldn't smell it but it put a oily film all over the top of the water.
So far so good not including the oil, it looks good in my tank so far, even though it's still clouded in there
One thing I noticed is that there was a oily something in my sand, I couldn't smell it but it put a oily film all over the top of the water.
So far so good not including the oil, it looks good in my tank so far, even though it's still clouded in there
jastim
Member
jeo: For what it's worth I didn't wash the Southdown I got. I thought about it but thought that might make a bigger mess. Besides finding a strainer that small might be difficult. Didn't figure it was worth it. Haven't had any problems. The water completely cleared in about a day and a half and has been clear since.