Quikcrete All Purpose Sand
- Thread starter ktrom13
- Start date
Sand is a poor choice for substrate, if you are growing plants.
It is also a pain in the butt when gravel vacuuming.
If you want to create anaerobic conditions (because of compaction) sand is the way to go!
In my 45 years of fishkeeping, I have tried this several times, because it can look cool,
but in the long run, it never works out very well.
It is also a pain in the butt when gravel vacuuming.
If you want to create anaerobic conditions (because of compaction) sand is the way to go!
In my 45 years of fishkeeping, I have tried this several times, because it can look cool,
but in the long run, it never works out very well.
I'm having very good results with pool filter sand. Which is a larger grain than your typical paver or play sand. It's really more like small pebbles, similar to what I see in creeks and other natural bodies of water. You can poke around it in every so often to release gas. My plants seem happy in it. All except for my pygmy chain swords. But I think I had those in play sand, not pool filter sand. I can't tell you about the Quikrete because I'm unfamiliar with it.
I use pfs as well. I use the stuff they sell at Leslie Pool Supply. High quality, cheap, very little dust, doesn't get kicked up at all. Plants do fine in it. I don't bother with releasing the anaerobic gas that build up and haven't had any issues. And when vacuuming don't dig down into the sand, let the hose hover just above the sand. No reason to dig down into it as all the fish poop just sits on the top and doesn't penetrate down into the sand.
Sent from my SGS4 Active
Sent from my SGS4 Active
The only plants, if any, will be attached to driftood and rockwork. The focus of this tank will be a hardscaped layout and i feel sand will help the look im going for. Ive had sand before and loved it ( Pool Filter Sand). I appreciate the concern and input you gave me Mark.
As for everyone else, ive has PFS and i must say its very easy to maintain but i was hoping to see if anyone has used Quikcrete All Purpose Sand and what theyre experience was like. I appreciate the input. I guess ill do some more digging and see what i can come up with.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
Byron Amazonas
AC Members
I use Quikrete but the Play Sand which is better. They process it very well to remove any sharp bits, so it makes an ideal aquarium substrate. Just make sure it is the play sand. In appearance it resembles the sands in Amazonia so there is that benefit too.
Someone mentioned cleaning the substrate; if you have plants this is best avoided. Or you can just run the water changer vacuum over the surface lightly. As for anaerobic conditions, you need some of these for a healthy substrate, but as long as the sand is not too deep it will be fine. I've had no issues with plants, they grow extremely well in my tanks. I changed all of my tanks from fine gravel to sand over the past three years and will never go back.
Byron.
Someone mentioned cleaning the substrate; if you have plants this is best avoided. Or you can just run the water changer vacuum over the surface lightly. As for anaerobic conditions, you need some of these for a healthy substrate, but as long as the sand is not too deep it will be fine. I've had no issues with plants, they grow extremely well in my tanks. I changed all of my tanks from fine gravel to sand over the past three years and will never go back.
Byron.
Out of curiosity, how deep would you recommend for a sandy bottomed tank, Byron?
Byron Amazonas
AC Members
It partly depends upon the intended plants, since some obviously need greater depth for their roots. But using my tanks as an example, in the 115g I have 3 to 3.5 inches sand depth; in the 33g it is around 2 inches; and the 70g is 1.5 to 2 inches. I would have more in this one, but when I was setting it up I thought I had more sand than I actually did, and being in the middle of rebuilding it I decided to go with what I had. There are no real large-root plants, this tank is covered with pygmy chain sword and micro sword, so it worked.
On this issue of substrate bacteria, here is an excerpt from an article I did on bacteria that may help explain things:
The greatest population of bacteria in a healthy balanced aquarium occurs in the substrate, not the filter. The floc or humic compost that collects in the substrate is the host for the biofilms; this is why the substrate in planted tanks should never be disturbed, and many aquarists apply this to non-planted tanks as well.
In very general terms, aerobic nitrification takes place in the top 1-2 inches of the substrate; anaerobic de-nitrification takes place approximately 2-4 inches down, and anaerobic bacteria producing hydrogen sulfide occurs in substrates deeper than 3-4 inches. In all three cases, it will be deeper in coarse substrates (like pea gravel) and more shallow in finer substrates such as sand. These generalities will also vary with the presence of live plant roots and substrate “diggers” such as snails and worms, since these factors result in more oxygen being made available in the substrate, reducing anaerobic bacteria activity. An oxygen level in the substrate of as little as 1 ppm promotes nitrogen reduction rather than sulfur reduction (hydrogen sulfide). [6]
Maintaining a substrate of fine gravel or sand no deeper than 4 inches, having live plants rooted in the substrate, and keeping Malaysian Livebearing snails are the best and safest methods of providing a healthy biological system for aerobic and denitrifying anaerobic bacteria.
Great information! Thank you as always, sir! You just helped me change my plans on my 55... 2-3 inches of Quikrete play sand is my new plan for substrate.
This helps alot, Byron. I never knew how deep to make a sand bed but i feel much more confident with the info you provided
Sent from my SGH-T989 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App