External filter and sand

[sarah]

Im looking into purchasing sand for my babies but, will the pump suck up the sand and clog up?

 

[theresa]

I have a filter that hangs on the back of the tank. I have sand. I took a small filter sponge (aquaclear and cut an X into it. then I slide the sponge over the intake tube of the filter and make sure the tube is about 2 or 3 inches above the sand.noproblems. i think sand is the way to go.
just how I did it. also do this on my fish tanks.

 

[rob]

i have an external cannister filter "Fluval 304"
it's pretty grunty and i have very fine sand but have no problems with the pump sucking up sand, it's about 3" off the bottom...

 

[sarah]

Thanks guys

Rob, what kind of sand do you have, and where did u get it from?

 

[rob]

Hi Sarah.
i have washed playpit sand "it's very fine"
i got it from Mitre 10, it came in a clear bag with some writing on it and cost about $5 for 20-25Kg
make sure u wash it also b4 adding it to ur tank...

there's a photo in the axie gallery section
under "finished cycling" it's so fine my axies leave footprints

(Message edited by KharmaKazi on December 23, 2005)

 

[sarah]

Thank-you so much for the info, but i think mitre 10 closed up here lol. Or could they be bunnings now????

 

[rob]

no probs

as far as i know Bunnings and Mitre 10 are completely different companies unless theres been a take over recently ? but i very much doubt it.
any bigger hardware store should sell it

do u have Banner h/w ?

 

[sarah]

ummm dont know about banner h/w...
What happend is all the miter 10 stores started to disappear and all these bunnings stores started to pop up, so i just assumed bunnings took over.

 

[rob]

across the road from where i work, Mitre 10 have just opened up a Mega store "biggest in Aust"
Bunnings suck ! lol i get much better service from mitre 10

and the staff seem more freindly
maybe this will help ?
http://www.mitre10.com.au/search/storeSearch.aspx?state=Vic

 

[sarah]

awww all the vic stores are faraway!
the closest one is 40 mins away LOL.
Ill try bunnings or a garden shop, or maybe even kmart!

 

[alex]

lol i got my sand from bunnings warehouse, its called builders sand. i have a internal filter thats pretty powerful and it seems to be fine with the sand, its about 2 cm away from the sand.

 

[sarah]

I purchased the washed playpit sand, but i went to rinse it out so i know its clean, and the water went brown and stank like clay,! ive washed the sand like 10 times and it still wont come clean!!!
I dont know what to do!

 

[alex]

boil it and bake it, i had to wash mine under boiling water for ages, also u could put it in a pillow case, and use that like a siv and just keep water flowing through it untill it runs clear. good luck and merry x-mas!

 

[sarah]

Ill try the pillowcase option...thank-you for the idea

Merry xmas

 

[joan]

Boiling and baking won't help clean it. Just keep rinsing. I washed mine (heavier pool filter sand) in a bucket under continuously running water with continuous stirring for 10 minutes. It takes forever, but it's worth it.

 

[sarah]

Pillowcase didnt work

Not matter how much i wash it, its not getting any cleaner

I think i was givin the wrong sand

What about washed beach sand??? or would that make the water too salty?

 

[sarah]

I have put river rocks insted, as i was givin the wrong sand, and now i cant return it.
I cant afford to buy more sand atm, so mum bought the river rocks as a late xmas present for my babies.
But thanks to everyone who helped me

I will change to sand later on when i can afford it.