Sand problems

[mizzerman]

Anybody have any hints on sand? i am trying sand for the first time for my axolotls. My pet store was out of the big pebbles i usually use so i bought two boxes of aquarium sand (black). It says to rinse it but it doesn't seem to want to get wet. When i put it in the tank with water there are soft looking conglomerates? of fine sand floating to the surface and when you try to move the sand around at the bottom it seems to be hovering at the bottom and not fully settling?????? Any ideas. Should i scrap this idea, try a different sand or will it settle if i am patient. Any help would be appreciated.
I mean i have had aquariums for 20 years (all gravel and pebbles), am i really this retarded that i can't figure out sand?

Thanks

 

[carsona246]

the way you rinse out sand is stick it in a bucket, and just move the sand around with your hand, pour it out and fill the bucket up with water again and repeat until there is no more of that junk floating on the top anymore. I had to rinse mine out a ton for it to settle properly.

 

[kirsty]

I bought sand for mine when I first got the axies about 5months back and it was awful the water just wouldn'd clear so i left min with nothing at the bottom, I just bought a new aquarium sand and tis fine water cleared really quickly and sand washed really well. I would suggest trying a different sand before scrapping the idea totally

 

[ted22]

It will settle in time might take 2 weeks - a month or so, partial water changes would help, you can wash and soak sand over and over but will still be hazy no matter what you do, it will clear eventually and wont harm your axies in the meantime!

 

[purplepaj]

If it helps, I've just bought sand today from a garden center (not a good idea, full of muck)
In a bucket, likewise ^ using my hand just swirling and pouring until the water was clear.

When i put it in the tank, it settled after five minutes.
Be patient and it should settle fine.