GotCrabs Posted October 25, 2015 Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 Just wondering if anyone knows of Richgro's Washed Play Sand from Bunnings is OK to use in a fresh water Australian native tank, has anyone used it or knows if it's suitable? Also, I have some left over ADA Amazonia Soil, could I use that as a bottom layer then place sand over the top, then planted Vallisneria nana and other native Australian plants? Would it be suitable for Spotted Blue Eyes as well as some native shrimp? Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lictoga Posted October 25, 2015 Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 Play sand compacts very dense. If you have greater than one inch depth it will build up detritus and produce gases. It is also very light so any current will blow it around your tank. I would not recommend using the ADA soil and the sand because it will mix and the tank will always look dirty. A alternative to play sand is corse bedding sand available from most land scape yards. It's a nice mix of sand and gravel and looks a lot more natural and if you get a darker brown sand your Ada soil won't stand out. It will also provide a better growing medium for your rooted plants as it won't compact down as much. johnbetta 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GotCrabs Posted October 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 No worries, cheers Lictoga. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard_ Posted October 25, 2015 Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 Bunnings sand ends up in your filter and will as mentioned above, produce anaerobic bacteria if not aerated frequently Anything more than 1 inch and it'll turn nasty under there in just days Great for less than 1 inch bottoms (discus etc...) johnbetta 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wadedidit Posted October 25, 2015 Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 Just wondering if anyone knows of Richgro's Washed Play Sand from Bunnings is OK to use in a fresh water Australian native tank, has anyone used it or knows if it's suitable?Also, I have some left over ADA Amazonia Soil, could I use that as a bottom layer then place sand over the top, then planted Vallisneria nana and other native Australian plants? Would it be suitable for Spotted Blue Eyes as well as some native shrimp? Cheers. Yup it is fine, but you need to rinse. Then rinse. Then rinse again. Just incase rinse again. Then one more time and you'll be, needing to rinse one last time then you'll be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wadedidit Posted October 25, 2015 Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 Play sand compacts very dense. If you have greater than one inch depth it will build up detritus and produce gases. It is also very light so any current will blow it around your tank. I would not recommend using the ADA soil and the sand because it will mix and the tank will always look dirty. A alternative to play sand is corse bedding sand available from most land scape yards. It's a nice mix of sand and gravel and looks a lot more natural and if you get a darker brown sand your Ada soil won't stand out. It will also provide a better growing medium for your rooted plants as it won't compact down as much. Disagree, just rinse and then all that is left is the hard sand and little rocks, I have it in a 2 foot and it is perfect. But I rinsed for ages... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GotCrabs Posted October 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 Yup it is fine, but you need to rinse. Then rinse. Then rinse again. Just incase rinse again. Then one more time and you'll be, needing to rinse one last time then you'll be fine. But then, should I rinse again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heintz.G Posted October 25, 2015 Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 Just use a cement mixer to wash the sand and be done with it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lictoga Posted October 25, 2015 Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 I just use the washing machine. Use the drain hose to pump the clean sand into the bucket. Can do the laundry at the same time as a bonus to keep bec hapy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GotCrabs Posted October 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 Just use a cement mixer to wash the sand and be done with it There's an idea, haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GotCrabs Posted October 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 I just use the washing machine. Use the drain hose to pump the clean sand into the bucket. Can do the laundry at the same time as a bonus to keep bec hapy Bec? Is there a woman in my life I never knew about? Sand in my undies, mmm... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wadedidit Posted October 26, 2015 Report Share Posted October 26, 2015 But then, should I rinse again? Yup, you know it! But what is left over is awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heintz.G Posted October 26, 2015 Report Share Posted October 26, 2015 There's an idea, haha. Seriously though it does work well, imo if you can get river sand that's a much better choice. johnbetta 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billfish Posted October 26, 2015 Report Share Posted October 26, 2015 Washed pit sand from a landscape yard is good stuff ,just dont get any blended stuff like bricklayers blend cos its got loam in the blend and thats a nightmare, you can get pit sand in different courseness some is pretty fine right up to small stone so hunt around and you can get ehough to fill a 6 ft tank for probably about $20 johnbetta 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
none Posted October 26, 2015 Report Share Posted October 26, 2015 Just wondering if anyone knows of Richgro's Washed Play Sand from Bunnings is OK to use in a fresh water Australian native tank, has anyone used it or knows if it's suitable?Cheers. Yes I have used it in tanks and ponds and it is great. In a pond without filtration with natives it was brilliant with amazing growth of native aquatic plants that are normally very hard to grow. I rate it highly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GotCrabs Posted October 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2015 Ended up going with just normal aquarium gravel with a layer of ADA Amazonia under it, couldn't get a hold of anything suitable sand wise locally so just thought stuff it, go with the aquarium gravel with ADA underneath. That was done on Sunday, just have some Hydrocotyle tripartita and Lilaeopsis brisbanica sitting in there, but have some Vallisneria nana, Glossostigma elatinoides, Eleocharis parvulus ordered to go in, should have that tomorrow or Thursday. Water was treated with API Tap Water Conditioner as well as VitaPet Water Ager, thought I'd run both at once, something different. Water parameters today were pH: 7.5, nitrites 0, nitrates 0, gH 60, kH 80. Will probably do a water change tomorrow and test WP in a couple more days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the cichlid kid Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 Yes I have used it in tanks and ponds and it is great. In a pond without filtration with natives it was brilliant with amazing growth of native aquatic plants that are normally very hard to grow. I rate it highly. How deep did you have your sand in the pond? I'm guessing it was an inch or more? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffee Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 i used pool filter sand in my tank, filter intake pipe is about 6 inches from the sand and none of it has entered my filter yet. think i paid $25 for 15kg of it ( from bunnings ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbunamad Posted December 5, 2015 Report Share Posted December 5, 2015 [MENTION=17006]coffee[/MENTION]bushells I only use sponge filters in my tank with a sand substrate. If sand gets in your filter it will slowly grind away at your impellor. johnbetta 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffee Posted December 5, 2015 Report Share Posted December 5, 2015 [MENTION=204]mbunamad[/MENTION] rock fish. sponge around the intake is a good idea to be able to place it closer to the substrate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORANGEMELLY Posted December 5, 2015 Report Share Posted December 5, 2015 I use that sand and have not had a problem with it - and the fish love it - need to wash it well and mine is under 1 inch deep...I just make sure that I run my fingers through it when I vac and keep an eye on areas where detritus likes to gather...I have my intake 3-4 inches above it and have not had an issue with my filters....I find it easy to clean because all the crap sits on top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
none Posted December 6, 2015 Report Share Posted December 6, 2015 How deep did you have your sand in the pond? I'm guessing it was an inch or more? From the best of my memory around 1.0 - 2.0cm varying depths. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
175Myles Posted January 7, 2016 Report Share Posted January 7, 2016 I had some super fine silver sand, was absolutely beautiful but the ugliest stuff after about a month, there's a layer of green that sits 1cm from the top to under the surface of the sand. Here is what the sand looked like about a week after putting shrimp in, and the night I put some other stuff I won at Auction in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
