i use sand in all my tanks now because when clean out time comes, i can throw it out as opposed to trying to wash gravel that takes forever and never really does fully get clean.

I am currently using play sand that cost me $4 for a 40lb bag. I know others that use pool filter sand that you can also get fairly cheap. Definately beats $25 for 20lbs. Unless you want Black sand, i don't know a cheap alternative for that.

 

20 grit silica sand is probably the best budget sand.. I Bought 100 lbs for about 6 bucks & its fairly clean to start with (its the same thing as Pool Filter Sand)

 

so it doesn't have to be aquarium sand? it can be cheap play sand or sand art sand?

 

play sand yes, i don't know about sand art sand tho. Particularly if it has any chemicals or dyes in it.

 

I use play sand, its WAY easier to keep clean for me and $5 for 50lbs of it is a great deal. $10 dollars covered all my tanks

 

play sand is much dirtier then silica sand if you can find it bulk. Locally home depot & lowes dont cary it where I am, but most actual lumber yards & building material stores do (just not the big box stores)

 

I love my sand. I have specific aquarium sand in my 10 gallon, and I am I'm the process of cleaning a bunch of play sand for my 55. The play sand is actually really nice. It does take a lot of cleaning, but at $4 for a 40lb bag, it's worth it. It's a nice color too. I don't think sand art sand would be ok. I'm pretty sure it has chemicals and the dyes for the colors can't be good. (I think we're talking about the same thing)

 

Actually im going to pick up some play sand today to get a jump start on my 55 that im going to divide. I thought you had to use aquarium specific sand. Thanks to everyone on here Im going to save quite a bit on setting this new tank up. Play sand is quite a bit cheaper its like 3 dollars for 50 lbs. here. It really is a nice alternitive.

 

how much sand would be enough for a 10g tank?

 

about 2 pounds per 1 gallon is what they say, depending on configuration tall tanks need less. I just put down like a 1/2 inch layer. You'll still pay less buying a giant bag of filter or play sand vs. a tiny bag of aquarium sand. Plus the tiny bags require tons of rinsing to clear, whereas my play sand bottom was crystal clear on my first fill without rinsing at all.

 

sik sikk i think im just gonna stick to white rocks lol

 

Be careful with playsand though. Depending on how fine it is it may be moved about by filtration. I have used playsand and pool filter sand and by far prefer the pool filter sand. Pool filter sand is simply silica sand #2. its a larger and less fine grain sand. It is completely inert so it wont affect your ph and so on. Make sure you rinse any sand heavily before use. Some bags are cleaner than others and I've had cases where one bag needed little rinsing while the other was packed with dust.

Pool filter sand usually comes in 20-40 kg bags...at least here. That will be more than enough for a 10gallon. I just bought another bag and filled a 20 gallon and I didnt even scratch the surface of my 40kg bag.

 

Be careful with playsand though. Depending on how fine it is it may be moved about by filtration. I have used playsand and pool filter sand and by far prefer the pool filter sand. Pool filter sand is simply silica sand #2. its a larger and less fine grain sand. It is completely inert so it wont affect your ph and so on. Make sure you rinse any sand heavily before use. Some bags are cleaner than others and I've had cases where one bag needed little rinsing while the other was packed with dust.

Pool filter sand usually comes in 20-40 kg bags...at least here. That will be more than enough for a 10gallon. I just bought another bag and filled a 20 gallon and I didnt even scratch the surface of my 40kg bag.

lol I bought mine as siica sand for a 100lb bag it was less then 6 bucks.. I have done a 12" x 30" aquarium 4 times (was actually 3 different tanks, but all the same footprint) & a smaller 6.6g twicw & I still have about 1/3rd of the bag left.

 

I like to buy in bulk seeing its cheap. Very eye catching at that.

 

I went with aquarium sand because I wanted the black color. Also, at 120-5 pounds (depending on the holiday ^_^ and living in an apartment, 20lb, 40lb, and 100lb bags are a bit much to handle and store. I know I can lift 20-40lbs if I didn't care about color, but then the left over sand would take over one of my closets. Since 100lbs is roughly 80% of my weight, that wouldn't be an option no matter how much money I had to save. ^_^;

So far, I have no regrets about paying a little extra for the aquarium sand given my level of strength, small size/number of tanks, and pickiness over color.

 

I love black as well but no one stocks it here. Pool filter sand is a great option when other things are not available. I just love the river bed look. Plus ordering sand would kill on shipping...might as well order eco complete.xD


I'm about the same size as you but i was raised on a farm. I carry logs twice my size. Thank god i dont look like a man.

 

I love black as well but no one stocks it here. Pool filter sand is a great option when other things are not available. I just love the river bed look. Plus ordering sand would kill on shipping...might as well order eco complete.xD


I'm about the same size as you but i was raised on a farm. I carry logs twice my size. Thank god i dont look like a man.

Cool. Since I live in the suburbs I've never carried a log in my life. So I don't have much in the way of muscle strenght. It took me a while but I found a store that did stock some black sand so I didn't have to worry about shipping. I don't want to know how much it cost to send about 2lbs through the mail. XD

 

I would order in bulk so it would cost an arm and a leg on weight overages. I live in eastern Canada and the selection is non existant. We only have two small Pets unlimited and I dare say their fish section is deplorable. Fish wise there is a local aquarist who supplies for the area. (He has a small private shop). I had to have a construction company order the pool filter sand for me. (No pool stores here...apparently its too cold or something?not enough demand. I don't get that)

Luckily for me the store usually carries it so they ordered it free for me. YAY.

 

I think I will check my homedepot for pool filter sand, wait do they have it? I would love to do a sand tank but the bblack sand I got from petco floats -_- so I had to buy these white rocks that sucked, so much dust. I think if I don't get pool filter sand I will have to go get the river rock stuff.

 

they should have it. I would call around and see. Make sure you state that it may not be called pool filter sand. Say you are looking for silica 2. If you have a pool supply store they are bound to have it. I got mine from a construction supply store. I know the home depot used to carry it here but it wasnt in high demand so they stopped. Odds are yours does.

Calling first beats running around town looking.

 

Its labeled as "20 grit silica sand" here..

 

I'm sure different places refer to it differently...its a given since language evolves.