Substrate Question

[FudgePudgeNibbler]

I currently have gravel and really do no like the look of it. Would commercial play sand be okay to use as a substrate?
How much sand should I use? I have a 30 gallon tank, (30x12 inches - bottom surface area)

[crazedpuffer]

Depengs on the kind of puffer. It should be fine but some would reccomend not doing it in SW setups incase of contaminates.

[FudgePudgeNibbler]

I have a green spotted puffer and right now, the puffer is in a brackish water tank...but planning to move it to a full marine tank.

[FudgePudgeNibbler]

will commercial play sand work well with gsp's?

[FudgePudgeNibbler]

?

[yunachin]

I have some black substrate in my brackish tank. I have never used play sand before, but I have heard of other people doing it before. I hope you get the answers you need.

[spoot]

Some people suggest to use pool filter sand, but I know reefers that use play sand and swear by it, for the price mostly.

[crazedpuffer]

Is there any different between the way the 2 look? Which one has a more natural look for SW?

[Nick]

Play sand is irregular in grain size and often mixed with debris and dried mud. Pool filter sand is of consistent grain size and rinses clean MUCH faster. I can't imagine play sand is enough cheaper to excuse the work of cleaning it. If you don't mind spending the money, argonite sand is best for full SW, by my understanding.

[crazedpuffer]

I'm redoing my sw tank and don't really want to spend 100-200 dollars on sand alone. Maybe a combination could work?

[dumpythepuffer]

i know that the majority of that benificial bacteria live in the subtrate and that changing it could result in a mini cycle. how can u change the subtrate without this happening?
just wondering cause i want to get sand in my tank for my dumpy

[Nick]

Pool filter sand is like 16$ for 50 pounds by me, and you live by me, just how many pounds do you want?

[crazedpuffer]

Thats not bad, I'd probablly get like 150 pounds.

Dumpy-If you use old filter media and decor that have all that beneficial stuff on them there should be very little die off and minimal-no mini cycle.

[By_a_coo]

Hi FudgePudgeNibbler.

If you want more natural looking, why don't you get aragonite sand or pool filter sand? I think both aren't expensive. I don't use play sand, cause I don't really trust the source (I think of dogs and cats walking on it and doing whatever we can figure!LOL).

[LizB]

What about putting the argonite into a bucket with tank water taken from a water change and letting it sit for a week or two? Pouring water out and adding fresher water with every water change?

I'm regretting not putting argonite in the tank before Harry came. Gravel and coral just don't go together for me.

Thats not bad, I'd probablly get like 150 pounds.

Dumpy-If you use old filter media and decor that have all that beneficial stuff on them there should be very little die off and minimal-no mini cycle.