playsand vs pool filter sand

[Younglin]

pktlb, youre name is so dumb.

 

[B.Ho]

I have PFS in my 150 gallon and i love it. I personally think it looks good, it's a bigger grain and heavier than normal aquarium sand so not too much dust kicks up when my bichirs are digging around

 

[pktlb]

pktlb, youre name is so dumb.

my name has nothing to do with you, if you have no understanding of it then dont assume. honestly you got nothing better to do in life but go through a fish forum looking through names?

 

[pktlb]

pool filter sand is better for a lot of reasons IMO....its heavier and settles faster when disturbed. since its heavier it makes for easier vacuuming since it wont get sucked into the vac. (or your filter intakes) Its also very cheap (10 bucks for 50 lb. bag in my area) and looks cooler its a lighter white color then playsand which is more dirty brown.

heres a pic not good phone pic but you get the idea

View attachment 540988

thanks for the pic, what vacuum you use? i have the python the thing stuck to my sink, so i dont want to clog it up

 

[MonsterMinis]

either one is perfectly fine, but PFS is the "better" product if you will.less muss and fuss, so it really boils down ot personal taste. btw I had some issues w/ my eco-complete in my planted tank getting kicked up by my pleco.. to keep the stuff out of my filter, I simply put a sponge on the uptake tube. No need to worry now about blowing an impeller, It also adds some extra bio-media. Just squeeze it out when I do water changes into the water going down the drain.

 

[ryverrat]

Go with the pool filter sand. Bigger grains that have a more uniform size (in is actually passed though specific size screens to get uniform size). Much less likely to get in the filter. Despite the foam on the intake trick, some may still get in the filter- my congo puffer stirs the sand so much I have to replace his tank's impeller once a year. Pool filter sand is also less likely to have any contaminants - some places sell the same sand used to set drinking water wells for pool filter sand. This way you are getting clean, well graded sand that has no heavy metals or other contaminants. If you live near a place that sells construction supplies (not Lowes or Home Depot- place where main business is construction companies) you may be able to get well pack sand- comes in various sizes. I have been using PFS but thinking of switching to well pack since I can get a much coarser sand.

 

[pktlb]

about the sand......
Does it increase the ph?
would it effect or irritate my fish? Like if it was to get in the gill

 

[packer43064]

I use pool filter sand, but I had some play sand which I used for the the hermit crabs and I used that for a smaller tank. It works, but I like PFS better.

 

[Aisle17AorE]

PFS is the way to go; in the bag and not really that cheap up here (pond supply places hit us for about 15. a bag PLUS HST) but I can buy it by the truckload if I go to a gravel specialty yard.
The only problem with that is that there are seven piles the size of a house that all look the same, but they're not. Sechelt fill sand; playsand, and five others! But that would only be needed for a 1,000 gallon tank
Keep smiling; and yes, ban her

 

[vr6fan]

thanks for the pic, what vacuum you use? i have the python the thing stuck to my sink, so i dont want to clog it up

I use the python for filling my tanks only...I use a regular siphon vac for cleaning/emptying (not enough suction in the python IMO) ...I have 2 rena xp3s on my 75 and they do a good job of pulling the waste so I really dont have to vac much just water changes