Habitat - Indoor :: Sand FAQ

Turtle tank setups and other indoor configurations.

Post Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2013 7:37 pm   Re: Sand FAQ

A plain bottom is the easiest to keep clean. Sand isn't for everyone;)
http://www.photobucket.com/Toku
Toku's build thread, click link below;
http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=34068
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Post Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 9:55 pm   Re: Sand FAQ

My overflow runs outside,to my outside fillter system. I washed the buckets till i got sick of it, then i poured the sand in my tank , i filled up the tank like i normally do, but i ran the overflow into the yard for a while, stirred up the sand with the pressure from the hose, and then let it run clear, now my big RES who is 6.5 inches can try and throw it around all she wants, it goes up a few inches and falls back down, no cloudy ness un less i stir it up playing to rough.
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1.1.0 Fire Belllied Toads : Miss Piggy and Kermit
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Post Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 2:36 am   Re: Sand FAQ

I am having a love-hate situation with my sand. Getting it clean was one thing; now I am talking ongoing maintenance.
...after a month or so, I think maybe I got it right.
In Penelope-world it is all about the 'sand dunes'
If the outflow creates a 'crater' the poop piles up...Ah! why? well, because, if it is creating a crater, it isn't flowing the water around.
After umpteen attempts and ALOT of frustration, I finally got those little outflows (I have three filters) to move the water and not disperse the sand. Hard to explain, but maybe it makes sense.
So, after several months with sand, I can finally say that the filter is grabbing poop and not sand...and I can finally say that sand is equal in care to the bare bottom tank. The only difference is: that with sand, I am able to see where the flow as going wrong.
"I know up on the top you are seeing great sights, but down at the bottom we, too, should have rights"
~ "Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories" by Dr. Seuss ~
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penelope
 
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Post Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 9:45 pm   Re: Sand FAQ

So after having wonderful sand for 8 months my turtle decides today she will eat sand non stop like its a buffet. It might be stress from being bitten by my other turtle but what is the easiest way to remove 40lbs of sand? I removed about 10lbs of sand with a lil plastic shovel but its stressing out my fishes and my arm hurts. Thank you
nariangel
 
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Post Posted: Thu Apr 04, 2013 2:00 pm   Re: Sand FAQ

You can try a siphon though that might be slow and take a lot of water out.
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Post Posted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 5:03 am   Re: Sand FAQ

what is the easiest way to remove 40lbs of sand?

How big is your tank and how big are your fishy?
A couple of options:
Is the sand eating a new thing? - if so, it could go away once the novelty wears off...Penelope seemingly eats sand, but in reality it is a by product of scrounging for tidbits of food she missed at mealtime. I swirl the sand once a week to stir up leftover scraps, grab it with a net and let the filter capture what I miss

If it is easy to move the fish to a temporary locale for an couple of hours, you can drain the tank and use a dust pan to get some real mileage on removing the sand. Then add some water so the left over sand floats and use the the siphon like Steve mentioned.

If you can't move the fish (or the turtle) then....move them anyway. If scooping a little bit at a time stresses them out, it is prolonging the whole endeavor.

I'll cross my fingers that the sand eating is really food scrounging and that it stops soon.
"I know up on the top you are seeing great sights, but down at the bottom we, too, should have rights"
~ "Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories" by Dr. Seuss ~
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Post Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2013 11:00 pm   Re: Sand FAQ

Yay the sand eating has stopped! :)
nariangel
 
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Post Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 12:06 am   Re: Sand FAQ

Yahoo! I am beginning to learn that turtles are like the weather. in Montana..if you don't like it, wait 5 minutes and it will change
"I know up on the top you are seeing great sights, but down at the bottom we, too, should have rights"
~ "Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories" by Dr. Seuss ~
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Post Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 5:28 pm   Re: Sand FAQ

I used Quickrete play sand from home depot. Gave it a thorough wash and don't have any problems with clouding, but I would recommend that you sift the sand if you plan on using this sand. The grain is not very consistent and does have larger bits of sand in it. The color is also a bit dull, gray with a hint of tan with specs of black and white.

For 50lbs at $4, I guess I can't complain. I've seen majority of people recommend pool filter sand, and though I can't speak from experience, it would probably be less hassle then the sand I used.

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Tdgosu
 
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Post Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2013 11:52 pm   Re: Sand FAQ

Haven't changed Rangers sand in a while now. Since spring is here those colored playsands should be in stock at my walmart. Think I may go with blue to brighten up his aquarium.
Ranger- 13 year old Red Ear Slider
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Post Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2013 7:20 pm   Re: Sand FAQ

If anybody on here is near Prescott, I got two bags of 50 lbs playsand I don't need. Two bags covered my 150 gal tank with about 2 in. depth. But with the slate rock bases for the driftwood platforms there is about 3 in. of depth. You can have it if you come pic it up. P.M. me.
http://www.photobucket.com/Toku
Toku's build thread, click link below;
http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=34068
2 Male Rio Grande RES
1 Spiny Softshell

"Live Life"
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Post Posted: Thu May 09, 2013 8:57 pm   Re: Sand FAQ

I can speak from experience. Pool filter sand is definately the way to go. It has an extremely consistent grain size and almost no dust, so little to no cleaning required. I didn't clean mine and it clouded up a bit when I stirred the sand at the bottom of the tank after filling it up, but a day on an FX5 with Veipa's polishing filter recommendation and it was totally clear, and has never clouded since.
5 inch RES male named Jordtim
Hardware: 75 gallon tank (21"H X 48"W X 18"D), FX5 filter with veipacray media setup, pool filter sand substrat, TurtleSafe halogen heat/UVA lamp and ReptiGlo 5.0 UVB lamp in ZooMed Dual Dome Fixture.
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Post Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 11:51 am   Re: Sand FAQ

Ok, I am taking the sand leap today, wish me luck. starting with a 50 pound bag, if it goes well, then 250 pounds more.
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Post Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2014 7:39 am   Re: Sand FAQ

Good luck and post pics!
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steve
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Post Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2014 8:52 pm   Re: Sand FAQ

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200# mystic white II. The turtles seem to LOVE it. They have been playing in it every since we put it in.
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