Habitat - Indoor :: i need some advice about sand

[PcBuilder14]

Yup. It doesn't hurt anything, it just looks ugly.

[Daniel3507]

its gonna tank alot of sand for a 125 gal. haha. my tank was cloudy just for a couple days. when i first put it in i would just drain the tank and then fill it up and do it over and over again.

[untsmurf]

What size is your tank and how much sand did you use?

[Daniel3507]

i have a 55 gal and used 30lbs. covered it pretty good.
http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewt ... c&start=15

[mat012]

Is there a special way to wash the sand before putting it in the tank?

After washing, should we empty the tank completely, add sand, then fill it up? Or can we just pour the sand in without emptying it?

After filling the tank, how long does it take the dust to settle? Should the filters be off during this time? Can the turtle be in the tank during this time? Or in a separate holding tank?

Does the poop settle to the top of the sand so I can see it like in a bare bottomed tank? Or does it settle to the bottom where I can't see it like river rock and gravel?

I actually didnt wash the sand very well before I put it in the tank (I made the mistake of believing the label that said it was "prewashed"). I put it in then filled with water. Though it was a bit of a mess I used the python to fill, empty and refill then tank several times to wash it out. I just stirred the sand during washing. Basically you are just rinsing it off to remove dust and fine particles.

To be more to the point - Put the sand in a dry (or empty) tank. Turn off your filter and fill it with water. Only turn the filter back on after the sand has mostly settled. The water will still be cloudy. The filter will clean up most of the cloudiness, but I suggest you rinse out any fine filter pad or foam for at least a couple of weeks. It helps keep the water flow up to speed. I also used some water clarifier as well tho others have not.

I put the turtle in when the water was relatively clear - about a day or so. I chose a sand that is sort of mixed browns. It is not light colored so the waste is not noticeable. It does tho just sit on top of the sand. I imagine it would be more noticeable on white sand.

Here's my set up - I put river rocks on top of the sand for decoration. I like and have had no filter or turt problems with it.



If you look closely Tuck is hiding behind the flower pot.

[untsmurf]

Thanks so much for dealing with my seemingly endless list of questions, haha. I just don't want to mess up my already established tank. But I do admit, I loooove the look of sand, especially the white sand. It reminds me of a beach I used to go to when I lived in Hawaii. But I don't want to hurt my filters, or more importantly my turtle, for something that would be done purely for cosmetic reasons.

[xfueledbykatie]

ha i just got the same sand as daniel

oh man its like pure white.
i've been working at this all day.
xD
not cool.

[xfueledbykatie]

oh and daniel3507, did you rinse yours before you put
it in the tank? D:

[Daniel3507]

i rinsed it alot. i put it in a pillow case and rinsed it out with the hose.

[xfueledbykatie]

i just put the sand in today and i emptied the tank and refilled it at least 3
times and i let it sit for a few hours and it's almost clear now

i'm so excited.
it looks beautiful..
sand also makes it look a lot cleaner.

thanks for all your help/advice :]

[Daniel3507]

what kinda sand did you end up going with katie? are we gonna get to see some pictures?

[untsmurf]

I would love to see some pics!!

[xfueledbykatie]

what kinda sand did you end up going with katie? are we gonna get to see some pictures?

i went with the white sand that you posted a link for earlier.
once its all settled and clear i'll take some pictures

[Daniel3507]

it'll take about a day for it to completly settle. hope you like it!