I am thinking of converting one of those big round fluidised sand pool filters in to a bio filter for aquarium use. Is this possible?
There's several different kinds of sand available at Home Depot and Lowes and the like, all made for different purposes. Most Play Sand though is noted as being "fine" grain and includes on the packaging recommendations for use in aquariums and fish bowls, among other things. would you say pool filter sand is large grain?
Lets get into the pros of sand. Sand is a great way to light up your aquarium. I have found when you add a light colored sand. Your aquarium illuminates with a very natural brightness. Sand is also a great way to let your tropical fish feel at home, since many of them were raised in sand base pools. Sand is great for plants, as it allows roots to grab hold easier. Cat fish thrive in sand. They love to bury in it. As for cleaning and wast. Sand keeps all of the wast on the top allowing snails, catfish, and plants benefit from waste. Cleaning sand may be a task at first, but in a short time you will become the master.
Newly set-up 55 gallon aquarium with pool filter sand for Ps
Perfect grain size
Pool filter sand is coarser than play sand but still a lot finer than any aquarium gravel. Play sand is very fine, which unfortunately means it tends to clump together. Clumping can lead to anaerobic pockets in the substrate, which can produce chemicals that are harmful to fish and have a bad odor. With aquarium gravel the crevices between the particles are large enough to trap leftover food and other debris, which need to be removed by gravel vacuuming. Pool filter sand isn't so fine that it clumps, but fine enough that debris usually stays on top of it from where it gets swept into the filters or is easier to remove by vacuuming.Newly set-up 55 gallon aquarium with pool filter sand for Ps. Saulosi, Mbuna Cichlids. The PFS was cleaned by running it under water for about 5 minutes. Water was slowly added by pouring it into bowl inside the aquarium. The PFS cost $10 for 50 pound bag at local hardware store. I only used about 10 pounds for about half inch coverage in 55 gallon tank.How to use pool filter sand for your aquarium
Products Used:
quikrete pool filter sand
5 Gallon Bucket
Hose
Water
10 gallon tank
Water Conditioner (API)
Quick Start (API)My roommate just bought a 65 gallon tank and is choosing his substrate currently now. He also couldn't resist how good the sand looked so he went to the same pool store I did and bought the filter sand. The problem became that when he was buying the sand from the lady at the store, she said "DO NOT USE FILTER SAND FOR AQUARIUMS" her reasoning was that it will turn into cement!
Pool sand vs Play sand vs Construction sand !!!
Many people prefer to save a few bucks by using cheapo sands that are not made for use in aquariums (play sand, pool filter sand, etc.)
© popfics.com