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Is sand good for freshwater fish?

5K views 4 replies 5 participants last post by  Gump 
#1 ·
So the title pretty much says it all.

I was in Petsmart and saw they had aquarium sand for fresh and saltwater fish and I was wondering if this is a good way to go.

Then again wouldn't it be a pain to clean up?
 
#2 ·
Substrate isn't necessary for fish. It's more of an eye candy issue for the owner unless you want a planted tank and need something for the plants to anchor in. Sand is not difficult to clean as long as you vacuum above the sand and stir it up regularly. Though for plants, it causes a bit of a problem as it compacts and damages their roots.
 
#3 ·
Sand is fine. What kind of fish are you planning on getting?

Many fish prefer to have sand, some require it. Makes them feel "at home."

If it were me, I'd make sure to rinse the sand fairly well. As in put it in a bucket with water, stir it up, pour the dirty water out. Put new water in and repeat several times.

Clean up with sand isn't too hard once you get the hang of it. As previously stated, just hover the vacuum over the sand, and stir up the sand once or twice a month to release gases and get trapped food and waste.
 
#4 ·
most of my tanks have sand, pool filter sand to be precise.
I use that because it requires no pre washing whatsoever and is price comparable to 'aquarium' sand, also it is a good sized grain so doesn't compact down like 'aquarium' sand, which cloud lead to anaerobic pockets developing.
 
#5 ·
I use estes marine sand in all of my freshwater tanks. Its a lot cleaner then other sands ive used. Doesn't have sharp edges so fish can pass it or dig in it with out problem. All my earth eaters and rays enjoy it a lot and my lungfish eats it by mistake almost daily.
 
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