[aklick]

I have a 55 gallon planted tank and I'd like to swap my current substrate for sand. I have a sponge filter so no other filters.

Any particular kind that I should look into or stay away from?

Thanks.

 

[jaysee]

Pool filter sand is the best that I've used, though I don't have plants so there's probably a better plant specific substrate out there. But for a general purpose sand, which will work well with plants, PFS is great. The larger diameter and uniform size prevents it from compacting, which as I understand it is a problem with plant roots. Many also like play sand, but I didn't care for it one bit.

 

[jentralala]

My favorite is Flourite Black Sand, but it has a hefty price tag at $20 per 15# bag. So for a large tank it could get pretty expensive. It works really well for my plants.

Black Diamond Blasting Sand is also an option if you get the smallest grit available.

If you use PFS or BDBS you can just use root tabs to supplement nutrients.

 

[Ogre44]

I have a 65 gallon with playsand and I like it a lot.
It cost me less than $5.00 per bag, but I had to wash the living heck out of it like 2 or 3 hours per bag plus the associated water.
It looks very natural, it holds the plants well, and the fish like to dig in it, but you have to add root tabs for your plants because it's pretty much void of nutrition for the plants.
I have a29 gallon with black Petco brand sand.
I did have to wash it quite a bit, but nowhere near the playsand.
It's coarser than the playsand, it doesn't seem to grab the plant roots as well, and it also needs root tabs.
When it's clean it looks great, but everything shows up on it.
Again, the fish like to dig in it and it adds to the atmosphere of a darker quiet tributary.

All in all I think that I prefer the playsand.
There's more work up front, but I feel that it looks nicer and that it's got less maintenance in the long run.