| Is pool filter sand safe for Cichlids? | |
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+15iwade4fish Addicted2Cichlids jlpowell77 jb1edlover Cheapomatic sassynurse2 tropheus 1 Kasshan papasmurf plantedtankdude tomany strikingthematch Holey Rock of Texas KMX Jstump 19 posters |
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Jstump Chief Wrnt. Off. 4
Posts : 460 Location : Arlington/Mansfield Tx Favorite Fish: : Metriaclima sp. "Msobo" Magunga
| Subject: Is pool filter sand safe for Cichlids? 6/10/2011, 12:12 pm | |
| I've never heard of using pool filter sand till lately and was wondering if that is a good route to go for substrate because it's cheaper. Does anyone use it in their Cichlid tank? | |
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KMX Admin
Posts : 16094 Location : Mansfield, TX Favorite Fish: : African Cichlids of all kinds.
| Subject: Re: Is pool filter sand safe for Cichlids? 6/10/2011, 12:16 pm | |
| I have PFS in all 31 of my tanks | |
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Holey Rock of Texas Admin
Posts : 6531 Location : Dallas, TX Favorite Fish: : shellys
| Subject: Re: Is pool filter sand safe for Cichlids? 6/10/2011, 12:25 pm | |
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strikingthematch Captain
Posts : 1118 Location : Virginia Beach, VA Favorite Fish: : Discus, Stingrays, Arowana, Rams, and Angels
| Subject: Re: Is pool filter sand safe for Cichlids? 6/10/2011, 12:41 pm | |
| Sure is!
You can use other substrates mixed in depending if you need a buffering capacity for your tap waters PH or not. | |
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tomany Staff Sergeant
Posts : 138 Location : South Alabama Favorite Fish: : abn plecos right now. But it changes so much, I see a new fish and want to keep it, too. That's how I got so many tanks. I really want some rams and loaches now.
| Subject: Re: Is pool filter sand safe for Cichlids? 6/10/2011, 1:06 pm | |
| That's what I use, just remember to wash it and wash it and wash it, etc.... until it runs clear. Then you won't have a cloudy tank to deal with. I fill a 5gal bucket about 1/3 full of sand then use the hose to rinse. | |
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Jstump Chief Wrnt. Off. 4
Posts : 460 Location : Arlington/Mansfield Tx Favorite Fish: : Metriaclima sp. "Msobo" Magunga
| Subject: Re: Is pool filter sand safe for Cichlids? 6/10/2011, 1:57 pm | |
| Awesome, I might pick some up this weekend and get my new tank going! Any specific brands? | |
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BFinley Admin
Posts : 4498 Location : Fort Worth,Tx Favorite Fish: : Frontosa and Red Tail Catfish and All Africans
| Subject: Re: Is pool filter sand safe for Cichlids? 6/10/2011, 2:24 pm | |
| I use it too in most of my tanks!I get mine at home depot for like $6 for a 50lb bag.Its pavestone brand there. | |
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plantedtankdude Lieutenant Colonel
Posts : 1227 Location : Plano, texas Favorite Fish: : all of them along with mermaids and me I'm a Pisces.
| Subject: Re: Is pool filter sand safe for Cichlids? 6/10/2011, 2:33 pm | |
| it works, just keep up with the water changes because of the silic in the sand.. | |
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papasmurf Staff Sergeant
Posts : 175 Location : Waco, TX Favorite Fish: : Swallowtail Peacock
| Subject: Re: Is pool filter sand safe for Cichlids? 6/10/2011, 4:09 pm | |
| I use it as well. It is hard to find some that is really white...but it still looks nice. I think it does have a tendency to promote diatoms and brown algae since it is silica sand. The best sand I have found is estes ultra reef white but hardly any stores carry it and it comes in small packages that tend to be expensive. | |
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Kasshan Chief Wrnt. Off. 5
Posts : 519 Location : Modesto, CA Favorite Fish: : Kribensis
| Subject: Re: Is pool filter sand safe for Cichlids? 6/10/2011, 7:45 pm | |
| hpmedepot has got sand as well, about 2$ per 50lbs. just make sure to always read the labels for any toxic chems and such | |
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Jstump Chief Wrnt. Off. 4
Posts : 460 Location : Arlington/Mansfield Tx Favorite Fish: : Metriaclima sp. "Msobo" Magunga
| Subject: Re: Is pool filter sand safe for Cichlids? 6/10/2011, 8:36 pm | |
| Thanks for all the input! I can't wait to get the new tank up and running. I'm also curious if it would work in saltwater tanks as well. I don't own any but could you use it? | |
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Jstump Chief Wrnt. Off. 4
Posts : 460 Location : Arlington/Mansfield Tx Favorite Fish: : Metriaclima sp. "Msobo" Magunga
| Subject: Re: Is pool filter sand safe for Cichlids? 6/12/2011, 3:46 pm | |
| I bought a bag of PFS today from home depot. I also bought a bag of crushed coral and I was wondering if it was ok to mix them together to help with buffering? | |
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KMX Admin
Posts : 16094 Location : Mansfield, TX Favorite Fish: : African Cichlids of all kinds.
| Subject: Re: Is pool filter sand safe for Cichlids? 6/12/2011, 4:15 pm | |
| yes I have them mixed before and still do in 2 of my tanks. | |
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strikingthematch Captain
Posts : 1118 Location : Virginia Beach, VA Favorite Fish: : Discus, Stingrays, Arowana, Rams, and Angels
| Subject: Re: Is pool filter sand safe for Cichlids? 6/12/2011, 6:20 pm | |
| sure you can mix them just make sure you test to see how much the coral is buffering. You can always start out by adding the PFS to the bottom of the tank then add in plastic containers filled with the coral. If you are getting too much/not enough buffering you can add in more coral or remove containers as needed. That way you don't end up mixing the two and find out that the coral is buffering beyond what you need and not you have to sift through to remove it. | |
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Jstump Chief Wrnt. Off. 4
Posts : 460 Location : Arlington/Mansfield Tx Favorite Fish: : Metriaclima sp. "Msobo" Magunga
| Subject: Re: Is pool filter sand safe for Cichlids? 6/12/2011, 6:47 pm | |
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tropheus 1 Corporal/Specialist
Posts : 78 Location : montreal Favorite Fish: : Tropheus
| Subject: Re: Is pool filter sand safe for Cichlids? 2/29/2012, 4:55 pm | |
| Sand is great!!!! Gives fish like shellies and tropheus whom like to sift though the sand or dig pits to spawn. The only draw back is the sand gets into the filter and will eventually works its way to the impeller and grind it down causing you to fine another impeller. If you motor head well {it is where the impeller sits} causing it to ruin any new impellers you put in!!!! Put it this way, When the disks on a car gets so worn and you put on new pads, Think of what is going to happen? Get some Caribisea cichlids eco complete. Its everything you need to buffer your water and cichlids just love it!!!! Happy Fish Keeping! | |
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sassynurse2 Moderator
Posts : 789 Location : Grand Prairie Texas Favorite Fish: : 2 Clown Loaches...
Blue Dolphins 10.
| Subject: Re: Is pool filter sand safe for Cichlids? 2/29/2012, 6:00 pm | |
| Jason also rinsing the pfs is a must!!!! | |
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Jstump Chief Wrnt. Off. 4
Posts : 460 Location : Arlington/Mansfield Tx Favorite Fish: : Metriaclima sp. "Msobo" Magunga
| Subject: Re: Is pool filter sand safe for Cichlids? 2/29/2012, 6:03 pm | |
| This is a very old post. I now have all 6 of my tanks with pool filter sand | |
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sassynurse2 Moderator
Posts : 789 Location : Grand Prairie Texas Favorite Fish: : 2 Clown Loaches...
Blue Dolphins 10.
| Subject: Re: Is pool filter sand safe for Cichlids? 2/29/2012, 6:27 pm | |
| lol some of these post are old true. But your question maybe something a newbie is wondering about | |
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CSnyder00 Moderator
Posts : 1648 Location : Pittsburgh, PA Favorite Fish: : Luwino Reef Zebra Chilumba, Ocellatus, Any bright-colored freshwater cichlid
| Subject: Re: Is pool filter sand safe for Cichlids? 3/1/2012, 5:49 pm | |
| Pool filter sand is a great substrate and it is cheap. I mixed it with black aquarium sand to get a nice color mix! | |
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plantedtankdude Lieutenant Colonel
Posts : 1227 Location : Plano, texas Favorite Fish: : all of them along with mermaids and me I'm a Pisces.
| Subject: Re: Is pool filter sand safe for Cichlids? 3/2/2012, 4:47 am | |
| yuck, make sure it doesn't have silic's in or you will get a lot of green spot algae. | |
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BFinley Admin
Posts : 4498 Location : Fort Worth,Tx Favorite Fish: : Frontosa and Red Tail Catfish and All Africans
| Subject: Re: Is pool filter sand safe for Cichlids? 3/2/2012, 4:01 pm | |
| I've been useing PFS for 2 years now and not once have I rinsed any before I put it my tanks!It only takes a few hours to clear up!I've never had a problem doing it that way! | |
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CSnyder00 Moderator
Posts : 1648 Location : Pittsburgh, PA Favorite Fish: : Luwino Reef Zebra Chilumba, Ocellatus, Any bright-colored freshwater cichlid
| Subject: Re: Is pool filter sand safe for Cichlids? 3/2/2012, 5:27 pm | |
| Nah. I say rinse. I ALWAYS rinse substrate, no matter what it is. There is so much cr@p in that sand to start. And it's only another 20 minutes of your time to make sure that all the junk is taken out. Rinse! | |
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Cheapomatic Private
Posts : 23 Location : Arlington/Mansfield Tx
| Subject: Re: Is pool filter sand safe for Cichlids? 3/2/2012, 5:52 pm | |
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BFinley Admin
Posts : 4498 Location : Fort Worth,Tx Favorite Fish: : Frontosa and Red Tail Catfish and All Africans
| Subject: Re: Is pool filter sand safe for Cichlids? 3/3/2012, 11:53 am | |
| I guess I have good luck then! | |
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| Is pool filter sand safe for Cichlids? | |
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