Is pool filter sand safe for Cichlids?

First topic message reminder :

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?

I guess I have good luck then!

I'd rinse any sand, rock or othe substrate... rinsing only takes a second and just give some extra cleaning. Saying that I rinse all substrate when I move it from tank to tank.

Yes its best to rinse any substrate,but for me I haven't had any problems or fish loss so I'll keep doing it that way!Everyone has there own ways of doing things!For anyone else I say rinse all substrate no matter what it is!

I have used pool filter sand. Got a good bit of advice on rinsing the sand from my friend who recommended as substrate. This is what he told me to do (and it worked well):

Fill a five gallon bucket half full of sand. Fill the bucket with a water hose. Continue to allow the bucket to over flow as you push the hose down through the sand over and over. This agitates the sand and gets most of the impurities out.

Worked well for me so I thought i would pass it along.

JP

jlpowell77 wrote:

I have used pool filter sand. Got a good bit of advice on rinsing the sand from my friend who recommended as substrate. This is what he told me to do (and it worked well):

Fill a five gallon bucket half full of sand. Fill the bucket with a water hose. Continue to allow the bucket to over flow as you push the hose down through the sand over and over. This agitates the sand and gets most of the impurities out.

Worked well for me so I thought i would pass it along.

JP

i use this same method for rinsing ALL sand substrate. Works extremely well. Rinsing your substrate first is much easier than stripping down and cleaning my filters :)

yes, but try the mix out in a small container to play around with the ratio to find your perfect look.
Nice forum here.

iwade4fish wrote:

yes, but try the mix out in a small container to play around with the ratio to find your perfect look.
Nice forum here.

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I use it for my wild tefe green cichlids, only think to look out for is that you don't use to much, and that it doesn't have to much silicites in it because they will cause algae.

PFS is all I use in my tanks!

Am got about 200 lbs of pfs in my cichlid tank and they loved it.

 Good stuff. I mixed mine with black sand to get a darker look.

CSnyder00 wrote:

 Good stuff. I mixed mine with black sand to get a darker look.

I was thinking of doing that also! 

Here it is.

Looks great! 

I also use pool filter sand.