# paveing sand??



## chilled84 (24 Apr 2010)

Will paveing sand be fine for inert substrate, Im on about the sand you brush between cracks in paveing, Its real bright colour!  Wash it and use it????


----------



## chilled84 (24 Apr 2010)

Any idea anyone?


----------



## danmil3s (24 Apr 2010)

ive got 10n bags in my 7' seems fine im guessing you mean kiln dried


----------



## chilled84 (24 Apr 2010)

danmil3s said:
			
		

> ive got 10n bags in my 7' seems fine im guessing you mean kiln dried



Yeah thats the stuff.  , Coolio stuff.


----------



## Ajm200 (25 Apr 2010)

Might be worth getting hold of some and sticking it in a bucket with a bit of tap water to see what it does to ph, gh and kh.  Some sands look fab but mess with water chemistry at first.  As you live so far south you will have softer water than most and this may be more of an issue for you than it would be for those of us in really hard water areas.


----------



## chilled84 (25 Apr 2010)

Ajm200 said:
			
		

> Might be worth getting hold of some and sticking it in a bucket with a bit of tap water to see what it does to ph, gh and kh.  Some sands look fab but mess with water chemistry at first.  As you live so far south you will have softer water than most and this may be more of an issue for you than it would be for those of us in really hard water areas.



I dont even have a test kit! lol.


----------



## Ajm200 (25 Apr 2010)

Typical planted tank fan then


----------



## chilled84 (25 Apr 2010)

Ajm200 said:
			
		

> Typical planted tank fan then



lol, I dont overly understand all the values stuff and what they do within a tank.


----------



## Ajm200 (25 Apr 2010)

Manado supposedly contains calcium deposits so they suggest washing it in warm water.

So I guess you should wash it in warm water, do lots of water changes at first and enjoy your plants for while before adding anything too fussy about water chemistry and it'll all be fine


----------



## chilled84 (25 Apr 2010)

Kinda wanna get all done in a day, Rescape and add fish.

Im not useing the sand right through, Just as a front to my scape, About 20% of the tank floor volume.


----------



## Ajm200 (25 Apr 2010)

Most fish don't care as long as the changes are slow or subtle.  Major PH swings can mess with your filter and some delicate softwater fish (cichlids, discuss and some inverts don't like sudden changes in water hardness).  Your average fish just adapts over time.


----------



## chilled84 (25 Apr 2010)

how can it mess with my filter?? I have amano shrimp so will have to watch them.


----------



## Ajm200 (25 Apr 2010)

Large ph swings are harmful to all the fauna in the aquarium and a ph crash (below 6.5) can reduce the filter bacteria.   ability to handle toxins.  The sand should only reduce the ph if there is something acidic in it.  It is more likely to contain minerals that will dissolve and raise the hardness of the water. 

Minor ph fluctations happen in the day to day running of the aquarium it is only the big changes that are harmful.

My last post was late at night and should have been clearer.  Sorry.


----------



## ceg4048 (25 Apr 2010)

Hi,
   Ph fluctuations, large or small, have never been shown to induce any problems in fauna. I've kept fish at ph 4 without any issues. It's normally the phenomenon that is responsible for the ph fluctuations that is the problem. CO2 injected tanks have massive pH swings from night to day without any issues.

Cheers,


----------



## dw1305 (26 Apr 2010)

Hi all,
I had a go with some of this bought as "Kiln dried Silica Sand", and designed for brushing into block paving. The only problem I found was that it was very fine, with minute particles. "Swimming pool filter sand" is a better grain size if you can get it.
cheers Darrel


----------



## chilled84 (26 Apr 2010)

dw1305 said:
			
		

> Hi all,
> I had a go with some of this bought as "Kiln dried Silica Sand", and designed for brushing into block paving. The only problem I found was that it was very fine, with minute particles. "Swimming pool filter sand" is a better grain size if you can get it.
> cheers Darrel



Thats the stuff i bought today, Should i ov not?


----------



## dw1305 (27 Apr 2010)

Hi all,
The "Kiln dried paving sand" has been a good substrate, but it took a long time to stop clouding the water, and if you initially had a thick layer of it I'm pretty sure you would have "problems" with anoxic areas, certainly at least until the plant root zone "rhizosphere" expanded. You can't vacuum or clean it with a syphon (I don't anyway) and I'm pretty sure a more powerful filter would have kept it in suspension a lot longer.
cheers Darrel


----------



## chilled84 (27 Apr 2010)

dw1305 said:
			
		

> Hi all,
> The "Kiln dried paving sand" has been a good substrate, but it took a long time to stop clouding the water, and if you initially had a thick layer of it I'm pretty sure you would have "problems" with anoxic areas, certainly at least until the plant root zone "rhizosphere" expanded. You can't vacuum or clean it with a syphon (I don't anyway) and I'm pretty sure a more powerful filter would have kept it in suspension a lot longer.
> cheers Darrel



Its not going to be used as a planting media, It will be barren.


----------



## dw1305 (28 Apr 2010)

Hi all,
If you just want it as a sand "plain", I'd definitely go for a bigger grain size.
cheers Darrel


----------



## chilled84 (28 Apr 2010)

dw1305 said:
			
		

> Hi all,
> If you just want it as a sand "plain", I'd definitely go for a bigger grain size.
> cheers Darrel



I couldnt find any larger size that colour for the price.


----------



## mr. luke (6 May 2010)

ceg4048 said:
			
		

> Hi,Ph fluctuations, large or small, have never been shown to induce any problems in fauna.



I beg to differ.
I can guarantee if i went and crashed my ph with lemon juice or ph minus my fish would all be affected.
Similarly if i added ph up to a tank of wild discus they would drop dead.


----------

