Pool Filter Sand

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LoachOrgy
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Location: Florida, USA

Post by LoachOrgy » Fri Mar 23, 2007 11:34 am

this is what i put in my tank. the white sand at the top.

they have some nice gravel but no locations carry any of it near me. i called them but they only distribute to merchants.

http://www.carib-sea.com/pages/products ... shsub.html

ok i actually found a distributer and orderd a 20lb bag of the rio grande brand. I may actually add it to the loach tank but for now this is going to replace the gravel in the tetra tank.
All your loaches are belong to me!

Total Package
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Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2007 5:01 pm
Location: Maryland, USA

Post by Total Package » Mon Apr 16, 2007 2:44 pm

crazy loaches wrote:
Total Package wrote:Have any of you ever used the 3M colorquartz in your tanks? I was thinking of trying some since the tahitian moon sand is way too expensive.
Did you see my earlier posts on this? I linked to some good sources of info on it. I wouldn’t hesitate to use it if it were local and not too overpriced, but there are only a few distributors and seems like the price has gone up recently. If you want a fine smooth sand for loaches and a specific color its a no brainer if you can get it. The only downside is its more expensive that plain sand but usually still cheaper than buying Tahitian moon sand in the lfs. Also being quartz it'll scratch your glass easier if it gets in your algae scrapper, but if I am not mistaken pool filter sand is quartz too.

Just wanted to say that I got some of the 3M colorquartz and put it in my new tank about a week ago. The stuff looks great. It's an amazing uniform black color. Very consistant size and shape on the S grade. Cost was $21 for 50/lbs which is moderately expensive for sand, but much less that half the cost of tahitian moon.

So far the loaches seem to love it. They've done a fair amount of digging around in it near their favorite hiding spots (I moved alot of the decor from the other tank).

The only downside is that the black stuff was really dusty. I had to clean it in my bathtub and it took hours for a good 100 pounds of it. Nice part was the tank water was clear after about a day. I'm happy with the result, but it took alot of time.

MTS
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Location: Illinois

Post by MTS » Mon Apr 16, 2007 3:05 pm

I'm wondering if anyone has mixed sand types?

Perhaps the light color pool filter sand mixed together with a dark aquarium sand might give a natural look and tone down the brightness.

Curtis
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Joined: Sun Jan 01, 2006 6:27 pm
Location: Ohio, USA

Post by Curtis » Mon Apr 16, 2007 6:31 pm

Total Package wrote:
crazy loaches wrote:
Total Package wrote:Have any of you ever used the 3M colorquartz in your tanks? I was thinking of trying some since the tahitian moon sand is way too expensive.
Did you see my earlier posts on this? I linked to some good sources of info on it. I wouldn’t hesitate to use it if it were local and not too overpriced, but there are only a few distributors and seems like the price has gone up recently. If you want a fine smooth sand for loaches and a specific color its a no brainer if you can get it. The only downside is its more expensive that plain sand but usually still cheaper than buying Tahitian moon sand in the lfs. Also being quartz it'll scratch your glass easier if it gets in your algae scrapper, but if I am not mistaken pool filter sand is quartz too.

Just wanted to say that I got some of the 3M colorquartz and put it in my new tank about a week ago. The stuff looks great. It's an amazing uniform black color. Very consistant size and shape on the S grade. Cost was $21 for 50/lbs which is moderately expensive for sand, but much less that half the cost of tahitian moon.

So far the loaches seem to love it. They've done a fair amount of digging around in it near their favorite hiding spots (I moved alot of the decor from the other tank).

The only downside is that the black stuff was really dusty. I had to clean it in my bathtub and it took hours for a good 100 pounds of it. Nice part was the tank water was clear after about a day. I'm happy with the result, but it took alot of time.
Can you take a picture of your tank? Is the sand a very smooth sand? After washing is the sand staying on the bottom nicely or do you have "dust storms".

Thanks.

(I'm trying to decide on a substrate for two 265 gallon tanks and I certainly don't want to purchase the wrong thing.)

Total Package
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Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2007 5:01 pm
Location: Maryland, USA

Post by Total Package » Tue Apr 17, 2007 6:51 am

I'll try to take a picture. I don't have internet at home yet though.

The S grade sand is perfectly round, ~0.5 mm grains. It settles quick and I've not seen a dust cloud.

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crazy loaches
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Post by crazy loaches » Tue Apr 17, 2007 1:53 pm

From what I have read it should be one of the heavier sands you can get, so dust shouldnt be a problem unless you didnt rinse it. Yeah, rinsing can be tedious but most substrates need rinsed anyhow. Or if you have a DE filter you could run that in your tank while intentionaly stiring it up to rinse it in the tank (with no fishies in there yet of course).

$21 for 50# is actually a good deal. I'd have to pay like 50% more at my closest distributer who wants $30-35 depending on color and grade. A guy here in town wants over $40 a bag for it. For your price I'd probably already have it, but for the price I can get it I am holding off to make my final decision.

Yeah I have seen pictures of it mixed, like tan and brown, etc. I do personally love the look of all black, the fish and their colors pop out so much more. But they have just about any color you could want, atleast in the S grade.

davin19
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Joined: Fri May 25, 2018 3:34 am

Re: Pool Filter Sand

Post by davin19 » Fri May 25, 2018 3:41 am

Hey,

I need some help for my this query, When should I change the sand in my pool filter? and also How does a sand filter work for a pool??
Please solve my problems.??
Thanks.

Diana
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Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2006 1:35 am
Location: Near San Franciso

Re: Pool Filter Sand

Post by Diana » Sat May 26, 2018 9:21 pm

Davin, this is a web site/forum for people who keep aquariums.
Some people use pool filter sand in the aquarium.

This has nothing to do with how or why you use sand in a filter for a swimming pool.
However:
You might never need to change it, if you backflush it regularly to wash out the debris.
38 tanks, 2 ponds over 4000 liters of water to keep clean and fresh.

Happy fish keeping!

joe21
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2018 5:31 am

Re: Pool Filter Sand

Post by joe21 » Wed Jul 11, 2018 5:37 am

Hi,

Pool filters work to remove particles from pool water. While chemicals can kill bacteria present in the water, they cannot remove the dead bacteria, and they cannot do anything about minerals or organic waste that accumulates in the pool. The filter removes these contaminants before they can do any damage. Sand filters are one of the most common types of filters, but they require special sand sold at pool and spa stores.

Process
A sand filter is essentially a cylinder partially filled with sand. The water is pumped through this filter and then drawn through the sand. Any particles in the water become trapped in the sand, while the water flows easily through. The water, now clean, is pumped back into the pool while valves keep the sand in place.

Sand Qualities
Owners of sand filters must be sure to buy specific types of sand for their systems. Ordinary sand found at the beach will not work: pool sand is made of very small, fine grains. The finer the sand, the more easily it can trap small particles while letting water flow through. Normal sand is to angular and large to be effective at the filtration process.

Places to Look
Owners of sand filters should look at local pool stores for bags of filter sand, usually available in five- or 10-pound quantities. There are several different brands of pool sand, and while some filters are meant to be used with certain types of sand, there is little difference between the brands. Owners should look for sand by Quikrete, HTH, Aqua Quartz or Zeosand.

Materials
Those with pool filters should also look at what the sand is made out of. One of the most popular materials is silica, which is a very effective filtering material but can be dangerous to inhale. Some manufacturers, such as Zeosand, make their sand out of green zeolite, which is also acceptable.

Changing Sand
Sand filters typically have backwash systems that get rid of the contaminants that the sand collects. It is not common for filters to run out of sand, especially not within the first few years of service. Sand only leaves the filter when valves break, and with proper cleaning techniques, the same sand can be re-used for much of the filter's life.

fred18
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Aug 04, 2018 1:47 pm

Re: Pool Filter Sand

Post by fred18 » Sat Aug 04, 2018 1:52 pm

Hello,

Looking for Swimming Pool Sand Filter, could anyone tell me a best brand for it...? I want Swimming Pool Sand Filter manufacturers, suppliers & exporters in USA..

Diana
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Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2006 1:35 am
Location: Near San Franciso

Re: Pool Filter Sand

Post by Diana » Sun Aug 05, 2018 2:36 pm

There is not really just one manufacturer.
Go to pool supply stores, or even Home Depot, or to stores that sell bricks, rock, mortar and similar things.
Check the labels.
You are looking for sand that may be labeled 20 mesh or 30 mesh, or any other grading system that means the sand is in that size range. Coarser sand (smaller mesh number) is fine, too. Look for a broken bag and feel the sand, see the color. Avoid play sand, which is not graded. It will have a mix of coarse and fine particles that will pack together and encourage anaerobic conditions.
There are several materials that will be available in that size.
Limestone based materials (dolomite, limestone, calcite, coral sand and other) are materials that will raise the mineral levels of soft water. These would be good for hard water fish such as the Cichlids from the rift lakes of Africa. Or, if your tap water already has high GH, KH and pH, then this sort of sand will not change the water.
Quartz or silica sand is much more common. This type of sand will add silica to the water for a short while. This could encourage the growth of diatoms (aka Brown Algae). It does not raise the pH or add to the GH or KH of the water.
Fine materials that are added to swimming pool finishes can also be used in aquariums. Several years ago this was 3-M Colorquartz. Other companies such as Pebble-tek are making similar products. Just be careful you do not get one with bits of shell in it. The shell will decompose, raising the GH, KH and pH of the water.
There is also a product line that is used in sand blasting. Black Diamond is the most common brand name I see. Check the particle size and color to make sure they are right for your project.
A somewhat coarser material is sold around here as topsand. It is used when installing pavers. It needs washing to remove the finer material, then ends up as a coarse sand to fine gravel sort of material. Around here, it has a blend of colors including soft tan and grey. Looks very natural in the tank. I sifted it through a couple of different mesh strainers then blended back the 2 coarsest results.
38 tanks, 2 ponds over 4000 liters of water to keep clean and fresh.

Happy fish keeping!

chalmleshe
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Nov 15, 2018 11:10 pm

Re: Pool Filter Sand

Post by chalmleshe » Thu Nov 15, 2018 11:17 pm

I'm using Quikrete 50 lb. pool filter sand it is properly graded & dried sand. It is specially designed for the summer waves above ground pool filtration system.

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