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Okay, I am considering a tank of shellies, and am also thinking about changing over one of my existing tanks to create a sort of beach theme. I want the classic white sand look, but one of my main concerns is that fish waste will show up badly against that sort of a background. How do you keep it looking nice and clean? Also, when you use the python, it would seem that the sand would want to exit the tank with the water. How do you keep it from doing so? Do you just skim the surface of the sand rather than pushing it to the bottom? This will be a big change for me, so I am sort of nervous about it. ANY advice on using sand as a substrate is appreciated. Thanks so much!

I have sand in 3 of my tanks and poo doesn't really settle on it at all, it tends to get caught in the current and whizz over to the filter intake where it disappears. I do get occasional still patches where it gathers, but it only takes a fish to whizz past to stir it up and off it goes again.

I you're using a python, instead of pushing it down into the substrate, skim over just above the sand and it will pick up the poo and leave the sand intact, although you may find that you dont really need to use it at all if you have your filter in/output positioned cleverly.

Thanks so much. It was a major concern of mine, but this aquascaping idea I have in my head is just way too cool to ignore. LOL! Ever get one of those that just hits you and wont let go until you do it? It will be a little while till I can get ahold of all the pieces that will make it a finished tank, but in the meantime, what has everyone found to be the BEST sand in their tanks? I do plan on adding some driftwood and plants, but the plants will be more on the driftwood than anything else. Thanks again!

sounds like a cute idea stormy5!

With a sand substrate you really want to keep it as shallow as possible, you also need to make sure it gets stirred up on occasion to prevent anerobic bacteria from forming. In the shellie tank you shouldnt have that much trouble since they will be digging around in it.

Some landscape supply shops will have white landscaping sand. I've used playsand in my tanks and it's come out really white looking (IMO anyway) but without looking too white. The number one thing to rememember with sand is to make sure it's rinsed VERY VERY well...then rinse it a few more times. Covering the intake with some foam or nylon will help protect the impeller.

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Hmmm... is it worse than the red flourite? LOL! That is what I have right now and it was AWFUL! No matter how well you rinse, the water that comes out when you clean is all rusty colored. UGH! If I don't go with sand and my beach idea (which I don't think I can ignore), I am going to try EcoComplete.

It does take alot of rinsing, but....depending on how big the tank is you really wont need all that much sand. It shouldnt really be much more than half an inch deep (shellies might reqire an inch ...you might want to verify that with someone that's been lucky enough to find them ).
Not rinsing the sand well enough will cause the lighter particles to remain in the tank and they can and IME will get caught up by the filter damaging the impeller.

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Hmmmm... the more I hear about it the more I think I will hold off my beach theme on the 30 gallon, and will make my first attempt at sand a shellie tank. Yeah... as soon as I find the ones I want! LOL! It seems like we always have such BORING fish in all the LFS in my area. Never can find the ones I want. Took me forever to find dwarf puffers and when I did they were in AWFUL condition. Emaciated would be the word I want here. I bought 5... 1 lonely, little dwarf survives.