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I want to put sand in my tank bu what type of sand should I get and where should I get it. I want to make sure it doesn't cloud the water or anything, thanx for your help.

Clouding of the water happens two ways. First by not rinsing the sand well enough before putting it in the tank and second by not preserving the biofilter. Rinsing the sand till the water runs clear, then continuing to rinse (do small batches @a time) for a while longer. It's the small particles that get missed by not rinsing well enough that will cause the water to cloud and jam impellers of HOB filters.
If you're replacing the substrate in a cycled tank care should be taken to preserve the biofilter that's colonized the current substrate. Even if you're running a biowheel, you'll see a minicycle caused by removal of the substrate.

I'm currently using playsand in my tank, it's one of the cheapest sands and is easily available in hardware and DIY stores like Home depot and Lowes, many local gardening stores, even major chains such as walmart carry it.
Landscaping sand is a purer white, but I havent found it available all the time. Pool filter sand is also commonly used, and LFS's will have a variety of colors and shades of sand.
HTH a bit!

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Another cheap sand that will not cloud the water is pool filter sand, available at your local pool supply company. Fifty pounds will run you about ten dollars.
Available in white,black or brown.

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Remember to rinse the sand as much as you can. It will always cloud your tank for the first day, but if you rinse it very well, it will become clearer in less time.


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tigershark0098

There are many grades and types of sand and each has its own special name.

Your problem is which type? I would be sure that the same type of sand will have many different names depending on your area. Some sands are know as (the area they come from) sand.

Yes it must be washed several times to make sure it is clean. I would do this with a hose in a large plastic dish in small amounts. When you have done that do it all again it is a lot easer to clean it outside the tank.

Also remember any fines can have nasty effects on some filters especially if it has a poor quality impella.

Keith

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