Faster Ways to Clean Play Sand for Fish Tanks

Including sand in your fish tank often has several positive effects. For example, fish often prefer sand to other types of tank additions. Some fish even need the sand to feel at home and at ease in their new environment. At times, this comfort level will encourage the fish to produce offspring. Sand can also help fish digest their food better. Don't skip cleaning out your fish tank and ensuring that the sand is free of debris. Dirty sand can result in your fish dying.

  1. Sand Specifications

    • Purchase sand that's easy to clean. Black Beauty sand, for example, can take a long time to clean. Silica sand is easy to clean and will help you get the job done quickly. Limit the amount of sand that you have in the fish tank. You don't need to have a thick bed of sand at the bottom. One inch to 1.5 inches is plenty; more than that will be too difficult to maintain. To completely eliminate having to clean the sand in your fish tank, purchase live aragonite sand, which contains living organisms and bacteria that will keep the sand clean.

    Cleaning

    • Pour the fish tank sand into a bucket and rinse it thoroughly, draining the water until it runs clear. You'll have to do this a few times to get the sand completely clean. To speed up the process, rinse using a hose, which will churn up the sand at the same time as it's being rinsed clean. Instead of rinsing the sand clean, your best bet, and the healthiest alternative for your fish's benefit, is to throw out the old sand and replace it with new, fresh sand.

    Tank Cleanliness

    • Making sure that your sand is clean or replaced isn't enough for the health of your fish. It's also necessary to change the water on a regular basis, making sure that you leave half of the original water that includes necessary bacteria. Make sure the new water doesn't have any chlorine. Also, you need to clean any plants, rocks or toys in the tank using bleach and hot water. The sides of the tank have to be scrubbed to remove algae, and the filter's tubes also should be cleaned.

    Warnings

    • It's not a good idea to add sand to certain types of fish tanks or aquariums. For example, do not use sand if your tank has plants that are rooted, if it contains a filter system under the gravel at the bottom of the tank, or if the tank is acrylic.