Matmanhapman
Members
Does it need to be rinsed out before put in the tank?
Pool Filter Sand question
- Thread starter Matmanhapman
- Start date
jonclark96
Past CCA President
It is usually pretty clean straight from the bag. I've put it right in a tank without rinsing with no issues. You may have a little dust, but your mechanical filtration will quickly clear that up.
chriscoli
Administrator
fischfan13
Banned
I wonder if brands or suppliers differ?
A few years back I bought a few bags from a Pool Store near Philly and the sand needed to be rinsed badly.
I dumped the sand in a 5 gallon bucket and ran a garden hose thru the sand for about 15 minutes.
A few years back I bought a few bags from a Pool Store near Philly and the sand needed to be rinsed badly.
I dumped the sand in a 5 gallon bucket and ran a garden hose thru the sand for about 15 minutes.
mchambers
Former CCA member
Philadelphia PFS is known to be inferior. I guess you didn't know that.
Seriously, it probably does differ from supplier to supplier. My experience has been good with 3 or 4 different brands. None have needed to be rinsed, although the color of the sand has varied quite a bit.
Remember that Sam once got some PFS that raised the pH of his tanks.
Seriously, it probably does differ from supplier to supplier. My experience has been good with 3 or 4 different brands. None have needed to be rinsed, although the color of the sand has varied quite a bit.
Remember that Sam once got some PFS that raised the pH of his tanks.
Avatar
Plenipotentiary-at-large
Wash before using
Have to differ with my esteemed finatics on this one - IMO everything should be rinsed before becoming part of an aquatic habitat unless it's alive, including the tank itself. Inert substances have history and are usually of unknown provenance - no telling what they've acquired from origin, collection and transit, only reasons not to rinse beforehand are laziness and impatience. While I empathize with said reasons and resemble both periodically, rinsing substrate for example is just too easy not to employ and good for peace of mind. Same reason I wash fruits and vegetables, even organic ones. just never know who's grubby hands were involved along the way.
WRT to suspended particulates, I hate waiting for tanks to clear up, even if it's only a day or less. I use a lot of "play sand" because it's finer than pool sand and I like the color better than PFS, and it's dusty as a m*f*, as in 10%+ silt by volume (DO NOT expose your kids to this stuff - it will end up in their lungs) - multiple rinsings mandatory. Have also used premium substrate that came from the ocean that had acquired some sort of contamination in processing (smelled like machine oil) - but nothing that a little Dr. Bronner's soap and hot water couldn't handle.
All hail the 5-gallon plastic bucket.
Have to differ with my esteemed finatics on this one - IMO everything should be rinsed before becoming part of an aquatic habitat unless it's alive, including the tank itself. Inert substances have history and are usually of unknown provenance - no telling what they've acquired from origin, collection and transit, only reasons not to rinse beforehand are laziness and impatience. While I empathize with said reasons and resemble both periodically, rinsing substrate for example is just too easy not to employ and good for peace of mind. Same reason I wash fruits and vegetables, even organic ones. just never know who's grubby hands were involved along the way.
WRT to suspended particulates, I hate waiting for tanks to clear up, even if it's only a day or less. I use a lot of "play sand" because it's finer than pool sand and I like the color better than PFS, and it's dusty as a m*f*, as in 10%+ silt by volume (DO NOT expose your kids to this stuff - it will end up in their lungs) - multiple rinsings mandatory. Have also used premium substrate that came from the ocean that had acquired some sort of contamination in processing (smelled like machine oil) - but nothing that a little Dr. Bronner's soap and hot water couldn't handle.
All hail the 5-gallon plastic bucket.
Avatar
Plenipotentiary-at-large
Almost
Actually I posted about it but didn't get it because it wasn't silica sand but crushed limestone (calcerous) I believe. Pool supply store on outer Rhode Island Avenue in DC/MD as I recall.
Actually I posted about it but didn't get it because it wasn't silica sand but crushed limestone (calcerous) I believe. Pool supply store on outer Rhode Island Avenue in DC/MD as I recall.
dogofwar
CCA Members
I don't rinse...
Matt
Matt
Avatar
Plenipotentiary-at-large
And with good reason
Hard to rinse something you don't have - can't recall seeing substrate in any of your tanks. Maybe I just couldn't see it what with the blinding illumination you employ in your fishroom.
Hard to rinse something you don't have - can't recall seeing substrate in any of your tanks. Maybe I just couldn't see it what with the blinding illumination you employ in your fishroom.
dogofwar
CCA Members
In most tanks I scatter enough to cover the bottom. Keeps the eartheaters busy and the glare down
Substrate, especially gravel, is overrated!
Matt
Substrate, especially gravel, is overrated!
Matt
Hard to rinse something you don't have - can't recall seeing substrate in any of your tanks. Maybe I just couldn't see it what with the blinding illumination you employ in your fishroom.
Avatar
Plenipotentiary-at-large
Each to thine own
It's an aesthetic/plant thing. I know that with you it's all about the sex, or rather spawning, but some of us have this weird landscaping jones we have to feed. Interior decorating just isn't in everyone's DNA, "and that's a (really) good thing".
.
It's an aesthetic/plant thing. I know that with you it's all about the sex, or rather spawning, but some of us have this weird landscaping jones we have to feed. Interior decorating just isn't in everyone's DNA, "and that's a (really) good thing".
.
Rasta Fish
Members
I wash or rinse anything i put in my tanks
Hannibal
Members
In the short time I have been using it in my tanks I have always rinsed it first. I would rather rinse it even though I may not need to than not rinse it and find out I should have. My fish thank my cautious nature.
guarddog5
CCA Members
Matmanhapman
Members
I got 2 bags of AquaQuartz PFS. Has anyone had experience with this brand?
Matmanhapman
Members
Also is it ok to pour the PFS into the tank when the tank is filled with water or at least partially filled?, or is this a bad idea?
jonclark96
Past CCA President
No problem pouring it into a tank filled with water, pre-rinsed or not depending on your preference. I'd turn off filters when doing it.
Tony
Alligator Snapping Turtle/Past Pres
I don't rinse PFS. Never had any issues, but like Sam said, it's easy to do and I probably should.
I have heard that as well.
:smashfreakB:
I have heard that as well.
:smashfreakB:
QuarterMiler
Members
I've always rinsed my PFS. It really cuts down on the cloudiness, and the chance that the fine particles will wind up chewing away at filter impellers.
Avatar
Plenipotentiary-at-large
Well there's that
Those thin ceramic spindle shafts actually get really corroded and ground down over time - stands to reason that suspended silica is a lot more abrasive than organic matter and would accelerate time to performance degradation/failure. Yet another argument for pre-filters...
Those thin ceramic spindle shafts actually get really corroded and ground down over time - stands to reason that suspended silica is a lot more abrasive than organic matter and would accelerate time to performance degradation/failure. Yet another argument for pre-filters...