Amazon Affiliate Link for Caribsea Super Naturals Sand: amzn.to/2QUmLqq Amazon Affiliate Link for Caribsea African Cichlid Mix: amzn.to/2WRmng5 Want to learn how to choose the best substrate? Check out this video: th-cam.com/video/oflQNgzh_0I/w-d-xo.html Want to learn how to best maintain an aquarium with sand? Check this out: th-cam.com/video/OeFp0iLw4yQ/w-d-xo.html Here is a good video for the beginner looking to get into aquatic plants: th-cam.com/video/fU8xwLNzPmc/w-d-xo.html Also, our new shirts can be found at: www.primetimeaquatics.com/merch For the latest in the fish room check us out on Instagram primetime_aquatics
This came at the perfect time! I’m in the process of transferring my tanks from gravel to sand. Waste seems to sink down into the gravel, causing too much disruption of plants and decor when vacuuming. I’ve heard waste stays on top of sand making it easier to clean up. I like the look of sand better. I’m like you Joanna! I want it now!! Thanks for another informative video and making me feel more comfortable about my decision!!
WoWDSM420a I know that, but I was pulling plants up unintentionally. Someone told me to cut holes in plastic bottle caps, push the roots through the hole and then plant them. The caps will keep them anchored. Haven’t tried it yet. And I’ll be using root tabs for food.
If color isn't a big thing, don't spend all that money on Carib sea. Go to the pool store and get pool filter sand which is a natural tarnish brown color.
My personal faves are pool filter sand and black diamond blasting media for black. I just started using the blasting media with global stratum under for my plants. And it is gorgeous! And super super cheap.
@@PrimeTimeAquatics I love the caribsea black and white sand....heres my dilemma though. I keep Central and South American cichlids. Does this or will the Caribsea make the ph too high? I have 2 blue acara's, 1 firemouth and 1 salvini cichlid. I noticed that you were using it with your Acara's in this video. Any suggestions or advice would be much appreciated.
We just use pool filter sand from menards and I mix in black sand from intrgram (I spelt it wrong lol) I agitate the sand too before I start the siphoning.
4:20 I have a Dragon Goby that agitates the substrate for me. He cleans his burrow under the rocks and driftwood so all the detritus ends up where I can easily access it with my siphon. He is very "house broken". Hell also stir up blood worms and blackworms from the bottom as he eats so the other fish can grab them out of the water column. He's the best housekeeper you could hope for in a brackish tank
I use regular pool filter sand. The aggregate size allows great permeability and coupled with Malaysian Trumpet Snails, I never need to touch the sand. Been 8-10 years in my 60g planted display tank!
Black diamond blasting sand is great and only $8-9 per bag for 50lbs. Works awesome for planted tanks and holds down plants well. Also easy to gravel vac without sucking it all away
Can say it’s safe for fish! I recently switched my substrate to this and it looks fantastic! You definitely have to have a layer of gravel below it though if you want to have rooted plants, their roots will not be able to spread through the blasting sand as well as the sand provides no nutritional value so root tabs are NECESSARY.
I started out using regular pool filter sand, but didn't like the darker, rocky color. So I just happen to buy Silica sand from Farm and Fleet and haven't used anything else since. It stays bright and has a super soft feel to it. Best part is I only had to rinse it maybe twice, dumped it in and had absolutely no cloudiness at all.
Mondays belong to Joanna! Even so, you two are good together. Thanks for the video, I’m thinking about putting together an aquarium with sand as the substrate. Though I think I’ll wait til all the virus stuff is done. I already have too many animals that depend on me so I have to make sure I’ll still be alive to care for everyone. You guys take care, stay safe!
i've learned how important substrate selection is when planning a tank, as some are acidic, neutral, or basic. planning ahead and using the correct substrate makes it much easier to keep your intended fish. otherwise you have to constantly play chemist to maintain things correctly.
Hey guys, thanks for another useful video, with the added comedy of Joanna's entrance LOL. 1. Would I still need crushed coral if I use the cichlid mix? 2. Do you have any tips on getting rid of duckweed with about 100 guppy fry at the surface? Best wishes from Manchester, England.
I'm not 100% sure about the crushed coral, because it depends on the starting point, but a little as a base layer probably isn't going to hurt. Ah Duckweed! Our youngest son is the duckweed man (removes it all). He scoops it out with a net and has the same issue with baby shrimp at the surface. He tries to make a lot of movement arounds the surface to scare all the shrimp away then starts scooping it out.
@@PrimeTimeAquatics Thanks for your reply Jason (or Joanna). Your son obviously has a lot of patience LOL. I'll have a look for a UK supplier and give the substrate a try. Thanks again & best wishes to your family.
I use pool filter sand. It’s natural looking, clean right out of the bag, and cheaper than sand made for aquariums. When scaping 125 gallons, hundreds of dollars in substrate was not affordable for me.
I use 1 inch of dirt from my backyard and then cap it with 2 to 3 inches of sand from my local creek. The sand needs to be heavily washed. The plants go crazy. I also stock fish from that creek and other creeks and rivers nearby.
Texas Fish Id: I saw a YT video that did that and it was gorgeous! He did a time lapse and the plants grew in thick and luscious, but someone told me not to do it bc eventually the sand would sink into the dirt and mix together ruining the effect - is that true?
I use the CaribSea Aragamax Sugar size 0olite. I use it for my shell dwellers. N. Multifasciatus can really move it around easily. Agitate the sand to release the gas pockets and detritus. It will settle on top of the sand and can be vacuumed up. If the sand goes up into the gravel siphon, I pinch the hose and the sand falls back and I release the hose and keep vacuuming
I use pool filter sand on all of my newer tanks as its much cheaper to purchase $20 for a 20kg bag here in Australia instead of in the LFS being $20 for 5 or 10kg bags. I put about 1 inch of dirt from my back yard that I sift first, then cap it with about 1-2 inches of the sand ontop, works just great for me. The older tanks I used about 1 inch of 3-5mm grey gravel from the local sand and soil place not far away, the same thing as the sand in price format, much cheaper there than paying twice or more at a LFS.
I went to my local sandblasting shop, and asked for a particular sand. Very quickly they started talking about the qualities of various sands for fish tanks. interesting.
I have two dirted deep sand substrate nano tanks; I am having amazing luck with the Repta sand. It is fine enough not release nutrients into the water column and my plants are thriving. I picked the natural red which looks more tan than red but it's georgios in the tank. I don't gravel vac or siphon using this method, just remove 32 to 64 ounces of the surface if needed. The tanks remain stable for months.
Haha, not that I dont like your single videos Jason but not gonna lie, for a minute I was a little sad thinking Joanna wasn't going to be in it. You guys together are awesome.
I tried Carib Sea Supernaturals sand once and found it to be extremely fine and dusty. In fact, it was impossible to remove debris from the floor of the tank without sucking up sand with it. Then, refilling the tank would stir up a huge cloud of sand that would take a long time to settle. Meanwhile, small quantities of sand would stick to everything ... the filter intake, the driftwood, even the glass. Since then I've switched to black Imagitarium sand. It's much coarser, and so far I like it much better.
That's weird because I have used it in so many tanks and I like it because it is a heavier grain that has never given me any issues during maintenance. I've never had a cloudy tank because of it and I dump the stuff right in without washing it.
@@PrimeTimeAquatics I suspect the different colors may also have different textures/grain size, which makes sense since it's natural sand. ... The kind I got was off-white and very fine.
Surprise!!!! CaribSea at least in white comes in a normal grain (good) and a super fine grain (bad). I actually have a 40 breeder divided with in half and the other in the other half. Was a mistake because I didn't know that there were 2.
I like trying all types of sand substrate, I’m using Caribsea sunset gold in a 125, Black Diamond blasting sand in a 75 and a 55, pool filter sand in a 20 high and a 20 long. Caribsea is great, but you will pay for it, BD blasting sand is good, but filthy as you would think it is and pool filter sand wasn’t as dirty as the Caribsea sand, but is a lot cheaper at about .19 cents a pound compared to the Caribsea being around $1.10 a pound these days
I use pool filter sand for many of my aquariums and have never had a problem. I hear some say it gets sucked up into their HoB filters, but I've never had that problem. Then again I don't put my intake all the way down that close to the substrate. When vac'ing the sand you do have to be careful, but it's not that a big a deal if your paying attention to what your doing.
I just ordered a 10 lbs bag of carribsea sand for freshwater/saltwater use from Petco for $6. I am wanting to switch from gravel & plan to use it in 2 new betta tanks that I'm getting to upgrade 2 of my Bettas to.
hi guy’s, i’m starting a 170 gallon tank for frontosas, i’m in Australia so getting the products you recommended might be an issue, i can get argonite locally , they have fine, medium and coarse , which would you recommend, cheers Steve
Dude she had me rolling in the beginning. I prefer CaribSea Supernaturals SUNSET GOLD. Pool filter sand comes off more white that brown and the sunset gold is a rare brown sand in the hobby.
Mrs Prime Time Aquatics it is a really nice brown. It gives a “real” feeling to the setup. I use it in my shell dweller and sand dweller setups. Beautiful with backgrounds
Black Diamond blasting sand is my favorite. Super cheap! I use it for everything now. About $9 for 50 pounds at Tractor Supply. Just get more coarse grit size of the two sizes they carry.
I use a paver sand from home depot it comes with gravel in it I love it. It's hard to gravel vac it but since I use a hose and bucket so it's not the bad c:
Hi, I'm doing a 40 breeder with just corydoras. Probably pandas. With a black background. What color sand do u think would make them comfortable and make then look best on it. Thanks!
@primetimeaquatics Thank you very much for the helpful information! :) does Caribbean sea make black sand for freshwater tanks? Can I have the link please if possible? Thank you
Quick question. I just recently started up a 40 gallon with Caribsea Super Naturals White Sand. I ended up not rinsing it out because I heard it was not good for the live bacteria. Not sure if this is true or not but needless to say it clouded up my tank pretty good ( no fish in it yet of course ). That was 5 days ago and although it has cleared up some, there is still a yellowish haze to it. Do you recommend keeping it as is and let the filter do its work, daily water changes until it clears up or empty the whole tank, remove the sand and wash it? Thanks in advance.
Hello, do you think seachem flourite sand is a good option? I have gravel right noses but i want to use sand for my next project. Im partly scared of it being messy and flying sround the tank when I do mantenence. I also found out seachem flourish sand is a clay grinded up into sand which i really like.
If you see this comment ( old video) I mix pool sand in to save money. Pea rock at box stores works well. In my 2g I pea rock and cap it with black sand. I use a turkey baster with a airline tube together to clean up. Yes it's very slow but it's ZEN 🐢
I used the moon light from Carib Sea in a couple of tanks. It Das costly for a 180 and a 125. I also had to put up some expensive leds to continue plant growth. I simply got pool filter sand for my 220's and 300 gallon tank. Hopefully the price on Carib Sea has come down.
Consider substrate color when you select fish darks tend to make some fish pop with a deeper darker color- lite substrates will make some fish wash out colors.
@ how do you wash sand before you put it in tank and what beneficial bacteria would i need to put in before I add fish and how long would it take to be ok to add fish
I just had to rehome a plant that was getting too tall in a small tank. It’s now in a bigger tank and let me tell you, it thrived in my sand tank! The roots resembled angel hair spaghetti. I wish I hadn’t used the fluval volcanic substrate and went right for all sand. Sand is super easy to use and my plants all love it. Plus it’s easier keeping the plants in place right off the bat. Sorry, I don’t like the top fin sand. I like their small gravel, but not the sand. The grains aren’t small enough for me. I saw someone use their white sand to mimic snow, and it did a great job there, but I wanted an “at the beach” but under the water look and feel. I love the Caribsea sand! It’s super soft and, once you figure out how to use it, it’s easy to add water to the tank without stirring it all up in a cloudy mess. I wish the Caribsea was a little cheaper though. I would love to add more sand to my big tank, but I think it would be hard to add it to an already established tank, without taking out all of the fish and most of the water.
Is there a difference between the caribsea African cichlid mix black or white. I wanted to go for the white but you had only posted the black one just want to confirm all the same benefits and just color
What’s a good sand to use for plants? Going to be doing a planted 20 long with Corydoras was looking at eco friendly but it looks a bit on the harder side
I was searching and I didn't see that caribsea made black sand. It's for my betta and Loaches. Topfin at Local petstore had smell of strong chemicals which I don't feel comfortable using. Any other safe options for black sand? Thanks @primetimeaquatics :)
I actually started with almost all my tanks using pool filter sand. However, the kind I had was terrible - grain size was too small and it really collected a lot of detritus so I have been removing it over time.
I have a planted tank with gravel but have guppies and am about to add some nerites. Gravel isn't the best for them and want to add sand, but am worried about how my plants will take to the new substrate. Can I layer substrate - gravel on bottom and top layer of sand?
Do you guys have any idea if the caribsea cichlid mix was rinsed, would that eliminate the pH going up? I have a betta and the black and white mix looks so nice, but I don’t want the pH to rise. Makes sense in my head but can’t be that easy either. Thanks!!
I am planning on switching from gravel to sand for my cory catfish. Which filter is best for a tank with sand? The filters I have now would blow sand all over everything.
Sponge filters are nice because they can't be destroyed by sand. I have Marineland Pro series filters in many tanks with sand and they work well. The Seachem Tidal line is also very solid.
Would you recommend washing Carib sea sand before introducing it to an established tank? The package states not to but I’m concerned about how dirty it might be.
Amazon Affiliate Link for Caribsea Super Naturals Sand: amzn.to/2QUmLqq
Amazon Affiliate Link for Caribsea African Cichlid Mix: amzn.to/2WRmng5
Want to learn how to choose the best substrate? Check out this video: th-cam.com/video/oflQNgzh_0I/w-d-xo.html
Want to learn how to best maintain an aquarium with sand? Check this out: th-cam.com/video/OeFp0iLw4yQ/w-d-xo.html
Here is a good video for the beginner looking to get into aquatic plants: th-cam.com/video/fU8xwLNzPmc/w-d-xo.html
Also, our new shirts can be found at: www.primetimeaquatics.com/merch
For the latest in the fish room check us out on Instagram primetime_aquatics
I use both brands in my tanks
link to the top fin sand? Cant find the black caribsea sand anywhere.
specifically what was the color of the super naturals sand???
This came at the perfect time! I’m in the process of transferring my tanks from gravel to sand. Waste seems to sink down into the gravel, causing too much disruption of plants and decor when vacuuming. I’ve heard waste stays on top of sand making it easier to clean up. I like the look of sand better. I’m like you Joanna! I want it now!! Thanks for another informative video and making me feel more comfortable about my decision!!
That waste in the gravel is food for your plants! Sand is a bit easier but keep in mind it will be harder to root stems if that's your thing.
WoWDSM420a I know that, but I was pulling plants up unintentionally. Someone told me to cut holes in plastic bottle caps, push the roots through the hole and then plant them. The caps will keep them anchored. Haven’t tried it yet. And I’ll be using root tabs for food.
Thanks for backing me up 😊
If color isn't a big thing, don't spend all that money on Carib sea. Go to the pool store and get pool filter sand which is a natural tarnish brown color.
The One: aren’t the particles so small they get sucked up in the vacuum more easily? I don’t know, but I’ve heard that.
I am so glad I'm not the only one who has struggled with vacuuming the top fin sand and having a bunch of sand start getting sucked up.
My personal faves are pool filter sand and black diamond blasting media for black. I just started using the blasting media with global stratum under for my plants. And it is gorgeous! And super super cheap.
Does pool filter sand affect ph or parameters? Is it a neutral substrate?
Where do you get this sand ?
Pool filter sand is inert - won’t affect anything. Pool/hot tub supply store sells it cheap
Hahahaha! You guys are gold! Thank you so much for all your hard work. Your chemistry together is so great.
Thank you!
Another great video from two of my favorite people. Mondays are great thanks to the both of you...You always put a smile on my face.
Thank you for being here!
@@PrimeTimeAquatics I love the caribsea black and white sand....heres my dilemma though. I keep Central and South American cichlids. Does this or will the Caribsea make the ph too high? I have 2 blue acara's, 1 firemouth and 1 salvini cichlid. I noticed that you were using it with your Acara's in this video. Any suggestions or advice would be much appreciated.
I love and use the CaribSea Sunset Gold almost exclusively. I also love Sera Anthracite which is like a smooth dark smaller gravel.
Very cool!
I live by an ocean so most of the sand I have is from there, it's a long process of sifting and washing and boiling, but its totally worth it imo
First 20 seconds made me laugh. I’m hooked now
Steven Thompson 😆
same
Right 😂
I expected to see the sandbag on Jason's head, and he looked a little scared too :)))
We just use pool filter sand from menards and I mix in black sand from intrgram (I spelt it wrong lol) I agitate the sand too before I start the siphoning.
Kristen Kearby oh, you mix it? I’m hearing that a lot... 😊👍
Love you’re videos. New to this world and I have watched just about every one of you’re video. Thanks man
Appreciate you being here!
4:20
I have a Dragon Goby that agitates the substrate for me. He cleans his burrow under the rocks and driftwood so all the detritus ends up where I can easily access it with my siphon. He is very "house broken".
Hell also stir up blood worms and blackworms from the bottom as he eats so the other fish can grab them out of the water column. He's the best housekeeper you could hope for in a brackish tank
I use regular pool filter sand. The aggregate size allows great permeability and coupled with Malaysian Trumpet Snails, I never need to touch the sand. Been 8-10 years in my 60g planted display tank!
"Wait this is a Monday video!" 🤣🤣 because of you two, I now love Mondays!
Glad we could help. :-) Thanks for watching!
Alex D YAY! Thank you ☺️
Black diamond blasting sand is great and only $8-9 per bag for 50lbs. Works awesome for planted tanks and holds down plants well. Also easy to gravel vac without sucking it all away
Harry 4076 interesting - thanks for the info!
Is it safe with fish?
Thanks for the tip! Just got a bag and rinsing it off as we speak.
Can say it’s safe for fish! I recently switched my substrate to this and it looks fantastic! You definitely have to have a layer of gravel below it though if you want to have rooted plants, their roots will not be able to spread through the blasting sand as well as the sand provides no nutritional value so root tabs are NECESSARY.
I started out using regular pool filter sand, but didn't like the darker, rocky color. So I just happen to buy Silica sand from Farm and Fleet and haven't used anything else since. It stays bright and has a super soft feel to it. Best part is I only had to rinse it maybe twice, dumped it in and had absolutely no cloudiness at all.
The tip about sand in Nano tanks helping with scale is excellent. I never thought of that and have not heard that before. Great tip. Jim
Love the caribsea naturals use it in all my tanks
Mondays belong to Joanna! Even so, you two are good together. Thanks for the video, I’m thinking about putting together an aquarium with sand as the substrate. Though I think I’ll wait til all the virus stuff is done. I already have too many animals that depend on me so I have to make sure I’ll still be alive to care for everyone.
You guys take care, stay safe!
You stay safe too!
i've learned how important substrate selection is when planning a tank, as some are acidic, neutral, or basic. planning ahead and using the correct substrate makes it much easier to keep your intended fish. otherwise you have to constantly play chemist to maintain things correctly.
Hey guys, thanks for another useful video, with the added comedy of Joanna's entrance LOL.
1. Would I still need crushed coral if I use the cichlid mix?
2. Do you have any tips on getting rid of duckweed with about 100 guppy fry at the surface?
Best wishes from Manchester, England.
I'm not 100% sure about the crushed coral, because it depends on the starting point, but a little as a base layer probably isn't going to hurt. Ah Duckweed! Our youngest son is the duckweed man (removes it all). He scoops it out with a net and has the same issue with baby shrimp at the surface. He tries to make a lot of movement arounds the surface to scare all the shrimp away then starts scooping it out.
@@PrimeTimeAquatics
Thanks for your reply Jason (or Joanna). Your son obviously has a lot of patience LOL.
I'll have a look for a UK supplier and give the substrate a try.
Thanks again & best wishes to your family.
I really enjoy the info on the Monday videos, And thanks for the input on the modified Spec V!
I use pool filter sand. It’s natural looking, clean right out of the bag, and cheaper than sand made for aquariums. When scaping 125 gallons, hundreds of dollars in substrate was not affordable for me.
True! I was thinking of getting pool sand but I'm afraid of having sulfur bubbles stinkin up the place
@@eatsalad728 is that a concern?
@@tigercow pool sand just has such a fine grain... which produces the sulfur bubbles
I use 1 inch of dirt from my backyard and then cap it with 2 to 3 inches of sand from my local creek. The sand needs to be heavily washed. The plants go crazy. I also stock fish from that creek and other creeks and rivers nearby.
Texas Fish Id No kidding! Someday soon I’d LOVE to have real dirt in a tank! Thanks for the info 👍
What kind of fish? I got red shiners and brindled mad toms we're trying to breed them
Texas Fish Id: I saw a YT video that did that and it was gorgeous! He did a time lapse and the plants grew in thick and luscious, but someone told me not to do it bc eventually the sand would sink into the dirt and mix together ruining the effect - is that true?
Lots of vids on dirted deep substrate at Father Fish. Try it. You will L O V E it!!!
I use the CaribSea Aragamax Sugar size 0olite. I use it for my shell dwellers. N. Multifasciatus can really move it around easily. Agitate the sand to release the gas pockets and detritus. It will settle on top of the sand and can be vacuumed up. If the sand goes up into the gravel siphon, I pinch the hose and the sand falls back and I release the hose and keep vacuuming
I use pool filter sand on all of my newer tanks as its much cheaper to purchase $20 for a 20kg bag here in Australia instead of in the LFS being $20 for 5 or 10kg bags. I put about 1 inch of dirt from my back yard that I sift first, then cap it with about 1-2 inches of the sand ontop, works just great for me. The older tanks I used about 1 inch of 3-5mm grey gravel from the local sand and soil place not far away, the same thing as the sand in price format, much cheaper there than paying twice or more at a LFS.
I went to my local sandblasting shop, and asked for a particular sand. Very quickly they started talking about the qualities of various sands for fish tanks. interesting.
That's cool! :-)
I'm a dirt and natural pea gravel guy. I like the natural look of my aquarium and the plants really thrive.
Kemper Straley I could understand that. I would love to try a dirt tank sometime.
my favorite sand is playsand from home depot for 3 dollars for 50lb bag. top tier stuff right there.
Nice Petoskey stones in that tank!
I have two dirted deep sand substrate nano tanks; I am having amazing luck with the Repta sand.
It is fine enough not release nutrients into the water column and my plants are thriving. I picked the natural red which looks more tan than red but it's georgios in the tank.
I don't gravel vac or siphon using this method, just remove 32 to 64 ounces of the surface if needed. The tanks remain stable for months.
I was thinking of black diamond blasting sand from tractor supply. Do you think this would be safe for tetras and cherry shrimp?
Should be ok
Well timed video for me. Thanks for doing it and the information. Cheers
Some nice tips of the hobby! And noticed some nice pieces of spiderwood in those planted tanks 😁
Spider wood is so cool! :-)
Loving the Monday video’s, they always make me smile 🤓
Mark Hunter Yay! 😋
Haha, not that I dont like your single videos Jason but not gonna lie, for a minute I was a little sad thinking Joanna wasn't going to be in it. You guys together are awesome.
I see how it is now, whatever! Just kidding. :-) You know what's going to happen? Joanna is going to show me this comment to keep me in my place. Haha
A Wilson You are funny! Thank you ☺️
❤u guys =) I love sand substrate with plants.
Y’all are awesome!
Lol wait this Monday. This my video. Loved it
Ya, it sure is. :-)
I tried Carib Sea Supernaturals sand once and found it to be extremely fine and dusty. In fact, it was impossible to remove debris from the floor of the tank without sucking up sand with it. Then, refilling the tank would stir up a huge cloud of sand that would take a long time to settle. Meanwhile, small quantities of sand would stick to everything ... the filter intake, the driftwood, even the glass. Since then I've switched to black Imagitarium sand. It's much coarser, and so far I like it much better.
That's weird because I have used it in so many tanks and I like it because it is a heavier grain that has never given me any issues during maintenance. I've never had a cloudy tank because of it and I dump the stuff right in without washing it.
@@PrimeTimeAquatics I suspect the different colors may also have different textures/grain size, which makes sense since it's natural sand. ... The kind I got was off-white and very fine.
Surprise!!!! CaribSea at least in white comes in a normal grain (good) and a super fine grain (bad). I actually have a 40 breeder divided with in half and the other in the other half. Was a mistake because I didn't know that there were 2.
I love that topfin sand....I am using the white sand currently in 3 of my aquariums
Ya, it's good stuff!
I like trying all types of sand substrate, I’m using Caribsea sunset gold in a 125, Black Diamond blasting sand in a 75 and a 55, pool filter sand in a 20 high and a 20 long. Caribsea is great, but you will pay for it, BD blasting sand is good, but filthy as you would think it is and pool filter sand wasn’t as dirty as the Caribsea sand, but is a lot cheaper at about .19 cents a pound compared to the Caribsea being around $1.10 a pound these days
I use pool filter sand for many of my aquariums and have never had a problem. I hear some say it gets sucked up into their HoB filters, but I've never had that problem. Then again I don't put my intake all the way down that close to the substrate. When vac'ing the sand you do have to be careful, but it's not that a big a deal if your paying attention to what your doing.
Thanks for the info .love your tanks beautiful ..
Ty for the video
Thanks for the video my friend
Thanks for watching!
I just ordered a 10 lbs bag of carribsea sand for freshwater/saltwater use from Petco for $6. I am wanting to switch from gravel & plan to use it in 2 new betta tanks that I'm getting to upgrade 2 of my Bettas to.
That's cool! Hope it turns out awesome!
I just put my finger over the end of the siphon pipe to control the flow and that stops the gravel from going too high up it.
hi guy’s, i’m starting a 170 gallon tank for frontosas, i’m in Australia so getting the products you recommended might be an issue, i can get argonite locally , they have fine, medium and coarse , which would you recommend, cheers Steve
Awesome! Fine to medium would work well.
Im immensely jealous of yalls relationship lol
Haha. Thanks. :-)
Dude she had me rolling in the beginning. I prefer CaribSea Supernaturals SUNSET GOLD. Pool filter sand comes off more white that brown and the sunset gold is a rare brown sand in the hobby.
I think I have a bag of that I need to try. :-)
Matthew Moore Cichlids I have not seen the sunset gold before, I’m intrigued..
Mrs Prime Time Aquatics it is a really nice brown. It gives a “real” feeling to the setup. I use it in my shell dweller and sand dweller setups. Beautiful with backgrounds
We have brown dirt in California. I tripped out when my Mom told me about the black dirt. She’s originally from Gary, Indiana.
I just grabbed some from the beach rinsed it off and put it in the tank
Black Diamond blasting sand is my favorite. Super cheap! I use it for everything now. About $9 for 50 pounds at Tractor Supply. Just get more coarse grit size of the two sizes they carry.
I have a couple aquariums that I’m using black sand in, one with clown puke gravel and the rest have natural gravel/pebbles for a more natural look
I use a paver sand from home depot it comes with gravel in it I love it. It's hard to gravel vac it but since I use a hose and bucket so it's not the bad c:
Y'all are reading my mind😂😁❤️ thanks guys for sharing your experience!!!
Mary Paige Flynn Yay! 😋
hi great video about sand question cichlid sand is it easy to suck into canister filter how often should you you will say to siphon it
The lighter the sand the more likely it is to wind up in HOB and canister filters for sure. We clean the sand every week.
@@PrimeTimeAquatics what's the best sand for African cichlids that don't go up in the canister filter
Hi, I'm doing a 40 breeder with just corydoras. Probably pandas. With a black background. What color sand do u think would make them comfortable and make then look best on it. Thanks!
They tend to look good on either white or black. They blend more on earth tones.
You guys are awesome!
Will do - thank you!
@primetimeaquatics Thank you very much for the helpful information! :) does Caribbean sea make black sand for freshwater tanks? Can I have the link please if possible? Thank you
what's that gravel used in blue acara tank
I think it was just generic gravel from Petsmart?
Carib sea - sunset gold - every time.
Ab. So. Lute. Ly.
Same exact thing from the pool store. Color and all 50 pounds for 15 bucks.
"That's OK, that's why I'm here" is going down as "things I'm not going to say to my wife" (LOL, that death stare afterwards tho) 😅🤣
Good idea :-)
Quick question. I just recently started up a 40 gallon with Caribsea Super Naturals White Sand. I ended up not rinsing it out because I heard it was not good for the live bacteria. Not sure if this is true or not but needless to say it clouded up my tank pretty good ( no fish in it yet of course ). That was 5 days ago and although it has cleared up some, there is still a yellowish haze to it. Do you recommend keeping it as is and let the filter do its work, daily water changes until it clears up or empty the whole tank, remove the sand and wash it? Thanks in advance.
I would try to do a large water change to clear it up.
It’s her Monday Jason...u guys are both so awesome again only if my wife was into this lol
Geezee 5six2 some day ...you never know 😊
Black Diamond blasting sand 👍🏻
Hello, do you think seachem flourite sand is a good option? I have gravel right noses but i want to use sand for my next project. Im partly scared of it being messy and flying sround the tank when I do mantenence. I also found out seachem flourish sand is a clay grinded up into sand which i really like.
It’s good for planted tanks, but it’s a very fine grain, which means you have to keep gravel vacs from touching the substrate or it can get sucked up.
@@PrimeTimeAquaticsoh thanks, by the way I found another option. What about ADA sand. Theres the la plata and colarado versions.
If you see this comment ( old video) I mix pool sand in to save money. Pea rock at box stores works well. In my 2g I pea rock and cap it with black sand.
I use a turkey baster with a airline tube together to clean up. Yes it's very slow but it's ZEN 🐢
I used the moon light from Carib Sea in a couple of tanks. It Das costly for a 180 and a 125. I also had to put up some expensive leds to continue plant growth. I simply got pool filter sand for my 220's and 300 gallon tank. Hopefully the price on Carib Sea has come down.
I used high desert play sand from home depot (pavestone is the brand) do you think those pieces are big enough to not get sucked up while cleaning?
I'm not sure because I haven't used it?
@@PrimeTimeAquatics ok, if I attempt it.. I'll let ya know :)
Consider substrate color when you select fish darks tend to make some fish pop with a deeper darker color- lite substrates will make some fish wash out colors.
Absolutely!
How many bags of the carbsea sand would I need for a 5ft tank
I’d go with at least three 25lb bags to be safe. I used 100lbs in my last 75 gallon scape, but I had a pretty aggressive slop up in the back.
@ how do you wash sand before you put it in tank and what beneficial bacteria would i need to put in before I add fish and how long would it take to be ok to add fish
I just had to rehome a plant that was getting too tall in a small tank. It’s now in a bigger tank and let me tell you, it thrived in my sand tank! The roots resembled angel hair spaghetti. I wish I hadn’t used the fluval volcanic substrate and went right for all sand. Sand is super easy to use and my plants all love it. Plus it’s easier keeping the plants in place right off the bat.
Sorry, I don’t like the top fin sand. I like their small gravel, but not the sand. The grains aren’t small enough for me. I saw someone use their white sand to mimic snow, and it did a great job there, but I wanted an “at the beach” but under the water look and feel. I love the Caribsea sand! It’s super soft and, once you figure out how to use it, it’s easy to add water to the tank without stirring it all up in a cloudy mess.
I wish the Caribsea was a little cheaper though. I would love to add more sand to my big tank, but I think it would be hard to add it to an already established tank, without taking out all of the fish and most of the water.
You are totally right about the top fin white sand grain size being on the larger side!
Prime Time Aquatics I also love how silky the Caribsea sand feels.
Is there a difference between the caribsea African cichlid mix black or white. I wanted to go for the white but you had only posted the black one just want to confirm all the same benefits and just color
I wouldn’t double check their website, but if they are both labeled American Cichlid mix they should have the same properties
Are that Topfin Black sand works great with corydoras ? I’m concerned since I’ve got corydoras in Black pebble substrate
I think it would work well.
great vid
James Duncan McLean 😊
Is Top fin sand is good for growing plant?
Sure
Do they still make topfin black sand? Can't find it anywhere haha
No, but we still use whatever is available at Petsmart.
Had you tried the moonlight color by Caribsea? If so, it’s a very white sand? I’m looking for a very white looking sand.
I don't think we have that color in any of our tanks that I can remember.
What’s a good sand to use for plants? Going to be doing a planted 20 long with Corydoras was looking at eco friendly but it looks a bit on the harder side
I have had no issues with all types of sand - we have probably used 6-7 different types/brands of sand and all were ok with plants.
Prime Time Aquatics ok awesome thanks :)
With having a freshwater eel what type of sand would u recommend that won't tear him up??
The finer the grain you can go the better. The pool filter sand we buy is a very fine grain (you would have to check your brands).
omg, you two, awesome video, thanks. joanna, did you see my betta sorority on FB i sent you?
Joanne Cavan Hi Joanne! I personally don’t have FB, where did you send?
@@mrsprimetimeaquatics5497 i posted it on "primetime aquatics " on FB.
Hope you find it.
Where can you buy or order top fin white sand?
I think it’s only sold at Petsmart?
I was searching and I didn't see that caribsea made black sand. It's for my betta and Loaches. Topfin at Local petstore had smell of strong chemicals which I don't feel comfortable using. Any other safe options for black sand? Thanks @primetimeaquatics :)
How are these regarding diatoms. Of course, we all know bout the new tank diatoms situation, but how about in the long term? Thank you.
Not something I have experienced with either of these sands.
What is your opinion on pool filter sand?
I actually started with almost all my tanks using pool filter sand. However, the kind I had was terrible - grain size was too small and it really collected a lot of detritus so I have been removing it over time.
I have a planted tank with gravel but have guppies and am about to add some nerites. Gravel isn't the best for them and want to add sand, but am worried about how my plants will take to the new substrate. Can I layer substrate - gravel on bottom and top layer of sand?
You can certainly mix the two, but I also haven't found it necessary for that mix.
Is it good for freshwater
All the sand here is based on freshwater experience.
@@PrimeTimeAquatics thank you.
Can I mix different types of sand ? Like two different brands ?
For sure!
That was an awesome video!
The only thing is that i can't choose between white sand and a black background and black sand with a black background
Both can be great depending on the fish you are keeping.
@@PrimeTimeAquatics what do you think will go well with fish like harlequin rasboras or neon tetras?
@@s.d.k874 I think black will look better with those types of fish!
Do you guys have any idea if the caribsea cichlid mix was rinsed, would that eliminate the pH going up? I have a betta and the black and white mix looks so nice, but I don’t want the pH to rise. Makes sense in my head but can’t be that easy either. Thanks!!
Good question - I don't think it would. The substrate itself is what causes the pH change.
@@PrimeTimeAquatics thank you!
I am planning on switching from gravel to sand for my cory catfish. Which filter is best for a tank with sand? The filters I have now would blow sand all over everything.
Sponge filters are nice because they can't be destroyed by sand. I have Marineland Pro series filters in many tanks with sand and they work well. The Seachem Tidal line is also very solid.
@@PrimeTimeAquatics Thank you.
What sand would you recommend for a Discus tank please?
I would prefer to keep them on a darker substrate.
Best topic i switch sands frequently i get some from nature and some from the store help me find a good soft fine grain black sand please!
Thanks. So few sand listings let you actually see the sand
Would you recommend washing Carib sea sand before introducing it to an established tank? The package states not to but I’m concerned about how dirty it might be.
I never have and haven't had any issues. It's a relatively clean sand.
Can you mix small pebble gravel with SuperNatural sand ?
Caribsea Torpedo Beach is too good!
Haven't used that one!
Normally I use gravel but you are making me think sand next tank. O boy hello Professor my name is John and I’m a tankaholic!
Too funny! It's certainly worth a try!
John Wood 😂