What sand?

Hi! I just got an Axolotl! I already have a Tiger Salamander, and I have been a member on here for a bit, just been lurking around. One question, I know not to use gravel, so what sand do I use? I saw some in the aquatic area, but it said straight from the ocean so I thought it has salt in it. I saw sand for reptiles, but looks really powder-y. Where do I get it???

Hi MCG89

Pool filter sand available from most pool shops, or play sand available from most home handy man shops. You are right to stay away from marine sand due to its high content of lime.

Basic play sand works perfectly. Usually sold at most Hardware/Walmart/Home Depot/etc. and for fairly cheap prices. I bought a 50lb bag for like $4.99. Just wash thoroughly before using. I have heard that fine pool filter sand from a pool distributor should work well too.

You were right to steer clear of anything claiming to be from the ocean. Many things, including your worry of salt are found in here. The reptile sand is not good because it add large amounts of Calcium to the sand. I can't image colored sand is any good, if fact anything with dye I believe should be avoided.

Mitch

awesome! thanks guys! i'll pick it up tonight!

I'm hoping to get an Axolotl soon and I'm just trying to get as much info about it as I can before I actually get one. This might be a stupid question, but I really need to know what I'm doing and ask all the questions I can before I think more about getting and Axolotl. With the play sand, after washing thoroughly, you can just put it in the tank and let it sit for a while, right? (No Axolotl in there obviously). But about cleaning sand, how do you go about this? Remove some and add new sand? Thanks.

Hi Hotchicksu,

Buy a Turkey baster and use this to pickup any left over food or waste and give the sand a good stirup every couple of weeks to release any gases that are forming under the substrate.

My axies are bare bottom (except for a couple large chunks of slate), but I run sand in 2 aquariums, and the only real trick to cleaning it is to stir it up. TURN OFF YOUR FILTER and run your siphon over the top of the sand, just enough to suck up the crud and leave most of the sand. The pool filter sand I have in my tanks now is actually siphonable- I can dig down in it with the siphon and only tiny little bits of sand get sucked through the siphon, the rest settles back down. But be sure to turn your filter off, or else you'll suck particles into the filter, and it'll ruin your impeller. You might even want to put a piece of sponge over the intake. Find sponges for Aqua Clear power filters and just poke a hole in one big enough to put your filter intake into. That will help a TON.

ianclick said:

Pool filter sand available from most pool shops, or play sand available from most home handy man shops. You are right to stay away from marine sand due to its high content of lime.

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Without wanting to contradict what Click says, the Axolotl Sanctuary specifically states that Pool filter sands should be avoided.

http://www.caudata.org/axolotl-sanctuary/Aquascape.shtml

Sand sold for use in the construction trades should be avoided, as should sand designed for use in swimming pool filtration systems. These sands are often chemically treated, or contain undesirable substances for aquarium use.

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I've been chasing up sands since we removed the pebbles from out tank, not having much luck at the moment as we want a dark coloured sand due to our axies being albino and golden. Am also considering Flora Base but it would have to wait a little longer due to cost.

i heard play sand works just fine, as long as you rinse it thoroughly. by that i mean run water through it copiously, and stir it around until the water is no longer cloudy. if you do this with tap water, after rinsing, i would let it sit overnight to off gas the chlorine. then maybe as an added precaution when you add it to your tank stir it around a bit and do a few water changes until its not cloudy anymore.

and as far as marine sand and pool sand goes, i believe the caudata article is correct, there are probably chemicals added to the sand. all marine sand is is crushed up pieces of coral, (technically passed through the gut of parrotfish) which is made of calcium carbonate (i think) so it would make your water too acidic.

a trick for cleaning the sand, aside from stirring up the whole substrate, a trick you could try is moving the vacuum in a small circular motion over the sand. this creates a small current and gently lifts the waste without removing too much sand.
hope that helps!