Cons & Pros of sand?

emeraldd

emeraldd

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I dont feel like reading thousands of words :(, so what are the advantages & disadvantages to sand?
Just plain & simple ;)

Thank you !
 
That is a shame you do not feel like reading about it since this site and the sister sites of the organization spell it out quite often.
But, at least you are honest.

Try Caudata Culture and the forum search functions to find the answers you need.
 
I'll say just briefly, if you have a fairly thin layer of sand (up to an inch) then it is easy to maintain and clean, personally I have a bare-bottomed tank and it is definately the easiest to keep clean.

But Johnny is right, reading around the site is honestly the best way to find out about everything axolotl. You owe it to your new pet to make sure you've got everything spot on in his new home.
 
I've done a lot of research. I just wanted something simple that i could make a decision with :eek:
I've gone with sand, by the way. I bought the sand they use in kids sandpits. At the moment, it's in 2 buckets which i filled with water using a hose with high water pressure. There was a lot of foamy stuff on top, so after a few hours, i tipped the water out & did the same thing with hose so it can stand over night. I'll probably do this for a few more days, atleast 4, & then get my tank :D
 
Hi emeraldd,

The foamy stuff is dust from the sand. Good to skim it off, otherwise it would be in your tank. :happy:

-Eva
 
You really don't need to let the sand sit overnight. As soon as you fill up the bucket you can dump the water out, it should take you about 10 or so times to get the sand clean. Letting the buckets sit overnight just allows the fine particles of sand to settle again which will keep your water cloudy in the tank if you put it in like this.
 
Pros

1. If you animals ingest sand the chances of your animals suffering from impaction is
greatly reduced.
2. It is easy to clean as most the waste will sit on the surface
3. Plant roots spread easily though it.
4. Some animals like Sirens will bury themselves in it.
5.You don't have to worry about food falling into crevices and getting lost and fouling
the water

Cons

1. Cleaning and removing the dust from the sand can take up a half hour of your time
2. Sand deeper than a half inch can build up gas and smell if not mixed up regularly
3. Some sand will be removed while cleaning. So some sand will have to be added
over time.
 
sand is great until you have to replace it
 
Well, it looks to me as if sand wins. Im happy to give up my time in order for my pet axie to live a nice life, and replacing sand is no biggy as i have quite a bit of it at the moment & we have a Bunnings store close by.
I got my tank today so I can start cycling it too!
Also, did you know Sea Monkeys are brine shrimp :eek: How cool is that.
 
Sea monkeys are artemia aren't they? Anyway, i just wanted to say i loved BillYannone's list of pros and cons of sand substrate. This is the kind of simple and practical information that new members will find very useful.
 
It's exactly what i wanted in the first place. Thank you Bill :]
 
Sea monkeys are brine shrimp & their scientific name is Artemia :]
 
thasnks for asking this question i wasnt sure either and i wanted advice from people who have raised axies.
 
I was reading about Sea Monkeys on their web site and it claims they will reproduce in a couple weeks of hatching in their little sea monkey tank. Has anyone ever tried to cultue these?
 
I have never tried to culture them, but owning several sea monkey colonies as a child I would support those claims that they do reproduce...a lot.
 
emaraldd,
Regarding 'sand' as a substrate, perhaps you know or perhaps you do not know that there are many types of 'sand' available. Some sands are suitable while others should not be used. If you are unfamiliar with the various types, see this article from our Caudata Culture section for sands that can be safely used:

Caudata Culture Articles - Aquarium Substrates
 
Michael - Your welcome :] I've seen quite a few threads on substrate but they were really long & repetitive & complicated... So i just asked for something simple, & that's what i got.
Bill - I've had them as pets numerous times. They aren't hard to look after but you need to follow the instructions carefully & make sure you're around for the first week or so that you have them :/
Shizeric - Hahahaa yeh, they reproduce quickly & have lots of eggs at a time.
Jan - You're a bit late... They decision was made long ago & I've already read that article.
 
emeraldd said:
Jan - You're a bit late... They decision was made long ago & I've already read that article.
Click to expand...
I'll take that as a thank you for taking the time and interest to help you - not knowing if you had seen the article. You are welcome.
 
Hi,

Just my 2 cents, i like sand its a good surface for axolotls to walk on easy to clean and eash to bery things into.

I have tubes and pipes for the axolotls to swim and walk through and the sand keeps them grounded.

:D
 
Re:Sea Monkeys

I had a successful batch of sea monkeys, they only died because I didnt have any stuff to replace the water. They definitely reproduced in their wee plastic enclosure, I took them on a hot, long car ride, most of them died, but the remaining few definitely reproduced and got the numbers back up :) they were fun, but not as fun as axolotls!
 
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