Is gravel or sand ok to use in aquariums bought from builders supplies instead of aquarists as price is huge?

Answer 1

You must always buy aquatic gravel & sand.Yes it is pricey you try using the other & you face losing all your fish. which is more important.money or your fish.

Answer 2

You should always stick with the gravel that is labeled for aquariums unless you are 100% sure that it will not have any adverse affect on the water in your aquarium. The gravel that you get from the builders supply store can leach minerals and chemicals in to the water that can upset the pH balance of the water which can cause your fish to die quickly.

Answer 3

builders sand will turn to muck in a fish tank. aquarium sand has been sifted so its all coarser and will sink -- the lighter finer pieces that will float around in the water have been removed. the lighter pieces also make a nice mud on the bottom that isn't really what you want for a substrate. you could sift the builder sand but it would be very time consuming -- leave it to the people that have the equipment to do it -- even if they do charge too much.

Answer 4

If you are referring to a freshwater tank it should be just fine in most cases. I would avoid the larger gray gravel as that often contains limestone which would cause hardness and pH problems. The smaller colored pea gravel or typical builders sand is usually quite safe for aquarium use. Just rinse very, very well of course.

MM

Answer 5

The answer is no,unless you are willing to undergo a learning experience,and learn how to properly clean and sanitize,and test the product. You can definitely save money buying non-aquarium products,but you've got to know what you are doing. Searching for an aquarium-safe product is not a cheap process in itself,and purchasing in aquarium sized lots isn't all that cheap either. The guys that sell materials by the truck or train load aren't interested in your problems or those of your fish. There are several tests you must understand(product chemistry and solubility,for starters) The trade off is your study time and lots of time learning how to clean the materials(not an easy task either,and time consuming),one rinse will not do it.. Don't just throw a bunch of crap in your tank to see if it kills the fish,bad effects due to chemistry can take weeks to show up. If you can find pet-safe materials in bulk quantities,(50# bags or larger),you may save money and time that way.Even these require extra attention to cleaning in preparation for use. Paying the petstore price is easiest.

Answer 6

I don't think that the fish will do very well I a tank with that kind of rocks in it. I think that the gravel would be to big. I had a fish that I had in a tank with rocks in it and the fish killed it self because it kept diving down into the rocks. But I think that the sand would be ok.

Answer 7

Gravel from builders suppllies are usually crushed gravel (from big boulders that are passed thru crushers to get the different sizes that is being used for construction) and have sharp edges, which makes them NOT suitable for aquarium use.

Answer 8

NO, NO, NO, NO. That said, aquarium sand and gravel has been tested for leaching and other adverse effects. Yes, it is expensive, but in the end it is cheaper than replacing EVERYTHING from some sort of chemical exposure.

Answer 9

Sand is actually a lot easier to clean. It really depends what type of fish you have. If you have say.. a dojo loach, sand is a must. If you just have maybe an angelfish, they won't care at all. Certain fish will rest at the bottom near the substrate, or some will even burrow into it.

Answer 10

no sand from a builders yard may contain lime in the sand. you can use silver sand, that you buy for kids sand pits, i have used this before,but if you use sand be shure to rake it one a week to stop it compacting, then it would be useless for a good bacteria colony.some aquarium gravel is actually roughcasting chips, that have been washed?

Answer 11

Depends on the gravel. I got mine for at a building supply place. I have had my tank set up now for a few years with no problems.

Purrs,
The Cat Lady