FANTIAN Beige Aquarium Sand, 5 lb

FANTIAN Beige Aquarium Sand is a fine 0.4-0.8 mm sand sold in a 5 LB bag. FANTIAN offers it in 5 colors and 3 weights. It is gentle on bottom-dwelling fish and lets beneficial bacteria colonize.

Rinse it well

This is the main thing to know. FANTIAN says the fine sand carries some dust and needs multiple rinses. Put it in a bucket under running water and stir continuously until the water runs mostly clear. After adding it to the tank, the water may be slightly cloudy; FANTIAN suggests letting the filter run for 1-2 days before adding fish.

Who it suits

• Betta tanks and small community tanks
• Corydoras, kuhli loaches and other fish that sift sand
• Nano tanks where a 5 LB bag is enough

FANTIAN also lists reptile and crafting uses, but in a fish tank its fine grain is what matters.

Filling without a sandstorm

Place a plate or plastic bag on the sand and pour water onto it slowly. That keeps the fine grains from billowing up. Keep the filter intake a few inches above the sand so it does not pull grains in.

Depth

About 1 inch suits most small tanks. Deeper sand can form anaerobic pockets; stir it lightly during maintenance, or add Malaysian trumpet snails that burrow through it.

Plants

Sand is inert. Use root tabs for crypts and swords, and attach anubias or java fern to decor.

Cleaning

Hold the gravel vacuum just above the surface to lift waste without taking sand. Light-colored sand shows debris, which makes it easy to see when it needs cleaning.

Compared with others

For a larger bag of natural off-white sand, see Aqua Natural Sugar White. For a budget bulk sand, the Classic Sand and Play sand is an option.