Hi. :) This is my first post and I hope someone here will be able to help me.

I have a 20 gal long tank with a blue crayfish (Luna) and a dozen neons. I'm using "CaribSea Super Naturals Moonlight Sand Premium Aquarium Substrate" but my "Marineland Penguin 350 Power Filter" hates it. The sand is too fine and keeps on getting sucked into the filter and making grinding noises. I've already had to change the impeller just a few days after I got the filter (That was a few months ago). I've tried using several different sponges over the intake but it just goes right through.

Aside from the substrate problem, I don't dislike the filter, so I decided to try changing to some other type of sand. The only plants I have are in pots because Luna likes to either eat or uproot everything I try to plant, so a lack of nutrients in the soil is not a problem.

After some research, it came down to 3 choices that seem to be popular among fishkeepers. (If you have any other suggestions feel free to let me know)

• "Mystic White Pool Filter Sand"

[attachment=2]2882075061_a5c8c96752_o.jpg[/attachment]

• "Quikrete Medium/Coarse Grade Commercial Sand"

[attachment=1]Quikrete 1962-00 30 Grit Silica Sand 100LBs.jpg[/attachment]

• "Stone Mason Decor Sand"

[attachment=0]whitesand001-1.jpg[/attachment]

I want to make sure the sand I choose will not be too fine, but not too big either (I don't want it to look like gravel). Also I live in Montreal, Canada and after calling all my local hardware stores, I realized I am most probably going to have to buy this online. If you have any links where I can get these that would be great!

Thank you in advance for your help.
Iulia

"The sand is too fine and keeps on getting sucked into the filter and making grinding noises....I've tried using several different sponges over the intake but it just goes right through."

Have you tried a filter sock? They have a mesh fine enough to keep sand from getting sucked into your filter. They cost about $6.

"I've tried regular socks/stockings with and without the sponge, but they would get clogged and reduce my water flow to the point where my Bio-Wheels would stop turning, so I took them off. Will that happen with these?"

To be honest I've never used a filter sock (I don't have sand substrate, I have kitty litter). So I went on http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f1 ... 25701.html and found a post by Floyd R Turbo which said, "The single filter sock on the first one clogs up in about 6-7 days and you just squeeze and rinse for about 5 minutes and it's good as new..."
It sounds like yes it will clog but that can be alleviated by weekly maintenance.

Thank you for the info Okiimiru. I might try that temporarily until I can get the new substrate. Hopefully the sand will not go through anyway. It is ridiculously fine. I would rather keep my intake clear in the future though. I find it filters my tank much better. Thanks again for your time.

I'm Australian so not familiar with stores available for you sorry, maybe someone else here can help with that :)

I also have course river sand, its not as fine as the playsand but not as heavy as the pool filter sand. I got mine from a landscaping yard :)