7 Best Aquarium Sand for Plants, Fresh & Saltwater Aquariums

1. caribsea Super Naturals Aquarium Sand - Beautiful sand

2. nature’s Ocean No.0 Bio-Active Live Aragonite Sand - perfect and great sand

3. carib Sea Arag-Alive Fiji Pink Sand - Keep your water clean

4. carib Sea Tahitian Moon Bla​​ck Aquarium Sand - creates great color contrast

5. seachem Fluorite Black Sand - Best planted aquarium sand

6. carib Sea Ocean Direct Substrate - Best planted aquarium sand

7. carib Sea African Sahara Aquarium Sand - Excellent product

How We Rated Our Aquarium Sand Recommendations

Before we made a single recommendation, we poured through countless different aquarium sands available. We looked at quite a few various factors to help us come up with our list of what we think are the best sands open.

1. application

Not all aquarium sands are created equal. What works great in a small freshwater tank may be the completely wrong choice for a larger saltwater tank, for instance.

Finding the right sand for your specific needs and aquarium type is critical to making sure you’re not upsetting the tank or creating more maintenance for yourself than necessary.

Most companies will include the specific uses and applications of their sand on the packaging, itself. Sometimes, they will design the sand so it can be used across a wide range of situations where other sands may only be used in particular cases.

To help make our recommendations, we’ve weighed the most common applications and recommend sand that fits into the general broad picture. This makes it easier for people to take our suggestions.

If you know your tank requires a specific setup, make sure the sand you choose has been formulated especially for that need.

2. Price

There’s a delicate balance between getting a deal with a low price and overpaying for a product that is only backed by marketing hype.

While we tend to recommend against buying the cheapest aquarium sand you can find along with purchasing the most expensive you come across, we do weigh how price affects your decision.

We all have different budgets and different needs. That means we look at the value being offered by a company and then compare it to the price they are charging for their sand.

The best aquarium sands are going to offer a mix of value, price, and quantity.



3. brand

Most people have a favorite brand of everything they purchase. For aquarium and pond keepers, this is no different. We all know what we like, and we tend to stay loyal to a single brand.

While we do consider which brands have made their name in the industry and have developed a reputation for providing excellent customer service, their reputation isn’t the only factor we consider.

We also make sure that the companies are staying ahead of the times and giving aquarists products that they need and will use. Many companies push products that aren’t required while charging outrageous prices. We avoid recommending these brands.



4. customer reviews

Even though we’re a reliable source of information, we also revert to listening to what other customers have to say about the sand they have purchased. Listening to active customer reviews helps us make our decisions and recommendations to you.

People who have used the products before us are usually honest about their experience and help us understand what you should be looking out for. They can also help us find out when a manufacturer isn't reliable in their claims, so we can avoid recommending them to you.

Taking the time to read through their reviews can help you avoid making the same mistakes they may have caused. But, you want to make sure you are reading reputable reviews if you intend to take what they say and use it in your own purchasing decision.



5. PH Levels and bacteria

Once you start maintaining your aquarium, the water’s pH level and bacteria levels are going to become essential factors you should pay attention to.

A sudden change or spike in the water’s pH level can cause trouble for your plants and fish. To avoid these problems, buying aquarium sand that has a stable pH level is critical.

If the sand has a stable pH level, you can easily add it to your tank without worrying about supplementing the water or having to change it out completely.

This goes for the bacteria levels in your water, too. Healthy bacteria cannot be shocked, or they will die, and you’ll start from scratch again.

 These bacteria typically remove nitrates and waste from the water, so consider sand that helps promote the bacteria you need to maintain your tank.

Your Aquarium Sand Questions Answered

We’ve seen and heard nearly every question you can imagine. When it comes to choosing the right aquarium sand, below are 5 of the most common questions we come across.

Q: How much sand do I need in my tank?

If you’re unsure of how much sand you should be using in your tank, you want to start by figuring out how many gallons of water are in the aquarium.

As a general rule, you can use 1 pound of sand for every gallon of water in the tank. If you have a 25-gallon tank, you can use 25 pounds of dry sand.

The shape of your tank will affect the level of your sand once you have added it. This rule applies to rectangular tanks. Square containers may need a different amount of sand.

Q: How do I add sand to my established tank?

If you are starting to set up your tank for the first time, you will want to start slowly. Begin by scooping small amounts of sand into a plastic cup and pour the container into the bottom of the tank.

You want to make sure that you are not dumping massive amounts of sand into a single area because it can cause stress cracks on your glass.

If you have already established your tank, begin by scooping small amounts of sand into your cup and disperse it near the bottom of the tank. You want to avoid dumping the sand in from above the water because it will get caught on everything in your tank.

Dumping your sand in from above the water’s level will also create a cloudy tank, requiring you to wait until the sand settles before you can move forward.

Q: How long does it take the sand to settle?

Depending on the makeup of the sand you purchased, settling can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours and even a few days in some cases.

The length of time it takes dramatically depends on the size of your tank, how much sand you’re using, and the structure of the sand you’ve used.

If you dumped the bag of sand into your tank, it could take upwards of 72 hours to ultimately settle on the bottom and the fog to go away.

Q: How do I clean the sand in my tank?

Figuring out the best way to keep aquarium sand clean isn’t too tricky.

To start, empty the sand into a bucket and fill the bucket with water. Then, begin stirring the sand in a circular motion while making sure you are mixing sand from the bottom to the top.

Let the sand settle every 30 seconds or so, and then begin stirring again. Good sand will start to sink to the bottom, and the lighter sand will start to float at the top.

Once you have correctly stirred the sand, separating good from bad, slowly pour the water out.

What you will find is that the excellent sand stays in the bottom of your bucket while the bad, floating sand will be emptied as you pour the water. Continue this process for 5 to 10 minutes until you’re left with only the excellent sand you can reuse.

Q: Should I use aquarium sand or gravel in my tank?

Choosing between sand and gravel can be a tough choice.

On the one hand, gravel tends to work better for freshwater tanks. Gravel allows water to flow through it more efficiently, allowing your aerators and pumps to work without disturbing anything.

This natural flow and the airspace between the gravel and rocks help prevent bacteria growth and make it easier to clean. This keeps your fish from developing sickness and disease.

Gravel also doesn’t tend to find its way into your pump or filter. The small rocks can be found in a wide variety of colors, so if that matters to you, consider gravel.

On the other hand, sand doesn’t allow water to flow through it as easily, but this can be beneficial in saltwater tanks. In saltwater environments, your fish will typically forage in the sand where freshwater fish do not.

Sand also has a natural look to it that gravel does not. Sand packs closely together so you do not have to change it as frequently or worry about vacuuming it as often. Any old food and plant debris will remain on top of the sand rather than burrowing down into it.

Different Types Of Sand For Aquariums

Some people think that all sand is created equal. They believe play sand is the same as pool sand, and that pool sand is the same as specialty sand.

While we understand the foundation for these beliefs, we want to tell you it isn’t true.

To help you understand why it isn’t the case, three of the most common alternatives to aquarium sand are listed below, along with why they can and can’t be used.

1. playground sand.

This is one of the most common types of sand people believe they can use in their tanks.

Playground sand is, as you guessed it, most commonly used in playgrounds and around playsets. Playground sand is usually non-toxic, to help protect your children, and it is more coarse than many other types of sand.

If you do intend to use playground sand in your tank, you want to make sure you are avoiding any brands that contain a high amount of clay content. Clay will clog your pump and filter and create a foggy cloud that will not go away.

If the sand has a high amount of clay, keeping your tank clean can be a literal nightmare to deal with. However, there are quite a few companies that offer playground sand that doesn’t include clay and is usually priced cheaper than aquarium sand.

If you have a larger tank or want to line your pond with sand, playground sand may be cheaper for you to use. However, for smaller tanks, it’s always easier to buy aquarium-specific sand.



2. pool sand.

Pool sand is another commonly used sand in aquariums. For most people, pool sand is an option as long as you don’t mind the lighter color of the sand, itself.

Pool sand, in most cases, is going to be a superior choice to playground and playset sand only because it has low to no clay content.

The makeup of the sand is more uniform in shape because it is specifically designed to be used in a pool pump. This uniformity helps you create a soft, flatbottom in your tank.

Another reason people consider pool sand is that it is usually already free from the contaminants that could harm your fish and plants.

The only downsides that we’ve found for using pool sand in your tank are the bright white color that can become intensified under white lights and the cost. Most pool sands require you to buy large amounts at a single time, which doesn’t work if you have a small tank.



3. specialty sand.

As the aquarium industry has grown, new and innovative technologies and products have begun making their way into the market.

Specialty aquarium sands are one of these types of products.

Specialty sands are specially formulated to work in your aquarium by maintaining a neutral pH level, include the right types of bacteria out of the gate, and contain the right size and shape of sand particles to make maintenance easy.

With all of these tank-specific features, though, comes one major downside: price.

 If you’re not afraid of the price tag and want to use specialty sand, we don’t recommend against them. However, if the price is a factor in your buying decision, you may have a hard time noticing the difference between standard aquarium sand and specialty sand.

What Is The Best Aquarium Sand?