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everyone here seems to love sand, but every other site i have ever been on and on yahoo answers everyone stresses NOT to use sand cuz it is messier, traps poop, casuses impaction and death. ugh.!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 i really dunno if i should use sand or not. if my turtle ends up eating sand and dies im not gonna be happy

If you're that worried about sand, by all means don't use it.
I don't use it in my tanks because I don't want the possibility of the hassles it can cause. I wouldn't want to spend my time sifting sand or worrying about particles scratching the glass, so I opt for a bare bottomed tank which works well with what I want for my turtle tank.
Even though several members on here have enjoyed sand it doesn't mean you will too. There's nothing wrong with not using it turtles can be just as happy with or without it.

Dude/Dudette, I have been using sand for over half a year with no problems. I have done tons of research on it and so have others. I can assure you it is safe, and when eaten, passes easily because the grains are so small.

You can't listen to crap like Yahoo answers because the average person on there is like 13 yrs old and has no idea what they are talking about. Other people say it isn't okay because they have no experience with it and are just listening to what they have been told.

Use sand if you want to. Don't if you don't. Bare bottom and river rocks work just as well. If you're uncomfortable, don't use it. Nothing is permanent, you can change it if you decide too. Go with river rock now, sand in a few months, or vice versa.

If sand wasn't okay, my turtle would have been dead long ago.

It's all your decision.

ok, the particles r small so the turtle can eat it, wat if it eats a lot of sand, makes a glop of sand in its stomach, still passable?

and i also dont want to ruin my filter. whats a pre-filter? how do i make sure my impellar/propeller/w/e its called is fine. sry im a NUB. i ask so much questions before doing anything

Meta wrote:ok, the particles r small so the turtle can eat it, wat if it eats a lot of sand, makes a glop of sand in its stomach, still passable?

and i also dont want to ruin my filter. whats a pre-filter? how do i make sure my impellar/propeller/w/e its called is fine. sry im a NUB. i ask so much questions before doing anything

about the large quantities of sand

i don't know about your turtle, but my turtle is an absolute beast when it comes to meal (or anything to put in its mouth)

but when he first ate the sand, he took a good bite, but that's it
I'm pretty sure turtles can distinguish food from something that is not food

you should be safe.

again, if you're not comfortable then do not use it

Like Chris said, as far as anyone's experience on this site has gone, sand is perfectly safe. It would take quite the freak accident for your turtle to become impacted with it. In fact, I don't think it's really even possible.

Sand is totally optional. It sounds like you'd be more comfortable without it so why not try a few river rocks and see how you like the tank aesthetic then?

megcornell wrote:Like Chris said, as far as anyone's experience on this site has gone, sand is perfectly safe. It would take quite the freak accident for your turtle to become impacted with it. In fact, I don't think it's really even possible.

Sand is totally optional. It sounds like you'd be more comfortable without it so why not try a few river rocks and see how you like the tank aesthetic then?

i used river rocks before. they grew algae all over them.

but when chris says use a pre-filter if u want in his sand faq. is that the black pads in my xp3? does he mean to wrap that pad AROUND the inlet straining pipe?

No, that pad stays in your filter.

You can buy the pads online specially for the Rena filters. They slip over the intake strainer and would prevent sand from entering your filter in the first place.

They are like a mini coarse foam cylinder.

Chrisbarnett wrote:No, that pad stays in your filter.

You can buy the pads online specially for the Rena filters. They slip over the intake strainer and would prevent sand from entering your filter in the first place.

They are like a mini coarse foam cylinder.

i cant find them online. i googled rena filstar pre filter. found nothing.

I have seen them before. I don't know where they went.

But, you can buy Aquaclear filter foams(google that and you're sure to get results) and if you buy a pack of those, run it under water, throw it in the freezer, then pull it out when frozen and cut and X in the top of it with a knife. Then shave down the sides a bit so the filter will still be efficient. Then wait for it to thaw out and slip it over your intake. Done!

Chrisbarnett wrote:I have seen them before. I don't know where they went.

But, you can buy Aquaclear filter foams(google that and you're sure to get results) and if you buy a pack of those, run it under water, throw it in the freezer, then pull it out when frozen and cut and X in the top of it with a knife. Then shave down the sides a bit so the filter will still be efficient. Then wait for it to thaw out and slip it over your intake. Done!

i see them, but they dont look like cylinder shape things that would slide onto the inlet pipe. they just look like normal pads, like the ones inside my filter.

This is what you are looking for: http://www.hagen.com/canada/english/aquatic/product.cfm?CAT=1&SUBCAT=114&PROD_ID=01003310010101.

It's the sponge from the old Fluval 2 internal filters. It is a cylinder of foam that fits perfectly over most intake pipes.

thegrandpoohbah wrote:This is what you are looking for: http://www.hagen.com/canada/english/aquatic/product.cfm?CAT=1&SUBCAT=114&PROD_ID=01003310010101.

It's the sponge from the old Fluval 2 internal filters. It is a cylinder of foam that fits perfectly over most intake pipes.

do u think petsmart/petco will have them?

also. this just goes right over the inlet strainer on my xp3? how does the filter suck stuff up if its being blocked by this foam