Habitat - Indoor :: Question about sand

[Turk]

Hey guys and gals. Turk is doing great and I'm going to post pics probably around the holidays. I don't have a camera

To the point, I want to add sand to the tank, but is there anything I should look out for? (Ex: Turtle eating sand, pile the sand towards intake)
Also is there anyway to take the sand back out of the tank if it doesn't work out?
BTW I checked the FAQ.

Thanks for the help

[steve]

If the turtle eats it excessively, you'll have to take it out. Keep the intake high enough so the sand won't interfere with it.

[PridgNYC]

It'll work out, taking it out will be a pain. If you go with play sand clean the bejeezus out of it, then depending on how many larger pebbles are in it, sift it (or sift it first). I recommend pool filter sand, it is already sifted to a consistent grain size, and is really easy to clean. My turtle initially took some experimental bites of the sand, but after that pretty much just shapes the mounds around the decorations to suit his desires. Personally I also recommend at least 2-3 inches, because the turtle will dig and move it around such that any less, will probably result in bare spots on the bottom of the tank. Keep your intake at least a few inches above the level of the sand.