What kind of turtle like sand and water?

Your question can not be surely answered unless you tell us what kind of turtle you are asking about. Most turtles do not need sand to live but a few do. At a pet shop you are most likely to get a variety of turtle that does not require sand, but asking the pet shop for that sort of info is a good idea. We have a red-eared slider that we caught in our pond when his shell was the side of a quarter. He's lived in our fish tank for over two years now and he's about 4 inches across. The tank has the usual gravel bottom, a ledge for him to climb out of the water, and a few fish (also from the pond) but no sand.