Loaches Online Forum

Hi,
I really like the look of sand - especially white sand - as a substrate, but when I tried it before (with apple snails) I couldn't seem to stop what I think was anaerobic bacteria? the sand almost turned black in places and smelled awful, so I now use tiny round pebbles. How can I have a nice deep substrate of sand without this happening?

Val

Sand should be fine, so long as you keep a reasonable amount of current and fish and snails that will keep it mixed. You're right- the stinky-black is an anaerobic condition that develops as detrital/organic materials (food, wastes etc...) break down without oxygen. Sand particles are small, so lock together better then gravel, so are more prone to this. A few MTS will start the substrate moving as they dig about. Loaches, spiny eels and many types of catfish, gobies and cichlids will do this also. There are even some clams and shrimp.
Maybe start by keeping the sand fairly shallow, so you're less likely to get anoxic areas. If the set-up is simple you can just run your fingers through the sand every week/when you are doing water-changes as well- that'll do the trick.
These guys tend to recommend the sand you get for swimming pool filters.
A

I have had tanks without snails set up for years without this happening. The sand is deep (+2") but with a good cross flow all the crap goes into the intake.
I also do a weekly %50 W.C.

Get sand that has been graded so all the particles are the same size. Pool filter sand is one example. It is 30 mesh, and aside from a little dust because of shipping is very clean. I still would not put it much deeper than 2", though. Any substrate that is too deep will have poor water circulation resulting in low oxygen deep in the substrate. Play sand is a lot worse this way, it has too many fines and can pack down in just a shallow layer.

Plant roots, Malaysian Trumpet Snails and fish that dig and burrow a lot can all help stir the sand, but you need to, also. When you are doing a gravel vac you can slow the water flow through it by pinching the tubing and plunge the business end of it deep into the sand. With a slowed water flow the sand will lift into the big part but then drop down and you will lose very little. The goal here is not how many gallons of water you are changing, but getting over the substrate at least once a month. This half of the tank one week, next week the other half, another week move most of the rocks and wood and get under and behind the decor...

Yeah I wouldn't go any deeper than 2", which really should be enough I'd have thought. Use rocks and wood to create different levels and structure in the tank.

I much prefer a mix of sands and smooth gravel. I just got a huge back of sand/gravel (lime-free) from a garden centre and washed all the mud out of it. I don't have any problems with compaction or disoxic build-ups.

These were taken a long time ago when I first put the new substrate in. (My tank has since covered over with a jungle of plants.)






And this is what happens when your powerhead falls off. Just to show the different grades of material in it:

I'm trying a deeper layer, ~2.5-3 inches, of finer pool sand in my latest tank. I've tried 1-1.5 inch sand & some of the plants are not happy, swords & crypts mostly. They are in low light & slightly stunted, I'm a less than consistant fertilizer. Gravel vacuuming doesn't help root formation but I worry more about anaerobic pockets than plant growth & loach health above all.

The top surface of the current larger pool sand sometimes seems locked together when I vac but my pangios etc are not diggers & MTS are eaten I think.

palaeodave wrote:
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I know this is not the topic, so I apologize.

paleodave, I see u use(d) JUWEL aquarium, like me. I see how you positioned your additional power head, the way I wanted, but I changed my mind. So, a question since I really recently added the additional power head. Doesn't that additional power head brake up a normal juwel filter circulation ( blow water away from filter )? Or is it too low to interfere with that circle? I am just asking, because I mounted mine under the original power head in filter only for that reason ( maybe i am wrong ).

(Sorry for the hijack.)

Jewel may have designed the thing for a special circular flow but I didn't really mind as long as there was good water movement throughout the entire tank, which, with a maxijet1200, there certainly is! I've since taken out the jewel internal filter and put an Eheim Pro 2028 on the tank, with the outlet on the same side as the powerhead and the inlet at the opposite end of the tank. Hope that helps.

Didn't mind the hijack at all, I have the same tank as well!!! what length is your tank? mine is 4' but I see they are now making a 5' (which of course I want!! ) I don't have the Juwel internal filter either, got hubby to cut it out, I use a Fluval 4 internal filter.
Oh by the way, thanks sooooo much for the pics, brilliant!!

Val