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What subtrate should I use when I setup my new tank?

Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 2:24 pm
by loach_mommy2012
I have "regular" size gravel in my current aquarium. I'm interested in using sand or very fine gravel so my loaches can dig around. My poor yoyo's are trying their best to dig around, but they aren't having much luck right now, they're very determined though :lol: . Is play sand safe to use as long as it is cleaned well?

Re: What subtrate should I use when I setup my new tank?

Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 3:31 pm
by starsplitter7
I use well rinsed pool filter sand bought from a pool supply store. It is $8-10 for a 50 lb bag, so it is super economical. It also rinses easily and is safe for loaches, cories and other sand loving fish like my beloved eels.

Play sand is fine and floats and can dirty a tank. Just remember to turn off your filters, when you add water to your tank with filters, so the sand isn't sucked into your impellors ruining your impellors.

Re: What subtrate should I use when I setup my new tank?

Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 6:14 pm
by loach_mommy2012
I never thought of pool filter sand that sound like a good idea. How do you clean the sand without accidently dumping it out?

Re: What subtrate should I use when I setup my new tank?

Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 6:43 pm
by ClownLoachSharky
you clean it by light
y hovering over the top. about an inch or so. It dosent need hard sucking like gravel as it falls on the top. I was actually gonna go buy a couple of bags myself. By the way, where are you from?

Re: What subtrate should I use when I setup my new tank?

Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 6:48 pm
by loach_mommy2012
West virginia, United states :) You?

Re: What subtrate should I use when I setup my new tank?

Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 6:50 pm
by ClownLoachSharky
australia mate. Wow everyones in the us :o

Re: What subtrate should I use when I setup my new tank?

Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 6:55 pm
by loach_mommy2012
Not really. I've been checking the forum out and there are members from everywhere! It's so cool. New Zealand, Australia, Russia, Germany, etc.

Re: What subtrate should I use when I setup my new tank?

Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 7:09 pm
by ClownLoachSharky
i guess. just australias one of those countries that has strict laws that dosent allow 99% of tropical fish.

Re: What subtrate should I use when I setup my new tank?

Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 7:47 pm
by loach_mommy2012
That's a drag :( I'm sorry to hear that. Why?

Re: What subtrate should I use when I setup my new tank?

Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 9:12 pm
by starsplitter7
There are lots of British members too.

To clean the sand, you use a 5 gallon bucket. Fill it quartar way with sand, fill the rest with water. You can do this in your sink, tub, outside. You swish the sand with your hands. You will see the "dirt" and dust come to the top of the water. You can skim it off or drain it off, continue swishing until the water clears. If it doesn't clear, dump most of the water, add more, and continue swishing. In the meantime, you exfoliate your hands. :) Just make sure you keep turning the sand over until it is clear. With Pool filter sand this process takes much less time. When it is clean, you can add it to your tank. Dirt will rest on top and you can vacuum it up.

I also siphon it to make sure dead pockets don't form. But if you keep kuhlies, eels, malaysian Trumpet Snails (or better yet assassin snails -- pretty, will turn your sand and will reproduce very slowly!) your sand should be turned for you. I also keep horsehead loaches, and I can go months without seeing them, and they keep the sand turned well. If you keep any of these critters, put your siphon in the sand very slowly to give them a chance to move away, so don't accidently hurt them. Sometimes I turn the sand by hand and then I siphon up the muck.

Re: What subtrate should I use when I setup my new tank?

Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2012 1:40 am
by ClownLoachSharky
I gotta get more kuhlis. Just bough a bag of filter sand today and it wasnt exactly white. More of a golden yellow colour which i kinda like. The grains were also quile large and round and looks 78x better than play sand

Re: What subtrate should I use when I setup my new tank?

Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2012 11:38 am
by loach_mommy2012
For some reason I thought using sand instead of gravel would be more work (not sure why), but it almost sounds easier to work with than gravel. I can't wait to try it out! My poor loaches are trying their best to dig around and aren't having alot of luck :( They still try anyway though lol :lol: I'm very interested in the horse head loaches they look really cute! I live in a small town, so unfortunately we don't get much of a variety around here :(. I'll have to ask my local pet store if they can order them.

Re: What subtrate should I use when I setup my new tank?

Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2012 8:35 pm
by starsplitter7
They get horseheads and dwarf horseheads at PetSmart seasonly. You might be able to get them then.

I have spent the day doing weater changes. 8 tanks down. Only two more to go. May fall asleep, before I finish the last two.

Re: What subtrate should I use when I setup my new tank?

Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2012 9:04 pm
by loach_mommy2012
My goodness how do you maintain that many tanks without loosing your mind!! lol I don't think I could do it. What sizes are they?

Re: What subtrate should I use when I setup my new tank?

Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2012 10:16 pm
by starsplitter7
Normally I have no problems taking care of the tanks, especially the larger ones. But lately it has been overwhelming. I closed down three tanks to help my mental health. :) I have a 75, 55, 29, 20, 20 long, 3 10s, a 5 and a 1.5. Some tanks are really easy. The five has a blue crawdad. I need to get him a bigger tank. He''s getting so big. The 1.5 is a heated, lit Betta tank with a betta, guppy and minnow. One ten has dwarf puffers. The 20 long is a planted shrimp tank (cherries and tigers). Very easy tank to take care of. I top off the water every month and the readings are Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0 and Nitrate 5. One ten has guppies, panda garras and very large bambo shrimp and amonos. The last ten is a Bristlenose nrusery where my bristlenoses grow up. There's another betta, some peacock loaches and cories in time out. The coolest thing in that tank is a really neat rabbit snail.