weather loach and fine substrate

[joitoy]

Hello, I am new to loaches and barbel-bearing fish and made the mistake of buying them while using pebble substrate.

I am using a 75 gallon with regular gravel and two tetra power filters. I would like to exchange my gravel, or large portions of it for a finer substrate that will be safe for my weather loach and my cories but the problem is that I cannot find any that guarantees safety. I don't mind buying online, because it is difficult to get out to petsmart or petco or travel from town.

Does anyone know a good brand, and proper size of substrate that will NOT be sucked into the filter, that will also be safe for the comfort of my new pets?


Also, a worry of mine is that my loaches will outgrow this 75 gallon tank, I've read conflicting reports. I wanted to try to find 2 gold weather loaches to go with my plain spotted weather loach as companions, will this tank be enough? I am planning an outside pond this year and would be prepared to let them live out there once they outgrew the tank.

[sophie]

your tank size is more than adequate for weathers! as long as your filter intake is a couple of inches away from the substrate - or actually even closer, in practice - anything you';re sold as aquarium sand should be absolutely fine. Cories are diggers and weathers sift sand through their gills, so they will be really happy.

But sand doesn't get sucked into filters - at least not in my tanks!

[joitoy]

really? then i have no idea why it warns not to use sand with them

for further info its a tetra-fish 30-60 gallon filter. I have two of them. I think the bottom of the intake is currently 1.5 to 2 inches from the gravel.

I'm going to plant it out, mostly with mosses but larger amazon swords and such at the rear wall and sides, and driftwood in the center so that most of the ground floor is available to them. I really would like to use sand and saw some that I like but was worried my filter would clog.

[joitoy]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Eco-complete-Plante ... dZViewItem


Does anyone use this, or know if its any good?

I keep giant danios, glowlight tetra, and albino cories in my tank with my weather loach and want to change about 40% of the substrate to this.

[wasserscheu]

... it´s necessary to make sure that there is no sharp edges on the sand (should not be "broken sand")...

[joitoy]

... it´s necessary to make sure that there is no sharp edges on the sand (should not be "broken sand")...

* Contains iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sulfur plus over 25 other elements to nourish your aquatic plants.
* Iron rich Eco-Complete eliminates the need for laterite
* Nitrate and carbonate free – will not increase pH or carbonate hardness
* No artificial dyes, paints or chemical coatings
* Natural black substrate encourages the most vibrant coloration in fishes and reduces fish stress
* Spherical grains for optimum diffusion performance
* Supplies Calcium without raising pH
* Lead free
* Contains live heterotrophic bacteria to rapidly convert fish waste into natural food for your aquatic plants
* Creates a natural biological balance which makes cycling a new aquarium faster and safer
* Packed in Liquid Amazon buffered “Black Water” solution for immediate organic water conditioning
* Unsurpassed macro-porosity for healthy roots and bacterial efficiency.

[wasserscheu]

... tried to enlarge that picture at ebay but did not work ... I read the text a couple of times ...

...

... in that black square... it is possibly showing rounded grain, that would be ok... but I´m not sure, whether my observation is correct...

... hmmm never came across a sand with that many features. For my personal use I prefer to add the variuos stuff on my own and only there where I need it, for example fertilizer balls only at the roots of the plants. The iron in the sand will be used up sooner or later, than you need to go the conventional way anyway...

... hmmm... there is put some thought into it though... and they say "no impact on water-hardness" ... I know people that measure the electrical conductivity of a sample, before and after sand input...

I personally also like black sand - but did NOT find a good source in Europe yet... most of black sand here, is broken sand with sharp edges...

So, for my personal use ... I´d find it too expensive, plus the shiping cost within USA, it´s only 20lb and makes already $17+9

I´d keep comparing due to price. I´m looking for my loaches for quartz (SIO2) sand (=very common, but not in dark shades), I like my sand not too fine (for watercirculation).

If you just need small amounts, it may be ok. And for the first months you may be ok (no need to feed plants, except additional iron perhaps)

Good luck with your choice

Wolfram

[joitoy]

It's pretty difficult I am having that same trouble. I like black since my mother was telling me I should go with black gravel.


I know absolutely nothing about calcium suppliments fertilizers and the other addtivies that it claims to come with. I just know I don't want sand that is too fine.

Is it safe to change sand into an aquarium if fish are still in it? They'll just kick it out of their gills I hope. The only ones that inhabit my bottom are my glowlight tetra, weather loach, and albino cories anyway. and I know the last two will just blow it out of their gills.


As for price, after surfing all kinds of various sites, chain petstores, etc, the shipping is more and the cost of this same brand and type was 19.99 to 34.99 in different shops, and a minimum of 8.99 shipping usually. If I drive to petco, I'll be driving over 50 miles to get there one way. 100 round trip to get some sand since there are -no- places along the way. No choice but to order most of my supplies living in the country sucks. I think I will get just -1 bag to start off. if you come across something better at any point let me know.