Just started a tank with Tahitian Moon sand. Any experience?

ewurm

Aimara
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Jan 27, 2006
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It's for the loaches in training. It's very fine so I'm concerned about it getting stirred up. It does look awesome though. Let me know about your experiences with this substrate.
 

OnceLoyal

Candiru
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May 13, 2008
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Thius is what I have in my newest setup. I love it. No problems or negative feed back from me. Actually I will use the same in a 75 I will be setting up soon.
 

davo

Aimara
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Jan 9, 2006
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ewurm;1926514; said:
It's for the loaches in training. It's very fine so I'm concerned about it getting stirred up. It does look awesome though. Let me know about your experiences with this substrate.
I had the same worry and went for a slightly heavier slightly larger particle size, and loaches love burying through it, and they do kick it up now and again, but not ever enough to cause a problem. I imagine you'll be fine with it though, and my decision was also swayed cause it was cheaper than the sand.
 

dragonfish

Plecostomus
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Sep 17, 2006
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Once it settles completely it will be fine. Never any real issues with it kicking up and that tank has an emperor 400 and a rena xp3 without any problems.
 

Moontanman

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Mar 6, 2008
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I've been using it for years with no problem but I don't use power filters i use a surface water return with a sump but my fish love it, they dig in it sift it through their gills and bury up in it. Great stuff and it makes the colors show better in the fish.
 

nfored

Fire Eel
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Apr 4, 2008
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My sump return create a big undertow, almost nothing settles to the bottom of my tank, does this mean I couldn't have sand?
 

Moontanman

Polypterus
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nfored;1928565; said:
My sump return create a big undertow, almost nothing settles to the bottom of my tank, does this mean I couldn't have sand?
What do you mean by almost nothing? What do you have as substrate now? If your water current is so strong that sand cannot settle out it is too strong. If you have a surface water return and are not sucking water from your tank near the bottom but allowing it to flow out through the surface water return you should have no problem. Sand is usually heavy enough to settle out just like gravel, it takes a huge current to keep sand moving all the time.
 

nfored

Fire Eel
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Apr 4, 2008
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well i have gravel now, if i put in a shrimp pellet in the tank it will sit on the bottom until someone bits it, once they take a a bit the small peaces slowly rise to the top. I have even had a few pellets that wouldn't sink right away. I have been thinking about sound for weeks now.

My sump feeds from about 2 inches bellow the water, and the return is about 1 inch bellow the water line, however its spraying down at a 45 degree angle. then on the other side of the tank I have a fluval 403 feeding from about 2 inches above the bottom and returning 1 inch bellow the water. The current is strong enough it create mini whirlpools in the middle of the tank.If I drop a pellet at the end of the tank where the sump returns it will fly across the tank unit it get to the other side where it slowly drift upwards once some one bits on it. After changing the flow pattern I no longer see any poop on the bottom
 

toehead11183

Fire Eel
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Dec 4, 2006
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stick a magnet in it and see what sticks. If i get my mag float too close to it, some pieces stick to it. not sure if im the only one who has metal in theirs
 
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