Best sand for Rays

[CaptainAquatics]

Hello everyone! I have recently converted one of my tanks to be a stingray aquarium and have received the first stingray for the tank (a black diamond pup).
There is a tiny amount (not even enough to cover the entire bottom) of leftover sand and gravel (used to be an African cichlid tank). I was going to continue to try to remove it during water changed to make the tank bare bottom but I’m actually thinking of getting a nice black sand substrate to promote a more rich, darker color on my ray (and any future rays added).
My question is what type of sand to use, I’m seeing a lot of differing opinions. I see some people who say larger grained sand will scrape and hurt them and some who say larger sand is better as fine sand will be kicked up and damage equipment & make the tank cloudy.

Would the basic imagitarium black sand found at most petco’s work? Is there a specific brand I should get?

Thank you!

(tank is a 130 gallon - 4’x2’x2’ so will need something that will give me a solid inch or so. And before it’s said I do intend to either upgrade the tank as the stingray(s) grow or sell them when they get too big).
(Pic for attention)

 

[tlindsey]

Hello everyone! I have recently converted one of my tanks to be a stingray aquarium and have received the first stingray for the tank (a black diamond pup).
There is a tiny amount (not even enough to cover the entire bottom) of leftover sand and gravel (used to be an African cichlid tank). I was going to continue to try to remove it during water changed to make the tank bare bottom but I’m actually thinking of getting a nice black sand substrate to promote a more rich, darker color on my ray (and any future rays added).
My question is what type of sand to use, I’m seeing a lot of differing opinions. I see some people who say larger grained sand will scrape and hurt them and some who say larger sand is better as fine sand will be kicked up and damage equipment & make the tank cloudy.

Would the basic imagitarium black sand found at most petco’s work? Is there a specific brand I should get?

Thank you!

(tank is a 130 gallon - 4’x2’x2’ so will need something that will give me a solid inch or so. And before it’s said I do intend to either upgrade the tank as the stingray(s) grow or sell them when they get too big).
(Pic for attention)

View attachment 1534292

This may help until others chime in.
https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/setting-up-a-tank-for-a-stingray-best-sand.756098/

 

[CaptainAquatics]

Anyone know if imagitarium sand would work?

 

[Caveden]

Hello everyone! I have recently converted one of my tanks to be a stingray aquarium and have received the first stingray for the tank (a black diamond pup).
There is a tiny amount (not even enough to cover the entire bottom) of leftover sand and gravel (used to be an African cichlid tank). I was going to continue to try to remove it during water changed to make the tank bare bottom but I’m actually thinking of getting a nice black sand substrate to promote a more rich, darker color on my ray (and any future rays added).
My question is what type of sand to use, I’m seeing a lot of differing opinions. I see some people who say larger grained sand will scrape and hurt them and some who say larger sand is better as fine sand will be kicked up and damage equipment & make the tank cloudy.

Would the basic imagitarium black sand found at most petco’s work? Is there a specific brand I should get?

Thank you!

(tank is a 130 gallon - 4’x2’x2’ so will need something that will give me a solid inch or so. And before it’s said I do intend to either upgrade the tank as the stingray(s) grow or sell them when they get too big).
(Pic for attention)

View attachment 1534292

You don’t have to add a black sand substrate in the tank to promote a nicer colour; your BD pup is young so it has a light shade still. As it grows older it would become darker with more prominent spots —> it would grow nicer.

 

[CaptainAquatics]

You don’t have to add a black sand substrate in the tank to promote a nicer colour; your BD pup is young so it has a light shade still. As it grows older it would become darker with more prominent spots —> it would grow nicer.

I just added some black sand and am filling the tank up from the waterchange now (added it mid water change).
He is loving it. He burries himself, jumps out of it, swims around then burries again.

Very happy I got him sand.

also are you saying he would grow nicer with or without sand?

 

[Caveden]

I just added some black sand and am filling the tank up from the waterchange now (added it mid water change).
He is loving it. He burries himself, jumps out of it, swims around then burries again.

Very happy I got him sand.

also are you saying he would grow nicer with or without sand?

View attachment 1534325

With sand, but he doesn’t have to have black sand. Normal coloured sand would be fine as well

 

[CaptainAquatics]

So somewhat off topic from the original post but I tried feeding him some shrimp and as he was trying to eat it it got a lot of sand on it and he didn’t end up taking it.
What I’ve read is that it can sometimes take some time for them to learn how to “clean” the food and/or adjust to eating with the sand - is this acurate.

 

[spotfin]

Better thread for the stingray section.
I used natural sand for my rays, not colored sand. I'm not sure if the Imaginarium sand (from Petco?) is coated or not. As rays feed, they do ingest sand grains. Caribsea has a few lines of natural sand, I would use one of those.
As for your ray not eating, how long have you had it? It sometimes takes new rays a few days to settle in to their new environment. Do you know what the ray was eating before? Earth worms are another good choice. As with all foods for young rays, cut the food into small pieces.