sandy bottom

[toehead11183]

i have tried sand before with no luck. it ruined my filter and was a pain. i'm looking for bigger sand, almost fine gravel. i figure it will sink and stay sunk easier while the africans and loaches can dig easier. this crap i have now is too big and too rough on them. i want some dark but not too dark. i dont want the sand to be too light because my fronts will lighten up.

first pic is mine to show gravel in my tank.
Red Devil has what i'm looking for. 2nd Pic belongs to Red Devil
third pic is color i'm looking for

 

[fish head )'>]

I believe you are looking for crushed quartz pool filter sand. (around $7-9 / 50# bag) I use it. Did lots of research here on MFK before doing it. You may consider moving your intakes a little higher. It vacuums easy with a tall python tube. the short one seamed to suck up more sand for me. You get used to it and will become quite good at it.

 

[ShadowStryder]

I use what they call Silica Sand. Its is around 1/8 of inch in diameter. I used a deep black which made the colors in my African tank and Tropheus tank just blaze.
Definitely move your intakes up 3 to 4 inches above gravel bed.

 

[toehead11183]

will quarts or silica sand buffer pH? I'd like something that will keep my pH around 8.0 i dont have time to add buffers. medical school, 40+hr/week at work and i got a baby commin in 2 months not much time left for fishes. i have a 30" python tube so i shuldn't have probs sucking it up.



here's a pic. i don't think i can raise my intakes any higher

 

[BIGgourami]

yeah those are pretty high up there.
r u looking for buffering AND size? where are you willing to compromise?

 

[ShadowStryder]

Silica Sand will not, I have never used quartz, but I don't believe it will.
I used a crushed coral in several of my tanks which will keep you ph buffered or they have several types of african substrate which will keep it buffered. When I used crushed coral my ph was always 8 or above.
You don't have to raise your intake that high cuz it will not pick larger waste from the bottow. I would keep it around 4 inches from gravel bed

 

[ShadowStryder]

Also with those front you won't have to worry about the size and how rough
cuz once they reach 4 plus inches they won't even notice it.

 

[toehead11183]

i'd like both. i'll keep the stuff i have if i cant find something to buffer. i found some sand online:
Agra-alive: indo pacific black sand. buffers and .2-2mm size
Eco-complete: buffers but no size rating
both are expensive
here's pics

 

[toehead11183]

i've used crushed coral(got 100# in attic) i'm looking for sand for my loaches and catfish in my tang tank. plus i have a few other small tangs in there:
1 Neolamprologus leleupi
1 Neolamprologus fasciatus
1 Neolamprologus brevis
1 Neolamprologus caudopunctatus
1 Altolamprologus calvus
1 Julidochromis marlieri
2 Peacock

 

[BIGgourami]

i would go with the aragonite. it's pretty heavy but small, and it buffers.