Scaping

[The Masked Shadow]

Hello,

I have discussed in previous threads that I wanted to have my 4’x2’x18” 90g wide tank red garnet sand and a large piece of driftwood. But I’m rethinking it. The tank is going to have Congo River Basin fish only. This is the stock:

1 or 2 Delhezi Bichir
1 Mokelembembe Bichir
1 Polypterus Polli
1 Polypterus Palmas
Perhaps a Senegal bichir
and a Leopard Ctenopama

So, I’m stuck on the decoration part. I have a tight budge. I wanted to go with 36 grit red garnet sand and a largish piece of driftwood, but I’m rethinking it. Perhaps black sand and a large piece of dark driftwood with 5 or 6 hardy plants like Anubis or java fern. What would you do? What is better for the fish?

 

[MultipleTankSyndrome]

I think the latter would be a better choice. Live plants help keep the tank clean, and they provide good enrichment too.
Plus it's less sparsely decorated, which helps the enrichment aspect as well as possibly security.

 

[Deadeye]

Second one reminds me of Potato Patatto ‘s tank. The bichirs look very sharp there.
Either will look very good, but if you’re trying to keep it cheap, you have your answer!

 

[The Masked Shadow]

Perhaps I don’t get the other fish for a few months and just spend some money on black sand and scape as I go. I really like patatto’s tank. Perhaps beau1990 can give me some ideas.

 

[The Masked Shadow]

Where do I get black sand that doesn’t cost a lot?

 

[Rocksor]

black diamond medium grit sand blasting sand at Tractor Supply, gotta drive to Lakeside, Ramona, or Valley Center

$11 for 50lbs, about 1lb per gallon will get you close to 1" of substrate. So about 2 bags for your 90g, makes 1" substrate.

You have to spend the time to use old tank water to thoroughly rinse it until clear in a 5 g bucket.

 

[The Masked Shadow]

I have family up in Ramona, perfect! Do you suggest I get 75lbs?

 

[Deadeye]

Your tank technically has the footprint of a 120, so I’d go closer to 100 lb.

 

[Rocksor]

2 50lb bags if youre not adding plants in the substrate.

 

[MultipleTankSyndrome]

I needed about 46 kg of (pool) sand to get a 4-5 cm depth in my 473 liter (footprint of 8601 cubic centimeters). Based on that, your tank (with a 7442 cubic centimeter footprint) would need 22.1 kg* of sand if you want 2.5 cm depth.

*This assumes similar density to pool sand. I don't actually know how dense black sand is compared to pool sand.