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Aragonite and Seachem Flourite with peppered corydoras?
- Thread starter jmf
- Start date
Welcome to TFF. 
Cories will not manage over these substrates. I had Flourite Black, and I had to remove the cories when I noticed some horrific damage to their mouths. They recovered, though one panda still has only about 3/4 of its mouth, and now five years later they are all still thriving over a sand substrate. The barbels did grow back on most of them.
The Flourite Black Sand may be different, but I wouldn't risk it, as I suspect the substance used is the same, and it was/is a lot sharper and rough than I though when holding it in my hand.
Why would you want aragonite in the substrate? This is calcareous, and will slowly dissolve, raising the GH/pH. Cories are soft water fish, though a few species may manage in more basic moderately hard water. But unless there is some issue, using a calcareous substance is not advisable or necessary.
Sand should be the substrate for all cories. Play Sand is about the safest, and it is highly refined. Some of the specific aquarium sands will work, though much more expensive. I have play sand in all my 8 tanks, whatever the fish.
Another comment is that I did not really see any advantage to Flourite when it came to the plants. This stuff is quite expensive, and you still need to add fertilizers the same as with inert sand, so I wouldn't waste your money. My plants have grown just as well in sand as they did in Flourite that I had in that tank for two full years before I removed it.
Byron.
Cories will not manage over these substrates. I had Flourite Black, and I had to remove the cories when I noticed some horrific damage to their mouths. They recovered, though one panda still has only about 3/4 of its mouth, and now five years later they are all still thriving over a sand substrate. The barbels did grow back on most of them.
The Flourite Black Sand may be different, but I wouldn't risk it, as I suspect the substance used is the same, and it was/is a lot sharper and rough than I though when holding it in my hand.
Why would you want aragonite in the substrate? This is calcareous, and will slowly dissolve, raising the GH/pH. Cories are soft water fish, though a few species may manage in more basic moderately hard water. But unless there is some issue, using a calcareous substance is not advisable or necessary.
Sand should be the substrate for all cories. Play Sand is about the safest, and it is highly refined. Some of the specific aquarium sands will work, though much more expensive. I have play sand in all my 8 tanks, whatever the fish.
Another comment is that I did not really see any advantage to Flourite when it came to the plants. This stuff is quite expensive, and you still need to add fertilizers the same as with inert sand, so I wouldn't waste your money. My plants have grown just as well in sand as they did in Flourite that I had in that tank for two full years before I removed it.
Byron.
Welcome to TFF.
Cories will not manage over these substrates. I had Flourite Black, and I had to remove the cories when I noticed some horrific damage to their mouths. They recovered, though one panda still has only about 3/4 of its mouth, and now five years later they are all still thriving over a sand substrate. The barbels did grow back on most of them.
The Flourite Black Sand may be different, but I wouldn't risk it, as I suspect the substance used is the same, and it was/is a lot sharper and rough than I though when holding it in my hand.
Why would you want aragonite in the substrate? This is calcareous, and will slowly dissolve, raising the GH/pH. Cories are soft water fish, though a few species may manage in more basic moderately hard water. But unless there is some issue, using a calcareous substance is not advisable or necessary.
Sand should be the substrate for all cories. Play Sand is about the safest, and it is highly refined. Some of the specific aquarium sands will work, though much more expensive. I have play sand in all my 8 tanks, whatever the fish.
Another comment is that I did not really see any advantage to Flourite when it came to the plants. This stuff is quite expensive, and you still need to add fertilizers the same as with inert sand, so I wouldn't waste your money. My plants have grown just as well in sand as they did in Flourite that I had in that tank for two full years before I removed it.
Byron.
What about ADA aqua soil topped with pool filter sand?
I've never used the ADA "soil" so I can't say if it will benefit plants or not. As for pool filter sand, this is usually white, and that is the last thing you want in a fish tank, white sand; it reflects light and most fish will be stressed by this, as they "expect" a dark substrate. I believe I have read of black pool filter sand, and that might work, if it was not at all rough. If you are determined on black, I would get the aquarium black sand, like those made by CarribSea (I think that's the manufacturer). Commercial sands can be too rough for fish. Play Sand is the only one that is safe; I use this, but it does not come in pure black (at least I've never heard of this). But I found when I had the Black Flourite that it was more grey than black under the lighting and water, and every little bit of detritus stood out.
But back to the so-called plant substrates...do you have some reason for thinking these necessary? If you were planning an aquatic garden with the emphasis on plants, there might (I say might) be a benefit; you would have increased light intensity and CO2 diffusion to balance, and daily fertilizing. For those of us with fish tanks that happen to have plants in them, it is a very different approach, and the fish should come first. Here's a photo of one of my tanks, happens to be the 70g Amazon forest tank, which has regular play sand; the plants are thriving with substrate tabs (next to the larger swords) and once weekly liquid comprehensive fertilizer.
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Thanks for the lengthy replies. I have already ordered the ada sand. My pool filter sand is more grey then white. What about river sand? I have no issue using play sand if that's the best for them. I agree fish come first.
Having never used ADA, I don't know if it is OK on its own, or needs a covering of ordinary sand. If the latter, play sand does work very well. It is darker than it appears in my photo, but that is again the water and light that changes its appearance. Play Sand is certain safe for all fish. I had river sand once, but it was a bit rougher than play sand, but I had no substrate fish in that tank.
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