Cory Substrate

[Luniz]

Hi.
I'm new to fishkeeping and this site. I bought a mirabello 60 aquarium a few moths ago. I made the biggest mistake of buying 4 redtailed sharks(looked so cute and they were so tiny at the store). Neway I returned them all because they kept fighting. I want to keep cories but i have 5 bags of some fat coloured gravel which I read is not good for cories. I been doing some reading on the site and i read that argos play sand is good for cories. So my question is:
Can i put gravel at the bottom of the tank and play sand over the gravel.? The reason I want to put the gravel so the plants can take root or do plants not need gravel to take root.

Cheers in advance.

 

[fishboy619]

usally sand wont stay on top of gravel for long, it will mix and look a mess. plants can grow in either gravel or sand
your right about cories not liking big sharp gravel, unless its small rounded, its not useful, even then i prefer sand.
i use argos playsand, and its really good.
plant roots are good for sand as it helps move the sand slightly with its growing roots, and the cories on the surface help too.
i under stand how you fell for he sharks, they do look beautiful, but bugger when they grow older.

i would just put the sand in streight away and try flogging the gravel on here or whatever. you could put some plant soil under the sand, ive never done it, but others have. why havent you got any substrate at the moment, didnt you have any when the RTBS were in your tank.
do you have any other fish in your tank, what plants do you have?

 

[Maxta]

This: http/www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3650189.htm

?

 

[Canis-Equus]

I have argos playsand - if you want to have plants in the long run, id go with putting something under it - personally, id go with a heavyier weight sand than that one, B&Q play sand is much heavier although still fine for corys - the argos stuff is SO light you will be constantly replacing it as you will accidentally slurp up loads when you do water changes.

Aside from that aspect, which also doesnt help with plants even with something under it such as peat (which is what i use as its cheap!), argos play sand is a nice colour and does look good in a tank.

 

[Luniz]

Cheers for the advice everyone. I've got java moss, amazon sword, Hairgrass and spiral valis. My amazon has stopped growing completely. I see little leaves coming out of the stem but the dont get bigger than that. By the way does dwarf hairgrass grow better in sand or gravel?

 

[Maxta]

I went and got some of argos' play sand. Will be adding it soon once iv rinsed it. Then il take pics. Hopefully it shouldnt sink below my gravel coz thats already fine stuff.

 

[Canis-Equus]

Sorry but it will - its extremely fine sand, and your corys will push it around. Eventually all the sand will be under the gravel.

 

[Maxta]

I took some of my gravel out but not all, also left a small patch in the corner incase they fancy a change. Looks pretty cool, im impressed, got different thickness in some places. I'll try and get some pics!

Water is cloudy now that the lights on

 

[Maxta]

Heres some quick pics. Not the best.

Full shot of my tank, can see two of the three corys here:

Corner shot where i left some gravel just incase, one of them on it, duh, go on the sand:

Other corner by the heater, good shot of one of my babies, the other is hiding behind the heater:

As you can see its a little bare atm. Im after some backing paper, which iv picked out, and also a wood type thing where the fish can hide. Also wouldnt mind some more plants.



And this is what my tank used to look like when i first got it:

 

[Luniz]

NO offense m8 but your tank Looks better before than what you've got now.

 

[Maxta]

Thats because of all the plants and ornament, like i admit...it does look a little bare, but im after a background, more plants and better ornaments in which my fish can hide.

Sand looks alot better when the light is on, as opposed to the black gravel.

 

[14gtr14]

NO offense m8 but your tank Looks better before than what you've got now.

You joking?

It looks alot better now, but that gravel will mix with the sand. I dont think it'll look bad, it just mean you'll have bits of gravel in your sand...which is fine. From the pictures it looks a if your substrate is very thin ( as in not even an inch in places). If you're going to grow plants you'll need a good 2 inches of substrate. read the pinned articles in the planted section. in fact just read basically all the pinned articles, you may not benefit from them all, but you'll find out a hell of alot about tankmates, stocking, cories, aquascaping, etcetc.

cheers,

greg

EDIT- also make your cories up to about six, preferably more, they'll become alot more active as a group

 

[Maxta]

My tank gos right to the bottom of the silver frame which is near an inch, so in some places its just a few cm, in others its an inch or so. Heres an updated piccy:

PS. The corys are leveling the sand out gradually lol. Also its only a 10 gallon, i plan to move them on if they get too big to the tank downstairs. Hopefully i can get a bigger tank.

 

[fishboy619]

wow, it looks great.
i loke the rock/cave thing. and the woods good too.
well done mate

 

[Maxta]

Thanks

I just wish i had a bigger tank, so much more things to do, more room for creativity, and the best thing...MORE ROOM FOR MORE FISH!!!

Tempted to saw the upped part of my desk off just past the monitor and get a longer tank.