Sand Guidance

[GUB]

I am considering replacing the small pea gravel I have in my current setup with sand , though I am a bit confused as to the best method for doing this. I understand from some of the articles have read on the matter that I need to be careful not to have too thick a layer as I run the risk of creating an opportunity for pockets of gas to form which are detrimental to the fish. Yet the 1cm suggested doesn’t seem sufficient to support even some of the quite small plants I purchased this weekend (my tank has mainly fake plants, but I am looking at the possibility of introducing a few more live plants a bit at a time).

So any advice would be useful to me tbh. Should I layer the sand on top of another substrate (if so what and how much?), is play sand (the stuff for Kids sand pits) OK to use? What is the ideal thickness for sand as a substrate? I see some people mix sand with a nutrient for planting- should i do this in case I get some more live plants? Any experience or tips would be gratefully received.

Thanks in advance !

 

[Squid]

I am considering replacing the small pea gravel I have in my current setup with sand , though I am a bit confused as to the best method for doing this. I understand from some of the articles have read on the matter that I need to be careful not to have too thick a layer as I run the risk of creating an opportunity for pockets of gas to form which are detrimental to the fish. Yet the 1cm suggested doesn’t seem sufficient to support even some of the quite small plants I purchased this weekend (my tank has mainly fake plants, but I am looking at the possibility of introducing a few more live plants a bit at a time).

So any advice would be useful to me tbh. Should I layer the sand on top of another substrate (if so what and how much?), is play sand (the stuff for Kids sand pits) OK to use? What is the ideal thickness for sand as a substrate? I see some people mix sand with a nutrient for planting- should i do this in case I get some more live plants? Any experience or tips would be gratefully received.

Thanks in advance !

Personally I think the talk of gas pockets became a bit of a hot topic at some point, as with a number of subjects on here, where people mention it as soon as anyone mentioned sand. Yes it is something you need to consider, but it doesn't take much to ensure that it doesn't become a problem. I swirl a finger in the sand now and then when i am cleaning the tank, and you can see any gases being released as you do it. I sometimes use a chopstic to do it. The main place i ever see any build up at all is where i can see little bubbles around the side of the aquarium, so i can see them in the sand against the glass. Easy to remove!

I have about 1.5 - 2 inches of sand in my tank (varies as my bn plec moves it about ). I had a layer of 'First Layer Laterite' (clay type thing) at the bottom of the tank. This remains useful for 18 months or so, then you can start using root tabs instead. You don't need loads of this stuff (as per instructions) so not much of it makes its way to the top, so its not the same as putting sand on a fair layer of gravel which often results in just a gravel sand mix after a while. Others may recommend different nutrient layers that they have used. I used the play sand from argos. about £2.49 for 15kg back then. This stuff is absolutely fine, its not coarse/sharp, and says "non-toxic" on the packet, which is one of the key factos. ( and so it should be for kids and not just fish ).

Hope that helps..
Squid

 

[Teelie]

Gas pockets are overhyped. They add about as much dangerous gas to the water directly as an airwand does. Virtually the only way for a gas pocket to be of danger for a fish is for a fish to swim through one of the bubbles as it is exiting the tank. You have more to fear of someone thinking you farted than killing your fish.