Sand?

[Stan510]

Sand is a near controversy. But I've heard many youtube people say that play sand was a mistake Blakes Aquatics and that married couple with the husband and a big goatee both swear off play sand. I really think a small gravel is best and I tell you -That's hard to find. My LFS and the rest only have the large coated pea gravels. In California sandblasting was made illegal and those large grades used to make great aquarium substrate.
You can try..why some people have success planting in a fine sand and others find that roots of their plants are much smaller than what they should be ( when you pull them up to move them- surprise!.almost no roots) and not the big rootball you want.

 

[Byron]

You can try..why some people have success planting in a fine sand and others find that roots of their plants are much smaller than what they should be ( when you pull them up to move them- surprise!.almost no roots) and not the big rootball you want.

I cannot see how the sand could be the cause of poor root growth. It is more likely nutrient deficiency somewhere. Steven mentioned this in another thread earlier this week. When I tore that 115g tank down to move, the roots of those swords extended all over the bottom (you could see them from underneath the tank too, it was one of those cast iron stands that are just a frame), some of them more than halfway down the tank from the end, 2-3 feet.

 

[itiwhetu]

I have never used sand and believe it is just trendy, I would never change from my fine river gravel base. As for the cory's, their barbel destruction is more likely due to nitrates rather than the substrate.

 

[Oblio]

In California sandblasting was made illegal and those large grades used to make great aquarium substrate.

Seriously?

Is it because of Prop 64?

So glad I left the Peoples Republic of CA decades ago.

Have the CA lawmakers ever lived in the Mojave Desert?

I have, and the wind rarely stops, with sand, lots of sand, that literally blast the paint off your cars and outside window frames.

Leaves piles inside (the house!) on your door and window frames

That is before the tumbleweeds block the roads and fill up the backyards.

I'm not being hyperbolic.

 

[mbsqw1d]

Never had any problems with (play) sand. There's nothing fashionable about it, its just cheap and does a good job! Corys love it and so do my plants.

 

[Stan510]

Its a funny thing..I went to where I bought my favorite sand from the local rockery for decades and that's when they told me about the law. Had to google and yeah,I was a decade late or something.
Some plants can handle sand I guess..photos are there. But small gravels have always been best like itwetsu says. I have swimming pool filter sand because the internet said "it was perfect". No.it is not.
Cant believe how that river gravel is not even sold packaged. So,old Stan here does his best to overcome the 100 pounds of sand by adding gravels over it. What's interesting? The gravels do not sink into the sand...basically the sand is heavier and the gravel pretty much stays a top layer.

 

[sparkypenguin]

@Byron
Those tanks look amazing!
Do you know if that is a larger grain of sand than Unipac Silver Sand?
It almost looks like very small gravel on the photos.

 

[sparkypenguin]

I have never used sand and believe it is just trendy, I would never change from my fine river gravel base. As for the cory's, their barbel destruction is more likely due to nitrates rather than the substrate.

Thanks, I think that the barbel damage was done pre purchase as my other 3 are all fine and my nitrate levels are quite low, around 5ppm.

 

[Byron]

@Byron
Those tanks look amazing!
Do you know if that is a larger grain of sand than Unipac Silver Sand?
It almost looks like very small gravel on the photos.

Thank you. I've never seen Unipac Silver Sand, can you post a link to some data on it? I will say though that you are in the UK (I assume from "County Durham") and there is what others have said is a good play sand made by Argos (if I have that name correct). Not all "play sand" is the same.

On the cory barbel issue, erosion of barbels can be caused by any rough substrate be it sand or gravel, so it must be non-rough. But also bacteria in the substrate is another cause, and this is certainly much more prevalent with gravel. And with bare bottom tanks too.

 

[sparkypenguin]

@Byron
The only info I can find is this AQUARIUM SILVER SAND – 150 µ to 250 µ.
This is a link to the brand owner https://www.unipacpet.co.uk/aquatic/aquarium-sand/

I've just looked at a recent thread about Argos play sand and if I had not already ordered the unipac stuff I would probably have just used it as it's cheaper, only £5.50 for a 15kg bag.
Oh well I'm just glad I only paid £13.50 for my 20kg and not the £20+ that most LFS have it for sale at.

I'm hoping my barbel issue was pre purchase and the little fella will grow his moustache back soon.

As always thanks for your help.

 

[Rocky998]

I have never used sand and believe it is just trendy, I would never change from my fine river gravel base. As for the cory's, their barbel destruction is more likely due to nitrates rather than the substrate.

How do nitrates cause barb damage? I never have heard of this before

 

[Byron]

@Byron
The only info I can find is this AQUARIUM SILVER SAND – 150 µ to 250 µ.
This is a link to the brand owner https://www.unipacpet.co.uk/aquatic/aquarium-sand/

I've just looked at a recent thread about Argos play sand and if I had not already ordered the unipac stuff I would probably have just used it as it's cheaper, only £5.50 for a 15kg bag.
Oh well I'm just glad I only paid £13.50 for my 20kg and not the £20+ that most LFS have it for sale at.

I'm hoping my barbel issue was pre purchase and the little fella will grow his moustache back soon.

As always thanks for your help.

"Aquarium" sands tend to be OK because they are made for such applications. I don't think you have an issue with the Silver Sand. At 300-400 microns, that is less than half of a millimeter grain size, which is fine for cories (assuming the grains are not rough). My play sand is similarly sized.

Edit. In reading over, I see the "Aquarium Silver Sand" is the one, but it is smaller grain so that's good for cories. Corydoras take in a mouth full of sand, sift it around for food bits, then expel the sand via the gills. This feeding method is the crucial issue requiring sand.

 

[itiwhetu]

How do nitrates cause barb damage? I never have heard of this before

It has always been my belief that water quality is the main issue with barbels and whiskers on all catfish. Either Nitrate or pH or hardness. The idea that an animal can break off or wear out an appendage on something they encounter everyday just doesn't sit right with me.

 

[Rocky998]

It has always been my belief that water quality is the main issue with barbels and whiskers on all catfish. Either Nitrate or pH or hardness. The idea that an animal can break off or wear out an appendage on something they encounter everyday just doesn't sit right with me.

Ive seen video of cories inthe wild and they live in sandy/really fine gravel areas. I never see them around rocks... I feel like they can be worn down on gravel or very coarse sand

 

[itiwhetu]

Ive seen video of cories inthe wild and they live in sandy/really fine gravel areas. I never see them around rocks... I feel like they can be worn down on gravel or very coarse sand

I had never heard of the sand thing until I came on to this forum site. If Cory's can't be kept on hard surfaces, then it would go without reason that the young cory's shouldn't be raised in breeding boxes or bare bottomed tanks as their barbels would be damaged or worse would not form.