Should I Replace Gravel with Sand?

[itiwhetu]

Same here most tanks. My group of some 40 Corydoras never have the sand touched. Another tank with very few fish now seems to accumulate a lot of organic matter from the dried leaves and wood primarily, so I run the W/C over the open areas to get this out. But I agree, substrates once established are usually self-sustaining, obviously provided the tank's biological system is in balance to start with--some people overstock their tanks and this can suddenly break down. And live plants, even just floating, always help the system.

I set up a peat base Aquarium. ( Peat with coarse river sand over it) It was established for more than 10 years and I never touched the base. I did 25% water changes weekly. This tank was setup as the supply water was very hard and I wanted to keep Discus. The tank became very soft with a stable pH of 6.6. The plants did very well on their own ( No Ferts. ), my profile photo is part of that system.

 

[mbsqw1d]

I didn't say it didn't exist, what I was trying to point out is that the sand or fine gravel in rivers is much coarser than play sand, and that if play sand compacts in aquariums it is not good. Plants will have difficulty getting their roots to grow through it. With play sand there will also be no water movement and therefore dead spots will occur in the aquarium. That is why a coarser sand or fine gravel is preferable over something that is very fine like play sand.

Play sand substrate ^
No issues with compacting and struggling plants. No issues with build up of 'dangerous' gas pockets. Any such gas, if it isnt nitrogen due to nitrate fixing bacteria, then hydrogen sulphide would gas off harmlessly when on contact with the o2 in the water.

Substrate Gas Pockets

This came up in another thread so i thought i'd post it here to get a definitive answer. Almost every fishkeeper has heard of the poisonous gases which can accumulate in the substrate if it's not raked through every now and again, right? I personally have never heard of it happening to anyone...

www.fishforums.net

The substrate in the river basins inhabited by Corydoras is possibly finer still than play sand, silt. Although theres generally a wide scale mix from fine silt all the way through to large rocks with everything in between.

 

[itiwhetu]

View attachment 133278

Play sand substrate ^
No issues with compacting and struggling plants. No issues with build up of 'dangerous' gas pockets. Any such gas, if it isnt nitrogen due to nitrate fixing bacteria, then hydrogen sulphide would gas off harmlessly when on contact with the o2 in the water.

Substrate Gas Pockets

This came up in another thread so i thought i'd post it here to get a definitive answer. Almost every fishkeeper has heard of the poisonous gases which can accumulate in the substrate if it's not raked through every now and again, right? I personally have never heard of it happening to anyone...

www.fishforums.net

The substrate in the river basins inhabited by Corydoras is possibly finer still than play sand, silt. Although theres generally a wide scale mix from fine silt all the way through to large rocks with everything in between.

I think that is my point, the river systems don't just have fine sand they have a mix of every grade of sand and gravel. I have used fine sand with coarser sand and gravel mixed through it, for the base of my cory tanks. I just don't know about just using the fine sand part of that equation. A lot of aquarists are doing it and by the results it works, that is great.

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

Catching them again might be tiresome though.

That's what I'm worried about... My red tail shark is a fast little guy, catching him once will be a pain so twice will be even worse!

 

[itiwhetu]

That's what I'm worried about... My red tail shark is a fast little guy, catching him once will be a pain so twice will be even worse!

When netting fish don't chase them about the tank, I always say think like a fish, anticipate it's next move and allow the fish to swim to the net. There are some fish that it is harder to catch than others. Patience is required.

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

When netting fish don't chase them about the tank, I always say think like a fish, anticipate it's next move and allow the fish to swim to the net. There are some fish that it is harder to catch than others. Patience is required.

Is twenty minutes enough patience? ? The 170L is 18" deep and it felt like my arms had popped out their sockets but the time I'd actually caught him earlier today! Might need my dad to help with the netting.

 

[itiwhetu]

Is twenty minutes enough patience? ? The 170L is 18" deep and it felt like my arms had popped out their sockets but the time I'd actually caught him earlier today! Might need my dad to help with the netting.

The 170 is the one you are changing the base on?. So drain it down so you have around 6" of water in it then catch the fish.

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

The 170 is the one you are changing the base on?. So drain it down so you have around 6" of water in it then catch the fish.

Ooh, I didn't think of that! Thank you so much!

 

[Byron]

Is twenty minutes enough patience? ? The 170L is 18" deep and it felt like my arms had popped out their sockets but the time I'd actually caught him earlier today! Might need my dad to help with the netting.

There is a way to net fish that will in most cases always be quicker, and that is more important for the fish than the aquarist. itiwhetu mentioned it...get the fish to swim into the stationary net.

I do this by selecting either the left or right front corner (rather depends upon your dexterity, I prefer the net in my right and so I use the left corner). Place the net on the substrate at an angle to the front glass so the net is against the glass, and make sure the next is full open. A black net does work best because it is invisible to fish so long as it does not move (so the biologists tell me). Make sure the area in front of the net opening is clear so the fish will be inclined to swim along the front into the net. With the net stationary, use you left hand to slowly and carefully guide the fish around the left side and across the front. Having the net relatively close to the left corner is best as the fish has less time to realize the possible trap. Be ready to twist the net against the front glass so the fish cannot get out. The tiniest bend in the net can create an opening the fish will seize, so be quick raising it to the surface. If other fish also get caught, you can remove them with your left hand, so long as the net opening is above the surface and the intended fish can't swim out.

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

There is a way to net fish that will in most cases always be quicker, and that is more important for the fish than the aquarist. itiwhetu mentioned it...get the fish to swim into the stationary net.

I do this by selecting either the left or right front corner (rather depends upon your dexterity, I prefer the net in my right and so I use the left corner). Place the net on the substrate at an angle to the front glass so the net is against the glass, and make sure the next is full open. A black net does work best because it is invisible to fish so long as it does not move (so the biologists tell me). Make sure the area in front of the net opening is clear so the fish will be inclined to swim along the front into the net. With the net stationary, use you left hand to slowly and carefully guide the fish around the left side and across the front. Having the net relatively close to the left corner is best as the fish has less time to realize the possible trap. Be ready to twist the net against the front glass so the fish cannot get out. The tiniest bend in the net can create an opening the fish will seize, so be quick raising it to the surface. If other fish also get caught, you can remove them with your left hand, so long as the net opening is above the surface and the intended fish can't swim out.

I'll keep that all in mind when I need to scoop up someone next. Thank you!

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

There is a way to net fish that will in most cases always be quicker, and that is more important for the fish than the aquarist. itiwhetu mentioned it...get the fish to swim into the stationary net.

I do this by selecting either the left or right front corner (rather depends upon your dexterity, I prefer the net in my right and so I use the left corner). Place the net on the substrate at an angle to the front glass so the net is against the glass, and make sure the next is full open. A black net does work best because it is invisible to fish so long as it does not move (so the biologists tell me). Make sure the area in front of the net opening is clear so the fish will be inclined to swim along the front into the net. With the net stationary, use you left hand to slowly and carefully guide the fish around the left side and across the front. Having the net relatively close to the left corner is best as the fish has less time to realize the possible trap. Be ready to twist the net against the front glass so the fish cannot get out. The tiniest bend in the net can create an opening the fish will seize, so be quick raising it to the surface. If other fish also get caught, you can remove them with your left hand, so long as the net opening is above the surface and the intended fish can't swim out.

So good to see you back, @Byron ! You've been sorely missed, believe me.

Your method sounds exactly like the method Cory shows in this video I linked earlier in this thread

All fired up for a new project and can't wait, I get it!

For when the time comes to catch the elusive fish, I found this video super helpful. I thought I was pretty good at catching fish, until I watched this and realised I had so much left to learn! Far less stressful on the fish using Cory's methods here

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Is twenty minutes enough patience? ? The 170L is 18" deep and it felt like my arms had popped out their sockets but the time I'd actually caught him earlier today! Might need my dad to help with the netting.

Have you moved all of the fish to the 57?

 

[mbsqw1d]

So this is only an assumption?:

play sand compacts in aquariums it is not good. Plants will have difficulty getting their roots to grow through it. With play sand there will also be no water movement and therefore dead spots will occur in the aquarium

As you don't actually have the experience of using just play sand yourself:

I just don't know about just using the fine sand part of that equation.

However you're aware many aquarists have success with it.

A lot of aquarists are doing it and by the results it works, that is great.

So why find fault with it? Because its not the substrate you would use?

 

[PheonixKingZ]

The substrate in the river basins inhabited by Corydoras is possibly finer still than play sand, silt.

My corys do very well in my play sand. It’s definitely not the finest stuff out there, but it works well.

 

[itiwhetu]

So this is only an assumption?:


As you don't actually have the experience of using just play sand yourself:


However you're aware many aquarists have success with it.


So why find fault with it? Because its not the substrate you would use?

I have many questions going through my mind about its successful use in aquariums. I realize that many aquarists make it work. I am not convinced that it is for me at the moment, and at some stage I will no doubt set up a tank and try it. The reason it doesn't work for me is that I use fish waste to feed my plants and it seems that with play sand everyone removes the fish waste, and uses ferts. That is where I have a problem with it.