To sand or not to sand?

[vanalisa]

Plain natural brown gravel that we bought from a company called Cook Industrial Minerals in Jandakot. We bought it from them and bagged it up at the shop to sell to customers.

There are a number of different gudgeons with the peacocks being the smallest. I had those and in different tanks I had Mogurnda mogurnda.

Are those the purple-spotted ones?

 

[PheonixKingZ]

IME, play sand has more fine grains, which is beneficial for sand-digging fishes.

Here is a picture just to give you an idea of what I'm talking about:

(Ignore the cory )

 

[vanalisa]

IME, play sand has more fine grains, which is beneficial for sand-digging fishes.

Here is a picture just to give you an idea of what I'm talking about:
View attachment 129871
(Ignore the cory )

I absolutely will NOT ignore the cory !
Is that a coryadorus pygmaeus or Sterbai (sp?)...or something else?

 

[Slaphppy7]

Sand holds nutrients? Please explain how so compared ro gravel.

Also, gravel versus sand for live plants.

Denser substrates hold more than coarser ones.

 

[vanalisa]

IME, play sand has more fine grains, which is beneficial for sand-digging fishes.

Here is a picture just to give you an idea of what I'm talking about:
View attachment 129871
(Ignore the cory )

This looks like the same grain size as the one in the image in @Slaphppy7 's image...

 

[Slaphppy7]

I like this size of this, does it come in a darker colour?

Not that I'm aware of.

 

[vanalisa]

Denser substrates hold more than coarser ones.

I see...more nutrients, less detritus.

 

[vanalisa]

Good to see another fellow Texan here, BTW...

I'm in Dallas, what about you?

 

[Slaphppy7]

Those were my reasons for not going with sand. I was afraid of the "gas" pockets and didn't know how my lo-tech plants would do...

The "gas pocket" thing is a myth, depending on who you ask...I stir up my sand (5" deep in some spots) occasionally, with no issues

 

[Slaphppy7]

I see...more nutrients, less detritus.

Exactly

 

[Slaphppy7]

I'm in Dallas, what about you?

Near Beaumont...

 

[Slaphppy7]

Yeah, where else do you go from
7° - 70° in one week ! ? !
Freaky Dallas.

Freaky state!

 

[vanalisa]

I am concerned about my plants in sand.
@PheonixKingZ , are you planting in substrate now? I know both of us are huge fans of floaters, what say you?

@Slaphppy7 ...? Not familiar with your tanks and stocking yet; I think you joined while I was on forum break. Plants in sand? What kinds?

 

[Slaphppy7]

What is your concern?
Sand grows plants as well as gravel, regardless of the plant.

 

[vanalisa]

What is your concern?
Sand grows plants as well as gravel, regardless of the plant.

Lack of knowledge and a pinch of common sense. It just seems hard for me to imagine some of the more delicate roots having the ability to push through, although I know dwarf hairgeass will and lots of other sorts be ause I e seen pics, but my plants are Hornwort, Anacharis,, occasional annubius, some val, creeping charlie...