Type of sand for corydoras ?

[KevinZ]

Hello can I use this kind of sand for corydoras? It's kinda spikey looking but small. I was worried to use it tho. Need some Advise I will going to start setting up my 100x50x50 cm tank for Blackwater biotope this week.

 

[FishGuest5123]

Most of us use Quickcrete Play Sand. I haven’t had cories for long but that should be acceptable. It doesn’t appear to have sharp stones.

 

[KevinZ]

Most of us use Quickcrete Play Sand. I haven’t had cories for long but that should be acceptable. It doesn’t appear to have sharp stones.

Okay! Should I mix it with play sand? I have play sand but it's white coloured. And on my other thread, people said using white/dark coloured Substrate has a bad influence on fishes environment

 

[Essjay]

Mixing two different grain sizes will end up with the larger grain size on top.

Is there no darker play sand in Indonesia?

 

[KevinZ]

I think there's some I just can't find one at the store. Sad me. I'll use this one then

 

[Barry Tetra]

I use river sand + play sand in my loaches tank and it works just fine, not sure about cories though, before you buy, make sure there is no sharp particles or it will hurt cories.

 

[FishGuest5123]

Okay! Should I mix it with play sand? I have play sand but it's white coloured. And on my other thread, people said using white/dark coloured Substrate has a bad influence on fishes environment

I don’t see any problem with mixing it. Others? @Colin_T ?

 

[Barry Tetra]

I don’t see any problem with mixing it. Others? @Colin_T ?

It will hurt fishes eye I think, @Byron stated that somewhere I can't remember.

 

[FishGuest5123]

It will hurt fishes eye I think, @Byron stated that somewhere I can't remember.

I believe if he’s mixing it with brown then it will tone it down just fine.

 

[KevinZ]

How deep should the substrate be for corydoras? I think I am going to make a layer of white at the bottom and Brown at the top if I don't have enough I am not going to plant any stem plant. Only Anubias Attached to driftwood.

 

[Byron]

Pure white is detrimental. I am surprised someone actually makes white play sand...are you sure it is not a buff or beige colour? Mixing substrates is not usually a good idea. There are other aspects too, such as the overhead light (don't have it bright), floating plants (they shade the tank and forest fish appreciate them), and using chunks of dark wood with less open area.

How deep should the substrate be for corydoras? I think I am going to make a layer of white at the bottom and Brown at the top if I don't have enough I am not going to plant any stem plant. Only Anubias Attached to driftwood.

An inch depth is adequate. Some of the very large species (the Scleromystax species and a few of the larger Corydoras species) may dig down deeper than one inch, but for the majority this is all you need. I would probably have 1.5 inches when spread evenly over the tank floor before aquascaping.

 

[KevinZ]

@Byron
I am Pretty sure it's Pure White Colour unless I am slightly blind or something I don't use it anymore tho.
Can I still Use it as the bottom layer Of the substrate tho? And how about the brown substrate? It is safe for Corys?

 

[Byron]

@Byron
I am Pretty sure it's Pure White Colour unless I am slightly blind or something I don't use it anymore tho.
Can I still Use it as the bottom layer Of the substrate tho? And how about the brown substrate? It is safe for Corys?

I wold have to see the "brown" sand, but there is nothing wrong with the colour brown but the sand has to be smooth.

Mixing sands is not advisable as they will in time mix together. I would remove the present substrate before adding something new that is of a different colour or texture; adding more of the same sand is obviously not a problem from this aspect.

The substrate pictured in post #1 is not suited because it is angular and thus rough. Yu want something more smooth.

 

[KevinZ]

I wold have to see the "brown" sand, but there is nothing wrong with the colour brown but the sand has to be smooth.

Mixing sands is not advisable as they will in time mix together. I would remove the present substrate before adding something new that is of a different colour or texture; adding more of the same sand is obviously not a problem from this aspect.

The substrate pictured in post #1 is not suited because it is angular and thus rough. Yu want something more smooth.

Noted ill try To look for some Beach Looking sand I guess. buying online is the best option for now. I can't find any store that sold brown coloured Smooth sand lol.

 

[FishGuest5123]

This is the color of the Quickcrete play sand I add.