Do you have a tank with white or light colored substrate?

[TheresaM]

I tend to get black or natural colored substrate but I'm setting up a scarlet badis tank and am very much considering this. If you have a tank with a lighter substrate would you mind sharing a photo?

 

[ImACoolguy]

Caleb

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[NigelK8485]

Sorry for the lopsided picture.

If I had to redo it I would have chosen dark substrate. It's not worth the amount of work it would be to switch it out though to actually do it.

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[TheresaM]

Ugh, I'm so undecided...do you find it hard to keep clean? I'm really thinking the white would look good with the red fish and red shrimp....

 

[Mattfinn]

I use river sand, I think it's as natural a look as you can get. You get a mix of fine and course grains with little bits of Quartz and other rocks. I haven't had an issue with ph levels fluctuating from the sand contents.

I'll upload a photo when my light comes on.

 

[TheresaM]

I use river sand, I think it's as natural a look as you can get. You get a mix of fine and course grains with little bits of Quartz and other rocks. I haven't had an issue with ph levels fluctuating from the sand contents.

I'll upload a photo when my light comes on.

River sand is what I'm been looking at and definitely share a photo!

 

[ImACoolguy]

View attachment 267297

Sorry for the lopsided picture.

If I had to redo it I would have chosen dark substrate. It's not worth the amount of work it would be to switch it out though to actually do it.

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I agree Nigel i would go with black sand if I could start over.


Caleb

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[NigelK8485]

I'm using pool filter sand and don't find it difficult to keep clean. I have a pretty good flow though and all the waste that isn't taken in by my filters gets shoved into the back behind a piece of driftwood until I vacuum it.

It may have been mentioned but what size tank is this for? You could always just lay it in there and if you don't like it swap it out. Just don't heavily plant it until you're sure which color you like so it cuts out a lot of the labor.


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[Mattfinn]

River sand is what I'm been looking at and definitely share a photo!

Definitely depends on the supplier of river sand. I'd look into compounds within the sand if possible. I have two tanks running with the same from same local landscape store. Both are different bags though and one of them I think leaches into the water so the water has a tan look.

 

[mikem691]

I have done
black sand / black background
black sand / blue background
black gravel / planted background
natural gravel / with all 3 listed backgrounds
I was eventually unhappy with all combos
I have been using red flint aquarium sand / filter sand and love it.
My LFS carries it for $12.99 for 50 LBS
Sand and Gravel Water Filtration Media - Red Flint

Here is what it looks like with my midevil in the picture.

 

[TheresaM]

I have done
black sand / black background
black sand / blue background
black gravel / planted background
natural gravel / with all 3 listed backgrounds
I was eventually unhappy with all combos
I have been using red flint aquarium sand / filter sand and love it.
My LFS carries it for $12.99 for 50 LBS
Sand and Gravel Water Filtration Media - Red Flint

Here is what it looks like with my midevil in the picture.

I like that a lot! This is for a Spec 5 so no background issues. Their current tank has black sand with some river pebbles and both the shrimp and fish show awesome color.

 

[Mattfinn]

Here's my 5g low tech, crypt only tank. Yeah it needs to fill in a bit more I know.

 

[DRad2003]

In my 10gal I used play sand and I have a black background. I didn't think it looked very good until I got the plants in there. I love the way it looks.


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[fishliker]

 

[ImACoolguy]

My45g with black sand


Wish I had done black sand in my 75g planted.


Caleb

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[TheresaM]

View attachment 267304
Here's my 5g low tech, crypt only tank. Yeah it needs to fill in a bit more I know.

That's going to look nice! What stock do you plan for it?

 

[TheresaM]

View attachment 267456

 

[Bichir Bro]

I use pool filter sand, looks great and also won't show waste and debris as easy as pure white sand.

 

[TheresaM]

I use pool filter sand, looks great and also won't show waste and debris as easy as pure white sand.

That is a gorgeous tank!

 

[Mattfinn]

That's going to look nice! What stock do you plan for it?

It is looking good for something only running since December. I really need some lighter green crypts and some bronze ones. Wish my lfs carried more crypts I hate emersed packages.

I did have a betta but he had issues digesting and wouldn't take peas....so I'm going to add some RCS and another betta when I find the right one.