Finally switched over to sand!
- Thread starter LittleFoot
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Looks good, I have been using sand for two years, although it is very fine sand, similar to the texture of reef sand, natural white looks awesome need to make sure to have a good filter and vacuum regularly. It is more dense than allows for excellent bacteria, I have to watch for bad spots. Three months ago I bought the more granular sand which looks like yours in black to hide pots/roots and messiness, also looks cool!
I have just recently started up with planting. Did you directly put the roots into the sand or did you pot them or ???
I have just recently started up with planting. Did you directly put the roots into the sand or did you pot them or ???
OP
OP
LittleFoot
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Thank you! I just love the sand, and it's so much easier to plant in too! Planting is so much fun. Some of the plants are tied onto the rocks or driftwood, the others are planted in the sand directly.
Thanks for the info.
I bought a neglected planted tank, 30 gal long and I was excited thinking it would be a great learning tool. Only to find out that the substrate had some soil in it but there was so much mulm, and decaying plants and in over a month of numerous cleanings could not make any headway to get that stuff out. And it was bothering my allergies. After all that I decided to get a bigger tank so I could have some (more) guppies too, to consolidate.
My friend just took the 30 long and is going clean it out and redo it with sand blasting sand and use pots to plant it.
Right now I am leaning toward sand at Petco for my new 37 gal, the nice lite granular sand I already tried. I think it will be great for good bacteria. I am really excited to get started.
I love gardening, so this seems like a new frontier.
There is a Betta breeder hobbiest I know of, who has good Java moss. If she has a large supply I think will try a background sheet with moss... I can't do a whole back ground because there is a see through view from the entry to the living room. I guess I will decide in a couple days.
My newest Betta is very similar to your avatar pic! He changes color and when he's under the light, even a new color.
My newest tank came with a big amazing rock and some smaller ones, so I am going to be doing some planning while the tank cycles. I am also considering mixing colors of sand, but I need to see what other colors are available.
I bought a neglected planted tank, 30 gal long and I was excited thinking it would be a great learning tool. Only to find out that the substrate had some soil in it but there was so much mulm, and decaying plants and in over a month of numerous cleanings could not make any headway to get that stuff out. And it was bothering my allergies. After all that I decided to get a bigger tank so I could have some (more) guppies too, to consolidate.
My friend just took the 30 long and is going clean it out and redo it with sand blasting sand and use pots to plant it.
Right now I am leaning toward sand at Petco for my new 37 gal, the nice lite granular sand I already tried. I think it will be great for good bacteria. I am really excited to get started.
I love gardening, so this seems like a new frontier.
There is a Betta breeder hobbiest I know of, who has good Java moss. If she has a large supply I think will try a background sheet with moss... I can't do a whole back ground because there is a see through view from the entry to the living room. I guess I will decide in a couple days.
My newest Betta is very similar to your avatar pic! He changes color and when he's under the light, even a new color.
My newest tank came with a big amazing rock and some smaller ones, so I am going to be doing some planning while the tank cycles. I am also considering mixing colors of sand, but I need to see what other colors are available.
LyndaB
Aquarium Advice Addict
Great changes! Well done. 
OP
OP
LittleFoot
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Thanks for the kind words everyone!
Autumnsky: I started for the opposite reason, lol. I'm terrible at gardening. Everything terrestrial plant I touch dies, usually from under or over watering. I never can seem to strike a good balance. I tried bamboo since it grows immersed, but my cats gnawed on it until there was nothing left. This way I can have plants without worrying about over/under watering it or the cats killing it. HA!
I'm planning a java moss wall myself! I have a hex tank that I'm going to try and put a bamboo planter in (since the cat's won't be able to get to it!) to help suck up nitrates from the water column. I'm thinking I'll moss wall that entire back wall and over the front of the planter to help disguise it. Be sure and post pictures once you get started so I can see how it's coming along.
The betta in my avatar is Luciun. He's almost completely blind from pop-eye (one eye is permanently popped out and cloudy), but he's so funny and has a huge personality. They have amazing color don't they?
I got my sand at Petco too. I had really really fine sand in one of my betta tanks, but I was not happy with it and went back to gravel. This more granular stuff is fantastic and I'm glad I made the switch. My cories are much happier too.
Are you going to attach any plants or moss to your rock, or is it an awesome piece on it's own?
Autumnsky: I started for the opposite reason, lol. I'm terrible at gardening. Everything terrestrial plant I touch dies, usually from under or over watering. I never can seem to strike a good balance. I tried bamboo since it grows immersed, but my cats gnawed on it until there was nothing left. This way I can have plants without worrying about over/under watering it or the cats killing it. HA!
I'm planning a java moss wall myself! I have a hex tank that I'm going to try and put a bamboo planter in (since the cat's won't be able to get to it!) to help suck up nitrates from the water column. I'm thinking I'll moss wall that entire back wall and over the front of the planter to help disguise it. Be sure and post pictures once you get started so I can see how it's coming along.
The betta in my avatar is Luciun. He's almost completely blind from pop-eye (one eye is permanently popped out and cloudy), but he's so funny and has a huge personality. They have amazing color don't they?
I got my sand at Petco too. I had really really fine sand in one of my betta tanks, but I was not happy with it and went back to gravel. This more granular stuff is fantastic and I'm glad I made the switch. My cories are much happier too.
Are you going to attach any plants or moss to your rock, or is it an awesome piece on it's own?
LittleFoot- The "awesome" rock is like a partial tube like from thin lava, with a cave like hollow inside, it is tannish grey. I haven't decided on what to do with it. I probably will take pictures Wednesday of everything so I can post some.
I haven't been able get anything set up on my new tank yet, just got the stand in the house but can't quite decide on where to rearrange everything to so it fits and looks good. The main issue is whether to take the original tank and put it on the new stand and use the old stand which is more like a piece of furniture with the new tank since it is seen when you come into the house. Hubby has slightly different point of view, but I am not sure and it's too much work to set up to change my mind!
Looked online and Petco doesn't have any more options for that sand than our local store does, large bag in white and black and small in blue, grey, and sienna, I think also black and white.
I want to make a panel of moss which can hide the filter intake. My new (to me) tank looks like it's in near new condition but it has a built in filter bar that fits across the back which is really cool, I didn't even know it had that til I got it home.
It is a Jebo brand with Jebo stand. Told it is 37 gallon. It has two lights in the hood but one broke and It is $20.00 for a new one, I am going to have to do some research for which to buy for the plants, it already has a blue 10k, was told it was for plants, I am pretty much clueless, I am going to call Jebo or a rep.
Also don't know if the moss need anything different than the plants. Moss will have to wait for a little bit I have too many chores on the "to do" list but in theory looks easy to do, I saw a Youtube video. Looked like... snip pieces of moss thoroughly cover surface stitch together weight down or attach to the back area, light and fertilizer.. ya, sooooouuuunds easy!!!
No question, sand is better than gravel, my last tank looked really nice it was crushed natural white quartz but once I got algae growth it was hard to keep it away. So far I haven't had algae bother my fine sand from "Super Naturals".
Have you had any problems with algae, with black sand, shouldn't notice?
I haven't been able get anything set up on my new tank yet, just got the stand in the house but can't quite decide on where to rearrange everything to so it fits and looks good. The main issue is whether to take the original tank and put it on the new stand and use the old stand which is more like a piece of furniture with the new tank since it is seen when you come into the house. Hubby has slightly different point of view, but I am not sure and it's too much work to set up to change my mind!
Looked online and Petco doesn't have any more options for that sand than our local store does, large bag in white and black and small in blue, grey, and sienna, I think also black and white.
I want to make a panel of moss which can hide the filter intake. My new (to me) tank looks like it's in near new condition but it has a built in filter bar that fits across the back which is really cool, I didn't even know it had that til I got it home.
It is a Jebo brand with Jebo stand. Told it is 37 gallon. It has two lights in the hood but one broke and It is $20.00 for a new one, I am going to have to do some research for which to buy for the plants, it already has a blue 10k, was told it was for plants, I am pretty much clueless, I am going to call Jebo or a rep.
Also don't know if the moss need anything different than the plants. Moss will have to wait for a little bit I have too many chores on the "to do" list but in theory looks easy to do, I saw a Youtube video. Looked like... snip pieces of moss thoroughly cover surface stitch together weight down or attach to the back area, light and fertilizer.. ya, sooooouuuunds easy!!!
No question, sand is better than gravel, my last tank looked really nice it was crushed natural white quartz but once I got algae growth it was hard to keep it away. So far I haven't had algae bother my fine sand from "Super Naturals".
Have you had any problems with algae, with black sand, shouldn't notice?
I recently started my 10g tank about 3 days ago. I really wished I had started with sand instead of gravel for my little zebras which I shouldn't have even started with in the first place. Is there any way in which I can switch my gravel out for sand?
There are products at the fish store which add beneficial bacteria or if you have a good friend who has a healthy mature tank you could use their used filter pad to introduce good bacteria to help your tank cycle.
Probably you could add your sand over the top and mix it in and after the tank cycles use a little sifter to scoop out the gravel, hopefully it's close to the same color or you could just remove the fish, decorations, remove the gravel and add the new stuff, you might as well love your tank, and doing it now would be better than tearing it all apart later when you have a tank full of fish, plants, and decorations. If it has been up for only a few days, I don't think it would be a big set-back.
Getting the good bacteria in and established should be a priority though.
It sucks not knowing important information. I was at the fish store today and talked to a customer who had been given a couple pieces of bad information, I shared a few things and he said it made sense.
Happy learning, here at AA I have been getting very good information, and there are many really nice people to help you.
Probably you could add your sand over the top and mix it in and after the tank cycles use a little sifter to scoop out the gravel, hopefully it's close to the same color or you could just remove the fish, decorations, remove the gravel and add the new stuff, you might as well love your tank, and doing it now would be better than tearing it all apart later when you have a tank full of fish, plants, and decorations. If it has been up for only a few days, I don't think it would be a big set-back.
Getting the good bacteria in and established should be a priority though.
It sucks not knowing important information. I was at the fish store today and talked to a customer who had been given a couple pieces of bad information, I shared a few things and he said it made sense.
Happy learning, here at AA I have been getting very good information, and there are many really nice people to help you.
OP
OP
LittleFoot
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Autumnsky - That rock piece sounds amazing. Please post pictures of it!
Moss really has almost no requirements. It will grow even in almost no lighting, with no extra CO2 and no ferts. Its ridiculous! Blue lights are generally for corals or saltwater tanks as far as I know (someone please correct me if I'm wrong there). White lights or pink lights are what you want to grow plants.
I do have some algae problems in two of my tanks. The first one is the 40 gal breeder in the pictures on this page. The lights are really strong and when I started it I just threw whatever plants I liked in there without thinking about their light requirements. All my low light/slow growing plants ended up covered in black beard algae and if I over fertilize I get some green spot algae too. That's mostly under control now as I've moved some plants around and put my lights on a timer. My hex tank also has some black beard algae, but it sits in front of the window which makes the lighting hard to control well. I got a large mystery snail and he managed to remove all the algae from all my plants in less than a week and has been keeping the algae problem in check. Hopefully it stays that way!
Parrisgg - If you've only had your tank up and running for a few days then it isn't cycled yet anyway so I would just make the switch. Just drain the tank, put the fish in a bucket with some tank water, scoop out the gravel, pour in the sand and you're done!
Moss really has almost no requirements. It will grow even in almost no lighting, with no extra CO2 and no ferts. Its ridiculous! Blue lights are generally for corals or saltwater tanks as far as I know (someone please correct me if I'm wrong there). White lights or pink lights are what you want to grow plants.
I do have some algae problems in two of my tanks. The first one is the 40 gal breeder in the pictures on this page. The lights are really strong and when I started it I just threw whatever plants I liked in there without thinking about their light requirements. All my low light/slow growing plants ended up covered in black beard algae and if I over fertilize I get some green spot algae too. That's mostly under control now as I've moved some plants around and put my lights on a timer. My hex tank also has some black beard algae, but it sits in front of the window which makes the lighting hard to control well. I got a large mystery snail and he managed to remove all the algae from all my plants in less than a week and has been keeping the algae problem in check. Hopefully it stays that way!
Parrisgg - If you've only had your tank up and running for a few days then it isn't cycled yet anyway so I would just make the switch. Just drain the tank, put the fish in a bucket with some tank water, scoop out the gravel, pour in the sand and you're done!
Today didn't work out...yet, for pics, maybe tonight or Friday.
Similar threads
