substrate, community tank

[rreekers]

i have a 60g hex tank set up.
it houses a a dwarf gourami, 4light tip tetras, a few swordtails, few guppies, few gold dust mollies, 5 kuhli loaches

- i have read that kuhli loaches like to tunnel themselves into sand and hide/rest. i currently have small pebble river rock substrate mixed with floromax substrate. i have been considering doing a partial sand area at the front of my tank under my java moss, as a sort of loach haven. would this be a good idea?
is it possible to make a "sand pit" area? do loaches actually like the sand (in anyone's experience?) another question i have is, if i was to go forward with the sand, would i eventually be about to get a few more loaches? how many is to many? i have no other bottom feeder fish.

my tank parameters are Amm 0, nitrites 0 nitrates 0 ph 7.6-7.8
i run a 305 Fluval canister filter

 

[rreekers]

this picture shows how my tank is set up .. what i would like to do, is do a curved sand pit right in front, under the java moss. if i do the sand i would have it extend from the middle of pane 1, across the main front viewing pane, and stop in the middle of the 3rd pane of glass that is visible.


PS. thank you for your opinions and for sharing your knowledge

 

[epiphysis]

I have 6 kuhli's with pfs and they never really dig in the sand. They would rather wriggle into a gap underneath a rock or driftwood.

But I still think the isea with the sand would look great with your setup.

 

[rreekers]

i think that the sand would be cool also,
my loaches wrap up in my java moss alot of the time, its kind of weird

 

[swimwithme]

Cool tank! And I agree that the sand would look pretty cool.

 

[LyndaB]

In my opinion, you should not get any more kuhlis due to the footprint of this hex tank. Cool tank, by the way.

I have a dozen kuhlis and love them to death. They don't burrow in the sand, but rather like to dig caves beneath driftwood and other decor. If you offer them a piece of driftwood that has natural openings in it, they will also accept that as a good hiding place. Mine are out day and night, either cruising the bottom or doing the "kuhli dance of joy" up and down the sides of the tank. They do love sand, which is the kindest substrate for belly surfing like they do.

 

[rreekers]

thanks and I think I am going to do the sand pit, I think it will look cool and if the loaches use it that even better!

 

[Danny-O]

My khulis seem perfectly happy with no sand. I have three that have been with me for nearly five years, and they seem content among the nooks and crannies in the decor. I have thought of a sand pit for them a few years back, but I run a UGF, and never pursued it. Let us know if they take to it.

 

[rreekers]

yeah I'm not sure if they will take to it or not but I think it will look cool regardless. and I will definitely let you know if they like it, I got the sand today.. I need to find a good chunk of time to commit to taking the tank literally apart.

I'm scared this might thrown me back into a mini cycle or worse :/
I need to remove all the fish, HOW AM I GOING TO CATCH THOSE 5 LOACHES? I have a undergravel grate I think I should remove before adding the sand, any thoughts?
I'm going to create a barrier between my sand and gravel, I'm thinking thin strips of Plexiglas
what is the best way to rinse sand?

 

[Homer8]

i have play sand in my freshwater tank(couldnt find pfs anywhere in town not even at home depot or lowes) and i have a very fine sand that i got from petco in my brackish tank and i like the fine sand better. the color is more white then gold and both are easy to clean and both are cheap so i dont mind sucking up some with the gravel vac.

 

[rreekers]

yeah I got actual aquarium sand, 2-5lb bags one bag is a little more course, and almost matches my gravel substrate.. the other bag is light tan and much more fine. I'm going to mix them
I'm just hope I got enough sand to satisfy my vision ( probably not) that's why I think I should take out the non active undergravel grate, so less goes under neath that ... not sure what to do.. keep the grate or not ..
I have always had undergravel grates under my substrate .. I'm scare to change what I'm so accustomed to...

 

[LyndaB]

Probably the vast majority of us have not had the grate and our tanks are doing great with a multitude of substrates. Be brave, take the plunge!

 

[rreekers]

thank you for the confidence. I'm going to have to, I don't want to lose all my sand to the underworld of the grate Haha