Follow-up on my gravel/sand thoughts..if your interested

[SimonWoodstock]

Well, I didn't go with the half and half because it may have caused problems. I also didnt want to convert it to all sand just yet. Thankfully Waterbaby shared a really good idea to make him a sand trap type thing. It's not the best setup for it, but it is alot better now.

Here is a pic of my Banjo kickin back on his new sandy lounging area. Haven't saw him burrowed yet, but it is still new to him. I aslo plan on putting some small grassy plants around it so he isnt so "exposed".

thanks for the idea, Wb.

[dethjam316]

i have a 50g that's 3/4 sand and 1/4 gravel. it was originally all gravel, but i decided i didn't like the look as much as my sand tanks, so i slowly converted it. it was a painstaking process, but i think it looks really nice now! the gravel part is great, because when i feed live black worms, they get in the cracks of the rocks. this way, the eels and loaches can dig through the rocks looking for them, which they obviously enjoy. and my plants are all growing much better on the sand side.

anyways, your "sand trap" looks pretty cool!! you have a happy catfish.

[WaterBaby]

They're gonna love it!!! Looks great. Yeah... you do need some plants to "camo" the area though.

:)

[yashinfan]

How deep is the terra cotta pot?

[WaterBaby]

It's not a pot.. It's the water tray under the pot. It's only about 1" deep.

[yashinfan]

V. cool idea, I read the other post where the other member showed you his. When you put it in, did the sand cloud your entire tank? I'm really confused as to how you would contain the sand once it went into the water.

[SimonWoodstock]

Here is what i did:

First i cleaned the sand out. Then, i got a styrofoam 12 oz. cup and scooped up about half full of wet sand. I slowly sunk the cup into the fish tank allowing water to fill the cup before i put the sand into the pot bottom. When the cup was full, i just put it about a half inch above the pot bottom and poored it in. A tiny bit of sand that was stuck to the side of the cup got mixed in with the gravel, but it pretty much just sunk straight down. Once the cup is full of water, the sand will stay in the cup..and sorta poor out like a liquid onto whatever you are putting it on.

thats how i did it.
well, im off to lunch...thanks again for sharing that great idea Wb! I owe you one, so does my catfish.:D

[WaterBaby]

anytime :)

[SimonWoodstock]

Well, here it is burrowed in the sand. It really likes hangin out in there now, and seems alot happier also. The other fish seem to find it pretty interesting sometimes too. Hopefully soon i will have some sort of cover to put in/around it.