Best sand for cories, khulis?

[LiveMermaid07]

What would be the best safest sand for cories and black khulis?
(I also have plants.)

I'm looking to change my substrate (LONG story..),
these are the ones that should be available for me to get:
http://www.lowes.com/pl_Sand_4294858246_4294937087_?UserSearch=sand&langId=-1&storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&N=0&newSearch=true

I tried the one on the bottom right, the
Short Mountain Silica 50 Lbs. Premium Play Sand (http://www.lowes.com/pd_10392-74291-00014_4294858246_4294937087_?productId=3305740&Ns=p_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr%7C0%7C%7Cp_product_qu antity_sold%7C1&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl_Sand_4294858246_4294937087_%3FNs% 3Dp_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr%7C0%7C%7Cp_product_qua ntity_sold%7C1) ,

and it compacts too much. They can dig in it, (mostly) but it's causing some problems so I'm looking for something to replace it with.

Thanks. :)

oh, specifically, peppered cories, black khulies, and mts (though I have trouble breeding the mts so they don't stir the sand a lot. I stir some.)

[H2Ogal]

I believe leveling and paver sands have mildewcides or some other additives. Construction sand might be sharp or have grains of several different sizes (which would increase compacting over time). Of the sands shown, I say to go with the simplest sand product, play sand or maybe general purpose. If you have any pool service/supply companies in your area, however, you should be able to find PFS for not much more money (or wait for it to show up at Home Depot/Lowes for the summer season). Pool filter sand should be the safest, with no additives, and the least likely to compact, as water has to flow through it for filtering purposes.

Good luck!

[jetajockey]

3m colorquartz or other ceramic coated sands seem to be very smooth to the touch. Never had an issue with them and my bottom feeders.

[LiveMermaid07]

I believe leveling and paver sands have mildewcides or some other additives. Shouldn't they say on the package?? (I hope I hope..)

Construction sand might be sharp or have grains of several different sizes (which would increase compacting over time). Of the sands shown, the store didn't have the same things/brands they had online (which makes no sense because I looked up MY local store. :/ )

I say to go with the simplest sand product, play sand or maybe general purpose. If you have any pool service/supply companies in your area, however, you should be able to find PFS for not much more money (or wait for it to show up at Home Depot/Lowes for the summer season). Pool filter sand should be the safest, with no additives, and the least likely to compact, as water has to flow through it for filtering purposes.
The pool filter sand I've been able to find so far has additives (??). Supposedly walmart carries some but it's special order and I haven't been able to find anyone in-store or online yet who knows anything about it - size, price, how to get it, etc.
Good luck!

I went to Lowes last night, they didn't have the same stuff in store as online (???), and I feel so stupid, I think I got the totally wrong thing. I can't find it on their site or anywhere on the internet to find out more about it, maybe someone here has heard of it. It's called
'American Countryside Patio and Paving BASE'.
There was a hole in one of the bags, so naturally I stuck my fingers in it to feel if it was soft or scratchy, it felt soft, but I've no idea about additives or compactness. *headdesk*
It looks like grey sand with black spots.

Any ideas??

HELP!
Please!
(I'm getting a headache from smacking it against the desk...)

[jackiomy]

Do you have a Home Depot? That is where I get the plain PLAYSAND for kid's sandboxes. And I buy Flourite and put it under the sand for my plants. That way the corys don't get into it.

[LiveMermaid07]

I tried play sand last year, it compacts to much for me, I stir (seemingly) all the time, but now I'm having serious problems.

I luv the kitties in your pic! :)

[cpetrosky]

we need to go get some sand from Abydos, that looked fairly soft and they have plenty of it there lol

[fishorama]

You can look for pool/spa stores they should have plain filter sand. That's what I use in several tanks, play sand, as you said, compacts & has other "stuff" in it, brick bits etc. Corys, kuhlis & MTS are fine on PFS, it maybe worth it to get Eco-complete, Peace River or Tahitian moon sand (I haven't tried TMS or PR) depending on you tank size.

[LiveMermaid07]

Lololol
too bad they blew up the planet
bet I could get a good deal on it there! ;)

[LiveMermaid07]

I've been looking for that, the only pool supply I can find only had a very small bag for $12. and I'm not sure it didn't have something else in it. I don't know why its so hard to find it's not like we haven't been having 80* weather or anything. (Pool stuff comes out in Jan/Feb here abouts).
For that price and the # of bags I'd need I might as well just use play sand and replace it every 6-12months if I have to. (my check was $6 this week lol.)
They put brick in playsand?? That's ridiculous! That's bad for kids and fish!

If changing the substrate kills the smelly thats taken over the tank and I get to keep it then hopefully later on (probably much later, but at some point) I can change to something nice.

[LiveMermaid07]

American Countryside Patio and Paving BASE'
the other brand they actually have listed says:

Provides a firm foundation

does this mean it compacts easily?
(aaaaagggh!)

[jetajockey]

Oil dri or turface are cheap substrate choices. I'm not sure what the fuss over getting a smooth substrate is, the wild corys aren't restricted to special smooth areas for bottom feeders.

The barbel erosion issues I've seen look more like a bacterial issue than anything

[jackiomy]

I tried play sand last year, it compacts to much for me, I stir (seemingly) all the time, but now I'm having serious problems.

I luv the kitties in your pic! :)

Thank you! They look sweet but they are little monsters underneath those blue eyes and innocent looks. They were rescues from Baja California when they were 7 weeks old. >^..^<

[LiveMermaid07]

I'm not sure what the fuss over getting a smooth substrate is, the wild corys aren't restricted to special smooth areas for bottom feeders.


I'm more thinking about the khulis, they are always diving in and out of the substrate, I don't want them to get scratched up.

[LiveMermaid07]

Thank you! They look sweet but they are little monsters underneath those blue eyes and innocent looks. >^..^<

Aren't they all? LOL

[LiveMermaid07]

I was FINALLY able to get some pfs!

I got most done, but the newer filter (aquaclear) won't start, argh! and one of the otos got really stressed out and didn't make it. :cry: