Type of sand for Clown Loaches?

[kooter]

What is the best sand for loaches? Playsand, Silica Sand or Pool Filter sand?
Where can you get the silica sand and is the sandblasting kind ok?
thx.

[jec0995]

From what I've read on here...play sand from a hardware store is the best. I have play sand from Home depot for my clowns. They seem to love it. It's cheap too!!

I've read somewhere that the blasted sand may be too sharp for them.

Many people go with pool filter sand also. It's more expensive but generally a nicer white color. The play sand at home depot varies in it's color depending on where in the country you live. When I lived in NE Pennsylvania...the sand was brown. Here in Columbus ohio...it's white.

Whatever kind it is...make sure its silica based. This won't affect your water parameters. Most play sand is. Hopefully someone else will back-up what I've said here. Good Luck.

Jimmy

[kooter]

thanks. I looked at the play sand here on the west coast of Canada and found that home depot's sand was tan. I don't want the Clowns to blend in too much with the sand, so I'm after "whitish" sand if I can get any around here.

[bleumonkey]

what are the benefits and downsides of keeping sand in an aquarium? does it need some special treatment?