Black sand?
- Thread starter Sal329
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echoofformless
Peat Advocate & Defender Of Snails
I have that sand in my 55g, it's not black. More of a dark purplish gray color.
as far as your plants, the only one that would benefit from you using this sand is the sword. It's a specialty planted tank sand that one would be more inclined to use for heavy root feeding plants such as the swords.
But if you don't plan on utilizing the substrate all that much (ie - java ferns, mosses, other rhizome and floating type plants) it wouldn't be worth shelling out the money.
There are plenty of black sands available at the LFS for far less money. Personally I would go with those, unless as I previously stated, you're planning to get very serious with those swords.
Here is my tank with the onyx sand while still a work in progress -
as far as your plants, the only one that would benefit from you using this sand is the sword. It's a specialty planted tank sand that one would be more inclined to use for heavy root feeding plants such as the swords.
But if you don't plan on utilizing the substrate all that much (ie - java ferns, mosses, other rhizome and floating type plants) it wouldn't be worth shelling out the money.
There are plenty of black sands available at the LFS for far less money. Personally I would go with those, unless as I previously stated, you're planning to get very serious with those swords.
Here is my tank with the onyx sand while still a work in progress -
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Tank looks good. I want to add live plants but to be very honest my tank is kinda weird shaped. It is not your typical rectangle. It is a corner tank, so getting the proper lighting is a pain. So I figured if I can get just a couple plants that will do well in low light and I really wont have to use CO2 I would like that. Right now I have play sand, silk plants and some plastic plants. My tank is set up with a tropical theme, palm trees, tiki head and colorful plants. I am moving soon and want to change the look. I want it to be darker, darker sand, dark castle (one that is tall) and plants, thats why I like the moss idea. The fish I will be adding will all have color so I figure the black will help accent them.
I have black Tahitian Moon sand in my 55g (it's from PetSmart). It's layered on top of a pea gravel/white sand substrate. PLants root fine, and the contrast with terra cotta pots, plants, and fish (except for BGK) is great. Just rinse it 3 or 4 times. And where the gravel/shells migrate in a few areas provide a sort of natural effect. 
echoofformless
Peat Advocate & Defender Of Snails
Compacting isn't really an issue with onyx sand - it's more of a fine gravel. It's a special plant substrate so I would assume that the manufacturer took that into consideration when designing it.
I went to move one of the swords that had been planted for a month or so, and that thing had roots going for up to 8 inches in all directions - and over a foot in others.
I went to move one of the swords that had been planted for a month or so, and that thing had roots going for up to 8 inches in all directions - and over a foot in others.
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I like the dark substrate look too. In my 55g I used black coated gravel and I would not do that again. The color is really grey, speckled (more and more) with white showing through. And possibly the coating was responsible for my awful 6-month plague of brown diatoms. (Someone suggested to me that might be the cause, and I haven't had the problem in other tanks.)
I've just set up a cherry shrimp tank with the Tahitian moon sand and it is gorgeous. Does show the "dirt" though, more than gravel does. I need a tiny little rake.
I'm tempted to top my gravel with the moon sand, but figured it would just sink to the bottom. But I see that Rosita did it successfully so I'll try it.
I've just set up a cherry shrimp tank with the Tahitian moon sand and it is gorgeous. Does show the "dirt" though, more than gravel does. I need a tiny little rake.
I'm tempted to top my gravel with the moon sand, but figured it would just sink to the bottom. But I see that Rosita did it successfully so I'll try it.
Dan the Moose
dan the moose
i mixed the oynix sand with gravel, and had HORRIBLE results, i owuld not really recomend it to any one, the only way that i can really fix it is by gravel vacuming, sucking up the sand, and then putting it back on top of the gravel, and even then, next gravel change its the same issue. my personal reccomendation, go with a dark, medium fine sublstrate. MUCH MUCH better, and there is less worry about it cloging your filter. like my sand does on a WEEKLY basis (pretty much every timei disturb it) sand is also much harder to clean, really unless you have a densly planted tank, where there is almost NO bottom at all because of the plants, sand can become a very large hassle.