rainbowcharmer - good to know your experience with play sand - I have read others complain about this anaerobic pocket issue while using play sand too - maybe its only good for the fluidized sand bed filter I am going to DIY. My only problem is that the Pool filter sand I get around here is not crisp white. While I realize that the white would show every little piece of debris, I like the look of it, so I am torn. Unfortunately, I think I will have to go with the pool filter sand - a lot more people using it - seems easier for a nooB.
Cabomba unhappy & Brown Algae.
- Thread starter rajseth
- Start date
If you stir it a lot and keep a good amount of MTS and rooted plants, you may not have the anaerobic issues with the play sand; but I just don't much like the texture or the look of it when compared to the pool filter sand. I will agree that the pool filter sand is much easier to keep. I do have MTS and rooted plants in it as well, but I'm betting because of the bigger grain, it would not have issues with the anaerobic pockets like the play sand did even if I didn't keep the MTS and plants.
My cabomba dies of en masse when I use more than a little bit of any phosphate based PH buffer. It took a few incidents to figure it out - one it ALL died.
Pool filter sand is great because it permits ready diffusion of oxygen inwards and allows products of anaerobic decay to diffuse upwards to the aerobic zones where aerobic bacteria eat it up. Pool filter sand is meshed for a limited range of medium sized grains, which makes it resistant to compaction. Special horse racetrack sand is another great, compaction resistant sand.
Pool filter sand is great because it permits ready diffusion of oxygen inwards and allows products of anaerobic decay to diffuse upwards to the aerobic zones where aerobic bacteria eat it up. Pool filter sand is meshed for a limited range of medium sized grains, which makes it resistant to compaction. Special horse racetrack sand is another great, compaction resistant sand.
Interesting DeeDeeK, I never heard of using horse racetrack sand. Made me think of road grit used here but I don't think it's pure silica or quartz. I suppose it depends where you live.
The only time I've seen bubbles from my PFS is in newly set up tanks, just trapped air. I didn't like the small grit of play sand & too many different types & sizes of "bits". I didn't keep it long term to know how rooted plants would do.
rajseth, I think your fast growing watersprite is using up all the "plant food" available to your other plants & they are starving. Also temp can play a role in cabomba growth IME. Diatoms should go away in a few months but may clog up the fine cabomba leaves before it does.
The only time I've seen bubbles from my PFS is in newly set up tanks, just trapped air. I didn't like the small grit of play sand & too many different types & sizes of "bits". I didn't keep it long term to know how rooted plants would do.
rajseth, I think your fast growing watersprite is using up all the "plant food" available to your other plants & they are starving. Also temp can play a role in cabomba growth IME. Diatoms should go away in a few months but may clog up the fine cabomba leaves before it does.
Another sand-like medium is chicken grit! It can be had in fairly uniform size grit and one kind is made from crushed granite, so is chemically neutral. Don't get the limestone grit or any other calcareous grits.
Can be found in feed stores. Pretty reasonable prices.
Can be found in feed stores. Pretty reasonable prices.
Lowering the light period took care of the diatoms in a few days. I did not realize that it was that dramatic!
As for substrate, I definitely don't have any dark pockets or anything like that yet - but then again it is only 2-3 wks old...
The Water Sprite is definitely doing great - and the cabomba - well about 40% of the stalks are doing OK, while 60% are brown and sorry looking. Maybe I just got an unhappy bunch?
Water parameters are doing great though.
As for substrate, I definitely don't have any dark pockets or anything like that yet - but then again it is only 2-3 wks old...
The Water Sprite is definitely doing great - and the cabomba - well about 40% of the stalks are doing OK, while 60% are brown and sorry looking. Maybe I just got an unhappy bunch?
Water parameters are doing great though.
