Loaches and cories vs. substrate

[Heady]

I am setting up a 100 gallon tank and would like to have some kind of burrowing loach in there.

This will be a moderately planted tank, so I would like a substrate that is good for plants but I also need something that won't be too sharp for the loach and cories I want to put in there. I would prefer a dark gray or black sand substrate if I can get it, but I can't afford onyx sand on that large of a tank.

Do you have loaches and/or cories in a planted tank? What substrate do you have and are you happy with it? What do you suggest?

I have heard some kinds of sand from the hardware store may be acceptable while others are too sharp for the bottom dwellers. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[VoodooChild]

I use standard aquarium gravel for my planted 30 gallon. The panda cories I have in there have no problem rooting around for food and my little kulhi loach can even bury himself in it. I've heard great things about SeaChem's Flourite, but have never tried. Perhaps someone will chime in here.

 

[AnnabelleRose]

I had 11 julii cories in a 55 gallon planted tank and used a combination of medium size gravel substrate and dolomite (I think it was dolomite- it was a while ago. It is reddish in color.). The cories seemed to do just fine in there and it never harmed their whiskers or anything- and the plants did good as well.

I once tried to mix sand and medium sized gravel together in my 30 gallon once, but the sand just sunk to the bottom and the plant roots just suffocated and died. Boo!

I don't know if that's any help for you- let me know how it works out!