I love fish

Play Sand is ideal for the substrate. I use Quikrete Play Sand, available from home improvement or landscape outlets like Home Depot and Lowe's in NA. It is very smooth so no fish issues, and plants grow well in it, and it looks natural. For the dimensions given, one bag could work (depends upon the plant species to be planted in the substrate, if any), but it is so cheap I would get two to have spare. Always nice down the road to be able to add a bit of sand here or there.
Thank you so much for the info. My fish are happy but I want them to have the most natural environment as possible.
 
ok so fifty bucks, Dr. Google here I come, natural substrate...
 
Play Sand is ideal for the substrate. I use Quikrete Play Sand, available from home improvement or landscape outlets like Home Depot and Lowe's in NA. It is very smooth so no fish issues, and plants grow well in it, and it looks natural. For the dimensions given, one bag could work (depends upon the plant species to be planted in the substrate, if any), but it is so cheap I would get two to have spare. Always nice down the road to be able to add a bit of sand here or there.
I got the Quikrete play sand do I need to rinse it? Or decorate it then lay something over it and fill it
 
I got the Quikrete play sand do I need to rinse it? Or decorate it then lay something over it and fill it

I always rinse it some, or you will have very cloudy water. Don't overdo it though, it is after all just dirt. I generally put maybe 5-6 cups of sand in a bucket, and rinse maybe 5 times. Once you have all the sand in the aquarium, arrange the hard decor (wood, rock, etc). If you have substrate-rooted plants, I would put some water in the tank, maybe half full, and plant. Then drain out all the water (planting will really disturb the sand). When ready to fill, put a bowl or similar container and run the water into that. This disturbs much less sand. You will have hazy water, partly the sand settling and partly bacterial bloom.
 
Play Sand is ideal for the substrate. I use Quikrete Play Sand, available from home improvement or landscape outlets like Home Depot and Lowe's in NA. It is very smooth so no fish issues, and plants grow well in it, and it looks natural. For the dimensions given, one bag could work (depends upon the plant species to be planted in the substrate, if any), but it is so cheap I would get two to have spare. Always nice down the road to be able to add a bit of sand here or there.
Fish love the sand, plants and rocks. More natural look too. Tried to put everything back in its original place except for real plants not fake now thanks for the info on the Quikrete
I always rinse it some, or you will have very cloudy water. Don't overdo it though, it is after all just dirt. I generally put maybe 5-6 cups of sand in a bucket, and rinse maybe 5 times. Once you have all the sand in the aquarium, arrange the hard decor (wood, rock, etc). If you have substrate-rooted plants, I would put some water in the tank, maybe half full, and plant. Then drain out all the water (planting will really disturb the sand). When ready to fill, put a bowl or similar container and run the water into that. This disturbs much less sand. You will have hazy water, partly the sand settling and partly bacterial bloom.
The sand looks great. The fish seem to like it as well. I put everything back in its place, rocks, slates, except more real plants. Took out the fake ones.
Happy fish. Thanks for the info on the Quikrete
 
Welcome to the forum!

I'd like to give you a heads up that the pictus will get large enough to (and might) eat the betta and neons, and they like to be in schools.
The neons are back in the 55gal with the angels, much more relaxed. I have changed to sand and have fun real plants and and lots of hiding places two more tanks to work on to separate the pictus and the beta
 

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