Can I Get More Fish

[Miss Wiggle]

Well I just purchased a second hand tank for £180 and it's a 56g tank (240L), so now I can move almost everyone to the new tank. That should be more than enough space... and maybe get some more fish. I think I will keep the small tank as a emergency tank...

good stuff, I think you've got room for everyone in there. be warned though if you keep all the fish you have your pretty close to fully stocked even in the bigger tank, so don't rush and get loads of new fish. It might not seem full for now but once they're all full size it'll seem a lot better.

and yes, it's a really good idea to have a spare tank, there's a pinned topic in the emergency section about setting up a hospital tank, have a read of it, always good to be prepapred.

 

[proton]

Sand, little pebbles or Marine Sand Question,

Well now that I have a new tank I was considering using marine sand as a substrate instead of the little pebles you get at the LFS. I have read most of the article on Sand as a substrate, but it did not say anything about marine sand, i didn't read every post though (1st three pages or so).
I have two kuhlie loaches and I'm sure they will love marine sand to dig in. Also how much is enough? Or if anyone has better suggestions about what sand to use instead of just marine sand. I have lots of fake coral to go into the tank and I want to have live plants in there, I was also considering Java Moss or something similar.
Suggestions most welcome guys...

 

[Egmel]

Sand, little pebbles or Marine Sand Question,

Well now that I have a new tank I was considering using marine sand as a substrate instead of the little pebles you get at the LFS. I have read most of the article on Sand as a substrate, but it did not say anything about marine sand, i didn't read every post though (1st three pages or so).
I have two kuhlie loaches and I'm sure they will love marine sand to dig in. Also how much is enough? Or if anyone has better suggestions about what sand to use instead of just marine sand. I have lots of fake coral to go into the tank and I want to have live plants in there, I was also considering Java Moss or something similar.
Suggestions most welcome guys...

I seem to remember that marine sand is not a good idea, do a quick search of the forum and you should be able to come up with a fuller answer.

 

[dizzied]

I use marine sand in my freshwater tanks just fine, though you'll want to check if it'll effect your water's PH/hardness, since some brands do. You can also look for playsand and pool filter sand.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

i personally like to use pool filter sand--it's inert (that means it won't fiddle with pH/hardness) and its pretty clean to start with, so less washing is necessary. plus its a lot cheaper than aquarium specific sand.

play sand is of variable quality and its hard to say what sort of chemicals or trash might be in it. play sand also comes in all sorts of grain sizes and roughness, but doesn't mention these things on the label. pool filter sand (since it has a purpose beyond being child-safe) has negligible trash and has a pretty consistent small, cubic grain--so fewer sharp edges to scrape up your fish.

since all of your fish come from relatively soft waters, you should pass on the marine sand. marine sand frequently raises the hardness and pH of water; it can also have trace amounts of salt in it, which your fish wouldn't care for either.

gratz on the 56g!

 

[proton]

thanks guys, i have read a few places/posts that marine sand is not that good and some fish won't like it or their gills that is, can i have plants with pool filter sand? or is silica sand better? i would like my tank to have a few plants in them.