Can I Use Seachem Fluorite Black Sand With Corys?

[Kwiddows]

Hi,

I currently have some corys in quarentine and after a few problems with them on the gravel have decided to look into switching my main (48 inch) community tank to sand before I move the corys in. The main tank has live plants and currently there are 6 zebra danios, 8 neon tetras, 6 guppies, 1 yoyo loach in there. I will also soon be adding 6 julii corys and 4 black phantom tetras).
I've been reading loads of posts about corys on sand and plants in sand, and I am a bit confused.

I would like a black substrate - or at least dark in colour if not black.

I wonder if Seachem fluorite black sand (http/www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/FlouriteBlackSand.html) is safe for corys? It seems that some things called "sand" are not really sand and the web site says it is "pourous clay gravel".

If this is the right stuff - can I buy it in the UK? I can only seem to find US websites for it. If I can't get it in the UK, or if it is not safe for corys, is there a similar alternative?

Many thanks,
K

Sorry if I have put this in the wrong place - maybe should have gone in the cory pages?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I am interested in this question as well...

 

[Dorkhedeos]

That substrate shouldnt be a problem. If you wanted to, you could use garden soil as well, just leave it in a tank with plants for a month and do bi-weekly stirring and water changes before adding any fish.

 

[Kwiddows]

Thanks very much for this - I never would have thought of garden soil! Does anyone know of any UK suppliers for seachem? And is it actually sand? Just wondered what I should expect it to be like.
Thanks.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Fluttermouth offered this advice to me. (I added this question to the corydoras forum)

I'd go for the second option. I originally wanted a black substrate for my cory tank (I am a bit emo ) but after souring the net I found a lot of people saying that they thought the flourite sand was still too rough for the cory's barbels.
I went for playsand in the end; it's very pale, but my cories are happy and that makes me happy, even if it's not black!

I am not going to do it myself. It is more important for me to have healthy corydoras than having a dark substrate.

 

[CrazyAirborne]

i just received and set up a tank with the Tahitian moon sand. its kinda pricey, but its super black and its real sand. im sure corys would be fine with it. i just set the tank up today, but i love the way it looks already!

i bought it from here, http/www.aquatics-online.co.uk/catalogue/general-sands-gravels.asp

 

[Jinkz]

I use Flourite Black with 2mm black gravel on top and have 6 Peppered Corys in there and they're happy as larry to be honest.

 

[fluttermoth]

It looks nice, but cories realy like to dig; I don't see how they can dig in that...

I'd gor for the Tahitian moon sand if I could afford it; maybe one day!

 

[Jinkz]

It looks nice, but cories realy like to dig; I don't see how they can dig in that...

I'd gor for the Tahitian moon sand if I could afford it; maybe one day!

Dunno, mine don't seem to have any problem moving it around and their barbels are still nice and long after 7 months.

 

[Kwiddows]

Thanks very much for all the replies guys! Is the tahitian moon sand really sand? Does anyone have any pictures of tanks with it in?

 

[fluttermoth]

It's actually still quite 'gritty'.

Tahitian moon sand

I'm not sure I'll bother saving up for it now, looking at that; not for cories anyway; my fish's happiness is more important than looks

 

[Kwiddows]

Thank you so much Fluttermoth - that picture was exactly what I needed to help me understand what it is I agree - I suspect it's too rough. I have some silver sand I was given by a friend and I think I will use that instead. Thanks to everyone - this has been really useful.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Good find. Thanks for the pic!

 

[Kwiddows]

For anyone who is interested in this I just found something called Unipac Aqua sand, it seems to be real sand, very fine, and comes in black. Has anyone used it before? I'm planning to switch my main tank over to this in a week or so. I'll try and get a picture to post here.

 

[Tizer]

I have the Unipac Silica sand. It was a little pricey but i had enough for my 4 foot and 90 litre and the corys love it.