Dark substrate

[Fiori]

I am getting a 55 gall tank soon, with a black Juwel background fitted. I plan on having lots of plants and tiger barbs, but cannot decide on the substrate to use. All my current tanks have sand (the ordinary colour), which I and my plants love, but I wondered about a dark substrate to help the colours stand out.

What could I try?

 

[littlefishie]

Black sand.

If you're so in love with sand already, black sand is the way to go. You can get Black Tahitian Moon Sand which is a bit pricey, or go for the slightly larger grained cheaper version made by Hagen, called Geosystem.
I've got both, and I love it.

 

[WILDER]

Black sand same as the above reply, should look nice.

 

[SirMinion]

We have CaribSea's 'black moon' in two of our tanks and I heartly recommend it.

Most larger fish stores should stock it.

 

[Fiori]

Thanks folks - does anyone have a picture that I could see what it looks like or even one on the web? My lfs man does'nt like the black substrate so he
never has any tanks set up like that .

 

[littlefishie]

I have an older pic of my tank with black sand..

It's got a hell of a lot more plants in it now, but that's what the cheaper Geosystem sand looks like.. I haven't got a pic of the more expensive stuff yet.

 

[Fiori]

That looks really good, Littlefishie - I'm starting to picture the tank all black, with masses of green plants and tigers darting in and out

Is the more expensive sand finer sized then? Its hard to tell the grain size from your pic. How do your plants do in that?

 

[lovebuzz]

Sand compacts overtime and makes the plants harder to take root....I know some people will argue with me, but this DOES happen. I would go with black gravel. I have estes epoxy coated black.

 

[sylvia]

I think as long as you don't go for particularly fine sand, you shouldn't realy have much of a problem. I'd go for the cheaper black sand. Besides the more expensive one being finer, they both look just as good so you may as well go for the cheaper one.

 

[rdd1952]

I am currently cycling my 75 gallon. Actualy, it is almost done. I used a combination of the Eco Complete Planted (4 bags) and Tahitian Moon Sand (2 bags). I put the Eco on the bottom (you just dump it in, no washing) and then put the 2 bags of Moon Sand on top. The moon sand was a breeze to wash, took aobut 15 minutes to do 40 lb. And ehn we startedadding water, we didn't get any cloud. If yo disturb it, it immediately settles back to the bottom. Here are pictures. They aren't the best in the world but will give you an idea of how it looks.

http/i2.photobucket.com/albums/y11/rdd1952/Tank1.jpg
http/i2.photobucket.com/albums/y11/rdd1952/Tank2.jpg
http/i2.photobucket.com/albums/y11/rdd1952/Tank4.jpg

I also have a piece of driftwood that is going in as soon as I can soak it.

 

[Fish Buddy]

Wow, what a beautiful tank rdd1952.
Good luch with your tank Fiori

 

[rdd1952]

Thanks. I can't wait till the plants gorw in completely and I get my fish. Probably will go fish shopping this weekend.

 

[sunflower]

I had black gravel when I had my first tank and I loved it.

Only reason I changed to sand was because everyone in here kept telling me how much my cories would love it. They were right too

 

[littlefishie]

The cheaper sand doesn't compact as much.

As for the more expensive stuff, as long as you stir it regularly like you're supposed to, to prevent a buildup of anerobic gases, you should be fine.. I wouldn't see why the plants don't take root.

Edit :: I'm a 'tard and I missed your questions.

The geosystem sand is a larger grain, but it buffers your pH. Mine went up by about 0.2. And the plants grow like weeds with a plain old 60 watt light bulb in a clip-on desk lamp, with no Co2.

When I set up my new tank the background will be all black, and it'll be heavily planted, so I understand your drooling. I've been drooling just planning it!

 

[rdd1952]

According to CaribSea's website, Eco Complete Planted is "Nitrate and carbonate free – will not increase pH or carbonate hardness". Their Eco Complete African Cichlid substrate on the other hand does help maintain a high pH. Obviously, I haven't had this tank set up long enough to know about compaction but I don't think the moon sand will compact much. It will eventually end up on the bottom as it sifts through the Eco Complete which is larger.