Everyone survived the switch from gravel to sand and wow what a behavior change

[Linda N]

Finally months after it was recommended to me I completed the switch from a gravel substrate to a sand substrate. I have 5 endlers and 6 dwarf pygmy cories in there. I did have some red cherry shrimp but they did not survive a period of neglect from when I was sick and in the hospital. I was not sure how many of the pygmy cories I had left because I only ever saw 1 or maybe 2. Until I removed all of the décor, plants and wood from the 10 gallon tank, when I was happily surprised to see all six pygmy cories I started out with were all still alive. I worried about hurting them when catching them in the 10 gallon to move to their temporary quarters in a 3.5 gallon while I changed the substrate and then catching them again to move them back but they don't seem the worse for wear. The endlers have always been very active but I never used to see the cories. Since I moved them back a few hours ago they are going crazy chasing each other all over the tank and snuffling through the sand. All six of them were chasing around in a group which I have never seen before. I think I have seen more of them today than I have in the 6 months since I got them. I am going to give the tank some time to settle and then going to add a few more endlers and a few more pygmy cories, although the local fish store said the cories are a seasonal item and they may not have any until spring. Who knew - LOL. I am so excited that they are so much more active and seem happier and not hiding ALL of the time. Thanks to those who advised me that it was important to have sand for the pygmy cories.

 

[Kritastrophe]

I am so happy that you got your sand in. Corys are so fun to watch as they sift through sand.

 

[Naughts]

Good news Linda
I love endlers and pygmy cories!

I would be really interested to see a picture of the tank.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Yes! Pictures please!!

IMO, I like sand better than gravel, not only because it looks more natural (depending on what scape you are going for), it is easier to clean!

 

[AbbeysDad]

I quite like sand because with Cories and Malaysian Trumpet Snails it is virtually maintenance free! I haven't touched the [pool filter] sand in my 60g planted display tank in years!

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I quite like sand because with Cories and Malaysian Trumpet Snails it is virtually maintenance free! I haven't touched the [pool filter] sand in my 60g planted display tank in years!

How do you go that long without cleaning it? I would have a fit if my sand was dirty!

 

[Linda N]

I ordered some Malaysian trumpet snails to help keep the tanks clean since I am physically still not 100% and it's hard for me to change the water and clean the substrate, although at least now I can do it. It takes me 2 days to do my twenty gallon tank - one day to fill up the one gallon jugs I have saved with water, treat it and move them over to the tank and then the second day actually siphon the bottom and put the water in. It's too tiring to do it all in one day but I am gaining strength daily. I will try to get some pictures. The 10 gallon tank is a half circle shaped tank. The sand is black. I have some cholla wood in it, a couple fake stones that have a hole in the back side so there are hiding places and a few marimo moss balls, some anacharis and some other plants that I don't know what they are but I think could be amazon sword. I also added a bunch of floating plants - frogbit, water lettuce, water spangles and red root floater. It's just so exciting to see the pygmy cories so active after thinking most of them were dead because I never saw them, although last night when I walked over there to turn off the light, they went POOF! and were all hidden in just a second or two.

 

[Back in the fold]

Linda, if it isn't too much trouble, would you mind posting a thread at various intervals updating the progress of your changed over tank? I really want to try sand but my inner voice is screaming no. Like Fox Mulder, I want to believe.

 

[AbbeysDad]

How do you go that long without cleaning it? I would have a fit if my sand was dirty!

Unlike gravel, the particle size of the sand does not allow uneaten food or waste to get down under. I only feed high quality flake food (in conjunction with some live foods) so there is very little fish waste (low in indigestible grain fillers). The Cory's and the MTS do the rest. There really isn't any, but if there was a little mulm. I wouldn't think twice about it as it's as natural as some algae!

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Unlike gravel, the particle size of the sand does not allow uneaten food or waste to get down under. I only feed high quality flake food (in conjunction with some live foods) so there is very little fish waste (low in indigestible grain fillers). The Cory's and the MTS do the rest. There really isn't any, but if there was a little mulm. I wouldn't think twice about it as it's as natural as some algae!

You do make a good point. The only reason why I clean my sand, is because it looks better, but other than that, there’s really no reason...

 

[Linda N]

Will do, Back in the Fold. I could not be more shocked (in a good way) about the change in behavior in the pygmy cories if a UFO landed in my yard. (I want to believe too!!!) The cories are still swimming around like maniacs and in the prior six months I rarely saw one and thought most of them were dead. Next weekend I am going to drive to Albuquerque and add a few red cherry shrimp. I am interested too to see how easy it is to vacuum the sand. I have 2 tiger nerite snails already and some pond snails that hitchhiked in on some plants and they already cleaned up the food the fish didn't eat. I read that you should swirl the end of the siphon a little above the sand to stir up any debris to suck it up and minimize the amount of sand that you suck up. I guess I will find out - LOL. I read about how it's economical to buy play sand at one of the big box stores but I can't lift or move something of that size and weight so I wound up ordering smaller bags that were easier for me to manage even though they cost WAY more than the 50 pound packages.

 

[FishGuest5123]

I am one of the strange ones that changed all of my sand back to gravel or small pebbles. I have one tank left with sand. I kept it for my MTS to hide in. I love the way you can get down deep with gravel. The sand is difficult to clean and a large portion ends up in my sink. Smell, Oh Lord! When you stir that sand up it smells horrid! I clean mine every Monday. Now, if I had Cories, I would use it in half the tank.

 

[seangee]

Great result Linda. Do you have any advice on changing one colour sand for another . I have buff coloured playsand in my big tank and balck sand in the smaller ones. The fish colours really pop against the dark sand.

The sand is difficult to clean and a large portion ends up in my sink. Smell, Oh Lord! When you stir that sand up it smells horrid!

Hmmm - I had a pebble river bed in my nano. I have now removed it because it was a magnet for organic waste. Vacuuming was a nightmare because it was also a great place for shrimplets to hide / hang out. The sand pretty much takes care of itself.

 

[Back in the fold]

I am one of the strange ones that changed all of my sand back to gravel or small pebbles. I have one tank left with sand. I kept it for my MTS to hide in. I love the way you can get down deep with gravel. The sand is difficult to clean and a large portion ends up in my sink. Smell, Oh Lord! When you stir that sand up it smells horrid! I clean mine every Monday. Now, if I had Cories, I would use it in half the tank.

That's just what I thought. This is why I'm skeptical. Sucking up the sand unless you are surgically careful and the smell. My only experience with sand was decades ago and I can still recall that smell vividly. Worse than a cat passing gas in a dirty gym bag.

 

[seangee]

That's just what I thought. This is why I'm skeptical. Sucking up the sand unless you are surgically careful and the smell. My only experience with sand was decades ago and I can still recall that smell vividly. Worse than a cat fart in a dirty gym bag.

That will be H2S. Its important not to have the sand deeper than 1 - 2". Deeper than that and you will get anaerobic de-nitrification and hydrogen sulphide, think deep sand beds in marine tanks. I only ever pick up dead leaves etc. I do occasionally move it away from the glass to clean off the algae that grows beneath the surface where the light gets to it.

When I first switched to sand I used to vacuum it then give it a good stir at every water change (with the pump turned off) because I was terrified of getting pockets of the foul smelling stuff (which kills fish BTW). Chopsticks are useful tools for this. When I realised this wasn't happening I just left it alone with the same results as @AbbeysDad. In fact it was he who recommended that and he was right.