Returning after a long gap

[Jadzir]

Hi everyone.
I am returning to the hobby after a ten year gap. Still in the planning stage at the moment but have decided on a 300 litre freshwater set up.
Live in a soft water area with a ph of 7. Have two local stores for stock and supplies with plenty of choice.
Deciding between a large group of small fish with corys and shrimp or more of a pair of larger fish scenario.
Will be asking for plenty of advice when I get going.

 

[Sgooosh]

wahat will the tank be like? driftwood, rocks, limestone, corals?
cories prefer sand rather than smooth rocks in my opinion.
you acn try to raise it a bit so you can have a pair of moderate chiclids

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

Welcome! Can't wait to see how the tank will look!
As @Sgooosh said, sand could be a better choice if you're going for corys. Since they're bottom feeders who use their barbels, it's important to protect and preserve them.

 

[Jadzir]

Thanks for the advice.
Have kept cichlids in the past with no issues. Had convicts and severums.
Have been researching so much my brain may explode ! So much conflicting advice.
A lot of people recomend a sand substrate for tanks in general so will go that way.

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

Have been researching so much my brain may explode ! So much conflicting advice.

Most certainly a lot of that... Usually we just go with a general consensus, but if someone's claim seems like it could also be true, I give that a quick bit of research too. Just to be certain.

A lot of people recomend a sand substrate for tanks in general so will go that way.

I've actually got a thread where I considered switching my gravel to sand... There's a lot of good stuff here, if you're interested.

 

[Jadzir]

Thanks . Will have a look at the link.

 

[Jadzir]

I see people have used pool filter sand and playsand.
Does the brand matter ?

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

I see people have used pool filter sand and playsand.
Does the brand matter ?

Well, since we're in the UK it's harder to get your hands on pool filter sand - since it's mainly used for big in-ground swimming pools that those rich Americans have - it might be easier to go with play sand.
Argos' play sand seems to be the top choice for UK fishkeepers since it's proven to be safe. Personally I'm getting mine from Amazon. £13 for 25kg. Much cheaper than £18 for 10kg of aquarium sand.

Edit: (Edited to fix inaccuracies)

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Well, since we're in the UK it's harder to get your hands on pool filter sand - since it's mainly used for big in-ground swimming pools that those rich Americans have - it might be easier to go with play sand.
Play sand is good because it's non-toxic (as it doesn't contain silica) for kids' play, and a few people just use Argos' brand playsand. Personally I'm getting mine from Amazon. £13 for 25kg. Much cheaper than £18 for 10kg of aquarium sand.

The Argos brand, £5 for a big sack of it playsand is the only brand in the UK we know to be aquarium safe.

Not all play sand that is safe for kids, is equally safe for aquatic life, especially since many play sands found online may be dyed or otherwise treated with substances safe for humans in small doses, but potentially very toxic when leeched into the water column of an aquarium.

So Argos play sand if you want to go that route OP, or the pricier but safe aquarium sand otherwise. Welcome back to the hobby and to the forum!

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

The Argos brand, £5 for a big sack of it playsand is the only brand in the UK we know to be aquarium safe.

Not all play sand that is safe for kids, is equally safe for aquatic life, especially since many play sands found online may be dyed or otherwise treated with substances safe for humans in small doses, but potentially very toxic when leeched into the water column of an aquarium.

So Argos play sand if you want to go that route OP, or the pricier but safe aquarium sand otherwise. Welcome back to the hobby and to the forum!

Ahh, what a pain! Argos was all out locally... Apparently.

Edit: It's in stock now. What a pain (x2).

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Ahh, what a pain! Argos was all out locally... Apparently.

And silicates is about water chemistry, not toxicity. Just be careful what you're recommending as safe if you're not sure about it.

 

[Sgooosh]

also black diamond blasting sand is what i use, you can see it in my profile

 

[Jadzir]

Will have a look at the argos sand then.
Want to make sure I get things right the first time - saves a lot of headaches.
Thanks for all the advice.

 

[jonny-5]

I have Argos play in 2 tanks,Well 1 at the moment ?

 

[Jadzir]

Will probably go with that too