On Mon, 08 Oct 2007 19:47:04 -0500, Reel McKoi wrote:

And I know I've said it before, but the best homemade substrate I've found
is the coarse "tube sand" or "traction sand" with the really fine
particles sifted out. More like fine gravel than sand. My plants seem to
love it. And it's cheap :-).
==========================
Are you talking about the stuff in bags called "builders sand" used to mix
concrete? I haven't heard of it called traction or tube sand. They may be
the same product. Where did you buy it? True, plants do make vacuuming the
bottom difficult but fear the bottom will become a nitrate factory if not
vacc'ed at all.

No, traction sand is what you carry in the winter to put under your wheels
if you get stuck in the snow and ice. About 2/3 to 3/4 of it is fine
gravel in the 1/16" to 1/8" range. I sift out the finer stuff and throw
it away.

It may be different in your area - I live in eastern Washington state.

I haven't had any problems yet with gunk on the bottom, but I have a herd
of Maylasian trumpet snails in each tank :-).