Sand on the bottom..........

"Richard Sexton" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Reel McKoi wrote:

"Jeffrey St. Clair, Ph.D." wrote in
message ...
Are you referring to play type sand?

No, not the play sand. It's too fine.


Works ok for me:

http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/tk-1/2000/Mar26/

I was afraid it would go anaerobic from fine mulm if I used just sand or a
sand mix and didn't or couldn't vac it.

I count on it being anaerobic at the bottom of 4-5" of sand. I put a half
inch
layer of manure under there plus some washers and steel wool. Under
anaerobic
conditions the iron is reduced to a state usable by plants.

I've found roots just utterly tangled around washes like they were sucking
the iron right of if like a life-saver (UK: polo mint).

I also notife on crypt roots that the top 2-3" of root will be white
while the bottom half will look like it has rust on it. Which is pretty
much whats happening.

I dunno if you folks have ever pulled plants in nature but aquatic
substrates are frequently anaerobic.

I've kept shrimp in these tanks long term, which meand no ammonia
and no metal ions getting into the water column. Either even in the
smallest amounts would kill shrimp in short order.
=========================================
I don't think that would work too well in an aquariumn containing fish.
What fish are in your aquariums?
--

RM....
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö

In article ,
Reel McKoi wrote:
I don't think that would work too well in an aquariumn containing fish.
What fish are in your aquariums?

http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/...9/Image39x.jpg
http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/...9/Image19s.jpg
http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/tk-1/2004/Oct/
http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/tk-1/1999/Dec28/
http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/...10/Image25.jpg
http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/...0/Image29a.jpg
http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/...10/Image31.jpg

Over the years there have been "a few killifish", "a few dozen tetras"
and at one point over 300 endlers. It's a 25 gallon tank.

I had puffers in there once too to get rid of the snails.


--
Need Mercedes parts? http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home pages: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net

"Richard Sexton" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Reel McKoi wrote:
I don't think that would work too well in an aquariumn containing fish.
What fish are in your aquariums?

http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/...9/Image39x.jpg
http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/...9/Image19s.jpg
http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/tk-1/2004/Oct/
http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/tk-1/1999/Dec28/
http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/...10/Image25.jpg
http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/...0/Image29a.jpg
http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/...10/Image31.jpg

Over the years there have been "a few killifish", "a few dozen tetras"
and at one point over 300 endlers. It's a 25 gallon tank.

I had puffers in there once too to get rid of the snails.
=============================
Beautiful plants. Is Aquanet your website?
--

RM....
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö

In article ,
Reel McKoi wrote:

"Richard Sexton" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Reel McKoi wrote:
I don't think that would work too well in an aquariumn containing fish.
What fish are in your aquariums?

http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/...9/Image39x.jpg
http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/...9/Image19s.jpg
http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/tk-1/2004/Oct/
http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/tk-1/1999/Dec28/
http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/...10/Image25.jpg
http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/...0/Image29a.jpg
http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/...10/Image31.jpg

Over the years there have been "a few killifish", "a few dozen tetras"
and at one point over 300 endlers. It's a 25 gallon tank.

I had puffers in there once too to get rid of the snails.
=============================
Beautiful plants. Is Aquanet your website?

I'm not sure what "aquanet" is but aquaria.net is mine and has been since about 93 or so.
It says that on the front page of http://aquaria.net


--
Need Mercedes parts? http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home pages: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net

On Oct 26, 3:39 pm, (Richard Sexton) wrote:
In article ,





Reel McKoi wrote:

"Richard Sexton" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Reel McKoi wrote:
I don't think that would work too well in an aquariumn containing fish.
What fish are in your aquariums?

http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/...9/Image39x.jpg
http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/...9/Image19s.jpg
http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/tk-1/2004/Oct/
http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/tk-1/1999/Dec28/
http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/...10/Image25.jpg
http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/...0/Image29a.jpg
http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/...10/Image31.jpg

Over the years there have been "a few killifish", "a few dozen tetras"
and at one point over 300 endlers. It's a 25 gallon tank.

I had puffers in there once too to get rid of the snails.
=============================
Beautiful plants. Is Aquanet your website?

I'm not sure what "aquanet" is but aquaria.net is mine and has been since about 93 or so.
It says that on the front page ofhttp://aquaria.net

--
Need Mercedes parts? http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff:http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home pages:http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD |http://aquaria.nethttp://killi.net- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I've had mixed results with sand. If it's too fine in an unplanted
tank, it can compact. Forgetting the name (what is "play" sand will
vary store to store), avoid really fine sands and look for coarse.
Malaysian Trumpet snails can be useful to churn sand. I've got a 120g
with Profile brand sand. The plants love it but I find it's a little
too light for my liking. I can live with the losses during vacuuming,
but I'll need to reduce the water's turbulence, so it should work very
well in many applications.

I'm not keen on white sand as it shows debris too quickly and seems to
foster more algae (more reflected light at the sand's surface?). I
personally don't think that fish are very comfortable with too much
light coming UP at them. Highlights their presence to airborn
predators (try explaining to them there are no birds in your house ;~)

NetMax

Hi..

NetMax wrote:

@ Richard:
I'm not sure what "aquanet" is but aquaria.net is
mine and has been since about 93 or so.
It says that on the front page ofhttp://aquaria.net

;-)

@ NM:
I've had mixed results with sand. If it's too fine in an unplanted
tank, it can compact.

Well but compact sand won't be a prob for the most useful aquarium plants..

Forgetting the name (what is "play" sand will vary store to store)

ACK..

, avoid really fine sands and look for coarse.

ACK..

Tried out filter sand - pool supply..?

Malaysian Trumpet snails can be useful to churn sand.

Hm.., have had several cold water tanks with fine sand but no MTS (never had
any probs)..

The plants love it but I find it's a little
too light for my liking.

River sands weren't too bride..

I'm not keen on white sand as it shows debris too quickly

Hm.., no prob for fine to coarse sand..

and seems to
foster more algae (more reflected light at the sand's surface?).

In the beginning - and until some floating plants might reduce this effect
to an acceptable limit..

I
personally don't think that fish are very comfortable with too much
light coming UP at them. Highlights their presence to airborn
predators

Jein..

(try explaining to them there are no birds in your house ;~)

NM, you're a real pet fish whisperer..! :-)

--
cu
Marco

"NetMax" wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm not keen on white sand as it shows debris too quickly and seems to
foster more algae (more reflected light at the sand's surface?). I
personally don't think that fish are very comfortable with too much
light coming UP at them. Highlights their presence to airborn
predators (try explaining to them there are no birds in your house ;~)
====================
Lowe's carries what's called a coarse builders sand which is a brown color.
It's also called "all purpose" sand. The play sand here is so fine it's
almost powdery. I would be afraid a child would inhale the power and damage
it's lungs.
--
RM....
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö

"Richard Sexton" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Reel McKoi wrote:

"Richard Sexton" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Reel McKoi wrote:
I don't think that would work too well in an aquariumn containing fish.
What fish are in your aquariums?

http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/...9/Image39x.jpg
http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/...9/Image19s.jpg
http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/tk-1/2004/Oct/
http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/tk-1/1999/Dec28/
http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/...10/Image25.jpg
http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/...0/Image29a.jpg
http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/...10/Image31.jpg

Over the years there have been "a few killifish", "a few dozen tetras"
and at one point over 300 endlers. It's a 25 gallon tank.

I had puffers in there once too to get rid of the snails.
=============================
Beautiful plants. Is Aquanet your website?

I'm not sure what "aquanet" is but aquaria.net is mine and has been since
about 93 or so.
It says that on the front page of http://aquaria.net
=============
Sorry, that's the site I meant. I'm planning to spend some time there right
now. :-)
--

RM....
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö