Substrate mixing question
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Re: Substrate mixing question
Is this what you are using?
https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostor ... arium-sand
Is the Top Fin white, like a gravel, small stones?
I am thinking these may be too coarse?
https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostor ... arium-sand
Is the Top Fin white, like a gravel, small stones?
I am thinking these may be too coarse?
"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." -Will Rogers
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Re: Substrate mixing question
In my area, many aquarium sands - besides coral sand - is made out of quartz, which have the added benefit of being totally inert and not leading to diatoms like silica does.wodesorel wrote:Most people use 5 parts sand to one part eco-earth. That's probably why yours is drying out so quickly! It also depends on the aquarium sand, not many are made of silica, like play sand. They tend to be calcium sand, or are coated with paint or epoxy.
One 50 pound bag of sand, added to a half or whole brick of EE works well, and is about 5:1.
Dunno if its the same in the US, but you'd think it be?
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Re: Substrate mixing question
I have a very fine sand. No gravel.
Re: Substrate mixing question
The top fin and super naturals are both very fine sands. I'm guessing I should have used play sand all along. Poo.
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Re: Substrate mixing question
Many US aquarium sands are epoxy coated so they are made to be inert, or painted to make them more colorful. (So are almost all gravels, even natural looking ones.) It's not always declared on the labels either. They might not be a huge deal in an aquarium, but being scrapped around while mixing and then by the crabs could easily start flaking the coatings. Uncoated and unpainted sand and gravel tends to be limited to the araginites, but I even bought a bag of that online that turned out to have been dyed pink! The word 'natural' mean nothing unless confirmed with the company it has not been coated.aussieJJDude wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2019 4:32 amIn my area, many aquarium sands - besides coral sand - is made out of quartz, which have the added benefit of being totally inert and not leading to diatoms like silica does.
Dunno if its the same in the US, but you'd think it be?
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The supernatural are still all uncoated, but the sand tends to be extremely fine which leads to other issues like compaction.
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Re: Substrate mixing question
Would mixing in a batch or two of the play sand/EE mixture rectify the situation? (Play sand 5:EE 1)
Re: Substrate mixing question
Is Quikrete Premium Play Sand the right stuff to use?
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Re: Substrate mixing question
Yes, Quickrete is correct!
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