Which substrate to get?

[McGrubble]

Hi guys,

I recently received a 2.5 gal nano as a gift. It came with some fake plants and pink/blue gravel, which I'd like to replace. My eventual goal is to have another planted breeder and or super small community tank. I'm about 2 1/2 weeks into letting the bioload form, and want to get the gravel out soon before introducing fish into the tank.

Any suggestions as to what the best substrate might be for my setup? And is there a difference in quality between dark and light sands? I've been hoping to get a dark sand for contrast.

 

[Avatar]

Sand

Rounded edges (already polished from water movement as in anything sourced from a water body as most sand is) are best, finer it is the less penetration there is by detritus. Using a piece of screen you can sift your own from a local sandbox since it seems a 2.5 will require a whopping total of about 2 cups. Light or dark, it's mostly all silicon and inert, color choice is a matter of aesthetics and what type of fish you keep and how you'd like them to display. Some fish tend to respond a bit like chameleons to their surroundings, i.e., lighter substrate can make for lighter coloration but it also reflects more light. One can get good contrast out of white or black, or go for the natural and more typical beige/brown color. Whatever you choose it'll beat the pants off blue and pink.

Have any other tanks or just the one?

 

[McGrubble]

Rounded edges (already polished from water movement as in anything sourced from a water body as most sand is) are best, finer it is the less penetration there is by detritus. Using a piece of screen you can sift your own from a local sandbox since it seems a 2.5 will require a whopping total of about 2 cups. Light or dark, it's mostly all silicon and inert, color choice is a matter of aesthetics and what type of fish you keep and how you'd like them to display. Some fish tend to respond a bit like chameleons to their surroundings, i.e., lighter substrate can make for lighter coloration but it also reflects more light. One can get good contrast out of white or black, or go for the natural and more typical beige/brown color. Whatever you choose it'll beat the pants off blue and pink.

Have any other tanks or just the one?

Thanks for the advice! I have a 33gal community tank. My friend, who I helped move two 55 gal tanks, gave me this tank, which I'm very excited for (the MTS didn't take long to take hold of me).

I've been eyeing Caribsea eco-complete. But I wasn't aware of the different contrasting. I'm not too decided on fish yet, and I want it as a small show tank in my bedroom. What fish would go well contrasted to dark substrate? Also, are certain substrates better in terms of plant growth than others?

 

[JasonC]

+1 on Avatars suggestion for sand... I would think most gravels would look like boulders in a 2.5 Gal. Sand will grow many plants just fine, but if you are specifically looking for a plant-tailored substrate, maybe give a look at the Fluval brand substrates? IIRC, they are a somewhat smaller grain size than other planted substrates. I have not used this brand though... just remembering what I saw in the LFS...

Good luck! Interested to see what you do with the tank!

 

[Tony]

Congrats on the 2nd tank!

Not a wiz at planted substrates, but want to echo Sam's one comment about dark substrate turning fish too dark. Currently in the process of getting rid of tanks where I used either all black substrate or a mixture... personally, I don't like it.

High lighting will help combat this effect though.

 

[Hawkman2000]

I use rinsed (heavily) construction sand in my planted tank. It have a nice diversity of size and color. You could probably swing by a local garden center like Merrifield and pick up a small bag. FYI, rinsing it reduced it by about 50%, lots of dust.

 

[Jeff721]

If you haven't yet, look into Naturally Planted Tanks (or NPT), I use about an inch of (sifted) Miracle Grow Organic Choice potting soil under 2" or more of sand and it does great for plants without having to use root tabs or fertilizers. Another name for this type is the Walstad Method. If you don't want to mess with CO2 or ferts, it's a good way to go - doesn't truly replace them, but it's acceptable.

Your results may vary.

 

[McGrubble]

Since I'm without a car and miles away from a LFS, I went to petco and bought their generic dark sand. I've washed it and have put it into the tank. Gonna wait a week or so, then convince one of my friends to let me borrow their car for a drive up to House of Tropicals. I'll post some pictures once the tank is complete.

In the mean time does anyone have suggestions as to what fish I should put in? I was hoping to put in either a shrimp or a crawfish, but not dead set on the idea. Are there any fish that come to mind that wouldn't see the inverts as food?

Thanks again for all the advice!

 

[b considine]

Msjinkzd (http://msjinkzd.com/) has the fish you're looking for....

Blaise

 

[verbal]

I think shrimp are going to work better in your typical planted tank than crawfish will. Small mouthed fish or plecos/ottos are the best bet for tankmates with shrimp.

Since I'm without a car and miles away from a LFS, I went to petco and bought their generic dark sand. I've washed it and have put it into the tank. Gonna wait a week or so, then convince one of my friends to let me borrow their car for a drive up to House of Tropicals. I'll post some pictures once the tank is complete.

In the mean time does anyone have suggestions as to what fish I should put in? I was hoping to put in either a shrimp or a crawfish, but not dead set on the idea. Are there any fish that come to mind that wouldn't see the inverts as food?

Thanks again for all the advice!