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RE: Sand For Substrate



I use Silica sand for substrate in a 55 gallon tank.  I have 2" boiled peat 
with lava rock mixed in, then 1.5 " of sand on top.  I put a bunch of 
trumpet snails in the tank to help turn the substrate.  I put a couple of 
clown loaches in to keep the snails down.  The tank has a pretty light 
brown color.  I run 60 watts of flour lighting over the tank for 12 hours. 
 Here are the tank parameters.	
Water out of tap  -11 deg gh, 8 deg kh, 7.4ph
Water in tank  7deg gh
                       3 deg kh
                       6.9 ph
                       82 deg f
fish load          5 angels (3")
                        2 clown loaches (4")
                        2 black neons
                        3 florida flag fish
                        1 rubbernose pleco
                        1 red tailed shark (5")
                        1 glow light tetra
plants               cabomba carolina  (red)
                         red ludwigia
                         dwarf green Asian Lilly
                         dwarf red Asian Lilly
                         rotala
                         amazon sword (broad leaf babies)
  and lots of bog wood.  This tank has been a dream.  No algea to speak of. 
 No fertilizer, just feed the tank, and water change every 2-3 weeks.  I 
have had no problems with the substrate.  I have had the tank set up for a 
year now, and it seems to be growing even better.  The plants are all 
growing very fast, and I have to trim them constantly.  The rotela and 
cabomba need to be trimmed about twice weekly.  Everyone seems happy in the 
tank, and the clowns are very fat from snails caught in the morning.
Troy



Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 17:47:41 -0700
From: "Walter & Jeanne Klockers" <jloach at gte_net>
Subject: Sand For Substrate.

Does anyone out there use fine sand (silica) for substrate? If so, please
tell me about your setup. Any additatives to the sand? Depth? Type of
plants, etc.? Did you encounter any difficulties with anaerobic activity?
Thanks.

Walter
"Joe Loach"