Tropical Fish Forum

Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => New Fishkeepers => Topic started by: Moby on December 23, 2016, 03:32:08 PM

Title: Sand question
Post by: Moby on December 23, 2016, 03:32:08 PM
All my tanks I've always used black sand as the substrate.The thing that bothers me is when the lights go on it looks grey.I know this a bit of a silly question but is there sand that is actually black with the lights on. Thks  :isay:
Title: Re: Sand question
Post by: Littlefish on December 23, 2016, 05:41:12 PM
Which brand do you use?

I have bought Unipack Limpopo sand previously, but I think that might have been the one that felt a bit rough/sharp, so I didn't use it because I have cories is quite a few tanks and I was worried that it would be too rough for them.

Some of the others, such as the JBL Sansibar dark, can look more grey than black.
Title: Re: Sand question
Post by: Moby on December 23, 2016, 08:03:17 PM
The sand I've used was from P@h which state on the bag "black" maybe it's me.. The sand felt ok not rough at all  :isay:
Title: Re: Sand question
Post by: Littlefish on December 23, 2016, 08:41:01 PM
You would know immediately if you felt the sharper sand. It doesn't feel like beach sand. One of the axolotl keepers on the caudata forum was having trouble with her axolotl, and she had what she thought was black sand. We told her to rub it between her fingers and she said it felt like glass. She has changed her sand and the axie was fine.
I'm sure some of the others will have more experience with substrates, so could probably give you some suggestions, but all the black sands I've seen aren't really dark enough.
I don't have any black substrate, I tent to mix the black/grey, red, and river sands until I get a mix I like.
Title: Re: Sand question
Post by: fcmf on December 23, 2016, 11:14:56 PM
I read a thread somewhere from a couple of years ago, comparing and contrasting the different types - I'll try to see if I can dig it out over the next couple of days...
Title: Re: Sand question
Post by: fcmf on December 31, 2016, 01:23:21 PM
Belated reply here; apologies. I've had a hunt around and found some threads on this issue. It seems as though JBL Sansibar black and Caribsea have dark sand which is possibly darker than the Unipac Limpopo sand. However, it also seems as though a range of factors (eg lighting) can also contribute to how dark the sand looks in the aquarium. Other ones mentioned in threads are Fluval Shrimp stratum and Unipac black micro aquarium gravel.
Title: Re: Sand question
Post by: Moby on December 31, 2016, 07:02:10 PM
Many Thks for you help.Its somewhat of a relief as I thought it was just me.The other thing I've noticed this fish keeping business is even more addictive than before as it's improved so much. :isay:
Title: Re: Sand question
Post by: Littlefish on January 01, 2017, 09:20:39 AM
 :rotfl:

Very addictive.  ;D
Title: Re: Sand question
Post by: Sue on January 01, 2017, 09:34:01 AM
I haven't posted before as I've been racking my brains to remember, and I can't  :-[

When I was re-doing my 180 litre mid 2016 I looked for a darker substrate than I'd had before and the blackest one I saw wasn't really sand, it was like very fine black gravel. The shop chap took some out of a display tank so I could feel it, but although it was smooth it felt a bit large; too large for my planned stiphodons or cories (stiphs like to bury themselves and cories like to sift sand for food).
If you don't mind larger grains - and I mean a lot smaller than even the smallest gravel - this was black.

But I can't remember what it was  :-\
Title: Re: Sand question
Post by: fcmf on January 01, 2017, 10:54:23 AM
Having a quick google around for 'black aquarium sand' and the following pop up as options:
Caribsea black Tahitian moon sand
Aqua One black silica sand [from the pics, this one seems to stand out as particularly black]
Unipac granite black aquarium sand
Seachem Flourite black sand
Title: Re: Sand question
Post by: Moby on January 01, 2017, 11:04:07 AM
I don't think I will change it.As I just upgraded to a new tank I was just a bit disappointed.It won't be long till the another tank comes along  and I'll do it then :isay: