Is black Petco sand suitable for sand-sifting cichlids?

[Lavender]

So, I’m planning my 75 gallon, and I want to use black Petco sand, as it’s the prettiest sand (Black diamond blasting sand has a shininess to it I don’t like). However, it’s slightly gravel-like, which concerns me, as I want to use it with sand-sifters (Ie- Bolivian rams, possibly Keyhole Cichlids). It’s said to be alright with Cory catfish and kuhli loaches in other forums, but I’m unsure about sand-sifters with it. Yea or nay?

[nabokovfan87]

For fish interacting directly with the sand. I would recommend CaribSea Supernaturals sand. 

Crystal River is my current favorite, but there is a variety of colors that fit that grain size.  Avoid anything too small as it will damage equipment.  If you need help I can show you more details on things.

@Chick-In-Of-TheSea Can you share your ram and the sand setup?  Maybe a video of the beautiful ram eating?

If you're specifically wanting black substrate, I also have used the seachem flourite black (they have a sand version, but normal is very fine as well.)

It's a natural material where as some of the "black sand" is painted gravel with acrylic black paint.

[Lavender]

Hmm…is the Tahitian Moon sand alright if you wash it throughly? It seems it can leach ammonia if you use the package wash instructions, but it’s also the exact perfect color that I wanted from the Petco sand. Even better, actually. I did find some for sale online.

I’ll look into the flourite sands. I’m already using the (red) gravel to grow plants in, and I’m not too confident about kuhli loaches in them. They’re usually pretty good, but who knows?

[Guppysnail]

Petco sand or gravel is perfectly fine to use with cichlids. It is inert so leeches nothing. Just wash thoroughly. 
At one point I only used black substrate.  Word from experience black shows EVERYTHING. I got tired of daily turkey basting to have the clean look. So a bit more upkeep but I do still love how black looks and makes fish colors completely show. Looking forward to seeing pictures of whatever you choose. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 7/23/2023 at 2:42 PM, Lavender said:

I’ll look into the flourite sands. I’m already using the (red) gravel to grow plants in, and I’m not too confident about kuhli loaches in them. They’re usually pretty good, but who knows?

Do you mean with them swimming through it?  The substrate is lighter than normal gravel I think and a bit "softer" after it's hydrated.  It's a clay product from my knowledge and I would think it is ok with the loaches.  I have corydoras on mine, but they don't necessarily bury themselves.

The Tahitian (black) sand, you would have to specify which brand / version.  Some of them have been removed due to metal content in the natural product.  I don't think I've heard of it leeching any ammonia though.  If you're taking about moonlight sand, it is one of the extremely fine sands from caribsea and I do not wish it on my worst enemy.  It is very easy to get up into the water column and only really has use on air powered setups.  It will get into sponge filters and stuff as well due to how easy it is to drift around.

Here's the side-by-side if that helps to show you the granular difference.  The one on the left is most definitely a fine sand.

Edited July 24, 2023 by nabokovfan87

[Lavender]

I’m in for a world of pain…it’s the moonlight sand. More specifically, Tahitian Moonlight sand, which is the really black stuff. But I don’t think they can sift the other stuff…but I also don’t think my HOB can survive that much sand.

I’m more just concerned about seeing them sift. I doubt they can do much of that in gravel. And since the Petco sand is basically small gravel…oh well, I’ll live I guess. I turkey baste all my betta tanks daily, mainly because I’m constantly bored and blackwater gravel gets dirty quick, so…not a huge deal.

 

Edited July 26, 2023 by Lavender

[Twood]

It’s not black sand, but I have used pool filter sand and it has worked really well for my Geophagus. They sift through it all day long and the sand is coarse enough that it doesn’t get kicked up into the filters. Another option - relatively inexpensive as well. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 7/25/2023 at 11:53 PM, Lavender said:

More specifically, Tahitian Moonlight sand, which is the really black stuff.

The main advice is just to make sure it's rinsed well. I will try to look up grain size, but I can't seem to find the images from caribsea in the usual format.

With any HoB with sand, the advice is to ensure the tube is as high off the sand substrate as possible. Keep the waterline high enough so that the output is across the tank as opposed to downward forcing the sand up into the water column.

[FishRBeautiful]

This week, I just bought and used Petco’s black aquatic substrate (20 pounds for 20 gallons). It’s way smaller than gravel, a bit bigger than sand. Haven’t done a water change yet but when I rinsed it, I noticed how much lighter it is than sand. Cory’s and ram seem fine but they don’t sift their noses into it like they did the sand. And they don’t spit it out their gills like they did the sand. I’d say they’re fine but they maybe like sand better…but I like the black color. My fish show their colors better on black.

[Lavender]

Well, it is a 75 gallon, so hopefully my sand-sifters won’t kick up the sand so much that it gets into the HOB filter. I’m not incredibly worried about gravel-vacuuming- I do very fine sand in a lot of my tanks and it’s still alright to gravel vacuum. I’ll look at pool filter sand- it’s a good sand, I use it in my betta tanks. I just want black colored sand. 

Yeah, I want to see the sifting behavior- sand for me. I guess I’ll perform some filter surgery and cut the intake tube down to size, then.