Yoshi Posted March 17 Share Posted March 17 (edited) Hello All! Relatively new to the hobby. I have a 5gallon tank with five plants, a betta, and a nerite snail and managed to have relatively smooth sailing for almost a year. I'm starting to plan for a 55gallon aquarium. I've always loved the look of black substrate and I was hoping to get some advice on what people suggest. I'm planning on having a pretty heavily planted tank and at this point thinking about shrimp, cory catfish, and some snails for bottom dwellers. Edited March 17 by Yoshi 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricksonAquatics Posted March 17 Share Posted March 17 Personally I love black substrate! I think it really helps the fish and plants pop. Only issue is it will show fish poop and dead plant leaves a lot more than lighter substrates. But if you’re ok with a little gravel vac work to make it pretty, it’s no big deal! As for suggestions, I use Eco Complete and I like it. It’s relatively inexpensive and looks nice. You can always use regular black gravel or sand from your local Petco/PetSmart and load it with root tabs! Both are fairly smooth and soft so wouldn’t bother your future Cory’s! Those are the two main options I can think of but I know there’s more out there 🙂 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony s Posted March 17 Share Posted March 17 I have black substrate in a couple of tanks. Of the Cory’s, only the albinos tand out. The rest kind of blend in. White or gold mystery snails are ok and visible. Vibrant shrimp should work fine. Neon tetras red stripes disappear. My tanks also have painted black backgrounds. So a whole lot of black/dark. Green neons are probably the best. Possibly glow lite rasboras, glow light tetras. Lamb chop rasboras. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyxxl Posted March 17 Share Posted March 17 On 3/16/2024 at 11:35 PM, Yoshi said: Hello All! Relatively new to the hobby. I have a 5gallon tank with five plants, a betta, and a nerite snail and managed to have relatively smooth sailing for almost a year. I'm starting to plan for a 55gallon aquarium. I've always loved the look of black substrate and I was hoping to get some advice on what people suggest. I'm planning on having a pretty heavily planted tank and at this point thinking about shrimp, cory catfish, and some snails for bottom dwellers. Some people use black blasting sand, which needs a lot of washing. The sand is from sandblasting. I am not sure how soft or smooth the edges are. I think I came across a video that Cory used it in one of his big tanks. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLFishChik Posted March 17 Share Posted March 17 (edited) My 75g is Petco’s Imagitarium brand black sand. I saw in a YouTube video that @Irene used it in her tank because it was a coarser sand. I also have a black background on that tank as well… simply because I love how the colors of fish, plants and hardscape seem to just pop. The plan is to eventually house Congo Tetra, Lemon Tetra and Albino Cory in this tank - all very light colors so they will hopefully stand out against the background and sand Edited March 17 by FLFishChik 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrozenFins Posted March 17 Share Posted March 17 Hi, I love black sand too! I think it adds to the natural look of the aquarium as well as makes the plants POP. I've used various kinds of planted tank substrate. In particular I love most kinds of inert substrate. Inert substrate is better at holding the nutrients you need for plants in the substrate. I've used caribsea eco complete and have enjoyed it. Its not very dusty, and claims you dont even need to rinse it. I have had huge success with the seachem flourite substrate, however it is very dusty. Make sure you rinse it very well. Both substrates I would highly recommend. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T. Payne Posted March 17 Share Posted March 17 In my opinion eco complete is too rough for corydoras and I know several people who use black diamond blasting sand, but I personally would avoid this with corydoras as well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoshi Posted March 17 Author Share Posted March 17 On 3/17/2024 at 8:56 AM, FLFishChik said: My 75g is Petco brand black sand. I saw in a YouTube video that @Irene used it in her tank because it was a coarser sand. I also have a black background on that tank as well… simply because I love how the colors of fish, plants and hardscape seem to just pop. The plan is to eventually house Congo Tetra, Lemon Tetra and Albino Cory in this tank - all very light colors so they will hopefully stand out against the background and sand That looks awesome!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odd Duck Posted March 17 Share Posted March 17 I have black Diamond blasting sand (BDBS) in multiple tanks (3 of those tanks have 5 species of cory between them) and all are doing well. I use the medium grit sand (blue on the label) and it’s close to the same size as pool filter sand. I have pool filter sand in a few tanks (medium to light tan depending on the source) and the grain size is very slightly coarser than the medium BDBS. Most of my BDBS was very easy and quick to rinse but that is not a consistent experience across the board from my reading. The last bag I got needed more rinsing but still not what I would consider excessive. It took about 30 minutes to rinse instead of the 15-ish minutes of previous bags. The pool filter sand that I’ve gotten locally has needed about 20-30 minutes to rinse depending on the bag. You will need plenty of root tabs or liquid ferts if you go with straight sand. You will still need ferts if you go with planting substrate but initially less than with sand. It eventually gets depleted and you will need equal ferts as compared to straight sand after a year or so, even with planting soils. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony s Posted March 17 Share Posted March 17 I have 2 different black substrates, one fake rounded gravel which has been okay with corys. The other is more of a sand. From petsmart. This sand is more like sand paper. I have peppered corys in there. It’s way too sharp for them, but for the moment it has to be their home. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoshi Posted March 17 Author Share Posted March 17 I appreciate the comments and advice so far! I guess my two main concerns are that I want something soft enough for the corys which would lead me toward a finer sand, but I also plan on having a pretty heavily planted tank so I'll need something that doesn't compact as much and allows for root development and water flow into the substrate, which would move me more towards gravel. Like most things I suppose it's about trying to find a balance. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solstice_Lacer Posted March 17 Share Posted March 17 I have seachem flourite black as well, I like it, but it is rather fine and could probably stand to be mixed or layered with something with a larger grain for optimal planting 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricksonAquatics Posted March 17 Share Posted March 17 If you want something smooth for the Cory’s and not crazy fine, I’d say go with the Petco Imagitarium gravel (or PetSmart has a similar one). It’s cheap, usually very smooth and plant roots can penetrate is very easily. Just rinse it thoroughly and load it with root tabs for your plants 🙂 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bev C Posted March 19 Share Posted March 19 (edited) I am no expert I am stating my experience ,,,,, I always had gravel was getting tired of it and I loved the sand look I have a 55 gallon and I have black and love it, I have 2-3 inch of Flourite Black Sand and1 inch Black Diamond Blasting Sand I did my research on sand vs gravel both have pros and cons even the Flourite Black Sand have pro and cons I did my research on Black Diamond to ,,, I ask other people who used it even saw one or two tanks with it and ask my regular fish guy where I buy fish I love the black sand, look but that is just me, and it does show dirt, but I think not as much as white or other light color gravel or sand I think sand is much easier to clean then gravel ,,, but if you use sand and plants you will need to use liquid fertilizer and root tabs both on regular bases … And the plants grow slower, but they do grow with root tabs and liquid on the Black Diamond Sand has pro and cons you have to do deep research, before buying and buy the right strain they make 3 different strains /grain and clean it like crazy. it hard to clean but so was the Flourite Black Sand Most people that has trouble with it ... buys the wrong stain/grain and it tries to clean the whole bag at one time and do not clean till it is clear .. There is a way to clean it proper . Best to wash a little at a time I have not regret getting it and using it I have not had any trouble with The Black Diamond been using for 2 1/2 years with my fish I have Julii , pigmy and panada cories and aspidoras spilotus CW125 and a snails shrimp and pelco and they have no trouble and play like always Edited March 19 by Bev C 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyM Posted March 19 Share Posted March 19 A second for seachem flourite black sand, it's more expensive than blasting sand and yes, needs a lot of rinsing. But between this, various kinds of gravel, and eco-complete, it's by far my favorite. It really makes the cory cats show off any black they have. It's never shown poop, whether in a 20 or 100g. But that could be b/c of the trumpet snails and cories churning it up so it either gets buried or sucked up by the filter. By far my least favorite substrate is eco-complete. I know some people love it, but for me that is what shows all the crap - and it's hard to plant in, and if you disturb the bed crap just floats up everywhere, and it eventually gets mushy - but maybe that's just me. Sand it all I'll use going forward, and I never have to vacuum it 🤷♂️ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoshi Posted March 19 Author Share Posted March 19 On 3/19/2024 at 3:22 PM, MattyM said: A second for seachem flourite black sand, it's more expensive than blasting sand and yes, needs a lot of rinsing. But between this, various kinds of gravel, and eco-complete, it's by far my favorite. It really makes the cory cats show off any black they have. It's never shown poop, whether in a 20 or 100g. But that could be b/c of the trumpet snails and cories churning it up so it either gets buried or sucked up by the filter. By far my least favorite substrate is eco-complete. I know some people love it, but for me that is what shows all the crap - and it's hard to plant in, and if you disturb the bed crap just floats up everywhere, and it eventually gets mushy - but maybe that's just me. Sand it all I'll use going forward, and I never have to vacuum it 🤷♂️ Omg I love your setup! That's eon of the things I know I'm going to struggle with is hardscaping mine. I just don't have that "artistic" gene. I may steal some ideas from yours! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyM Posted March 20 Share Posted March 20 Cheers @Yoshi - if you go to my posts I have some detailed pics of the setup from scratch. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bev C Posted March 20 Share Posted March 20 (edited) @MattyM I got to agree Seachem Flourite Black Sand was expensive, bought a bag each pay check till I had enough even bought an extra bag to be sure I had enough I did not have my other 2 tanks yet Only reason I went with it, I always had fake plants for years I was starting out with real plants and sand and wanted something to help the plants did not want to go with the dirt or Eco -Complete, route ,,,, heard you have to change Eco and dirt every year. At least Seachem Flourite Sand Seachem they claim you do not change it for life of an aquarium You still must use liquid fertilizer and root tabs though, but I guess it was worth the extra money to me not change it yearly, at least that is was I am saying to myself at the time 🤣 The Flourite Sand does good after you get it clean and settle in the tank after a few days, unless you go digging real bad, but that is any substrate it holds the plants down pretty good after you plant and after a while both sands blend together well but Flourite Black Sand looks real dull and ugly if you use it alone and do not have a top cover coat, that why I add The Black Diamond on top. And the main reason I bought the Flourite Black Sand, I do not want to change gravel or sand every year if had to ... When ever I need more sand, in tanks I just add more Black Diamond I can not compare others since I only use Flourite Black Sand and Black Diamond but really liked the two together and I heard the Eco Complete was awful and looks bad after some time... the Black Diamond I like how the fish and my mystery snails looks with it like how the light hits it has a shine the key I guess to any sand or plant substate is to clean it very well if not you have a big mess and headache, it was better for me to not clean the whole bag at once I had fish already in there and had only one tank at the time ,,, instead of taking fish out, and I took all decorations out and did small sections a little at a time wait a few days and do little more it took lot longer to do it that way, but it is worth it and less headache and both sands was easier to clean a little at a time Had to clean media a few times and do a few extra water changes, in between and when I was done I really clean the filter but I did Not kill no fish I followed this video as a guide kinda .. I would use both sands again they worked well together, and it looks nice for me Edited March 20 by Bev C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rewcolee1 Posted March 20 Share Posted March 20 I used Seachem in my daughter’s 5.5 gallon tank. 1st time I’ve used it and now I want to replace the gravel in my 75g with it😁. The plants just seem to do soooooo much better with sand vs. gravel. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mmiller2001 Posted March 20 Share Posted March 20 Black Diamond Blasting Sand here. No washing and have Cory Cats. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bsquared Posted March 20 Share Posted March 20 The textures and colors really are incredible! Great looking tank! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Guys Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 What are the plants with pink and red color? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mmiller2001 Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 On 3/21/2024 at 6:16 PM, Little Guys said: What are the plants with pink and red color? In my tank? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Guys Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 Yes please Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 Whichever substrate you choose - don't worry about sharp edges with Corydoras. Cory himself has said he sees Corys in the wild, with sharp bottoms in the areas they're in, in nature. That is not an issue in an aquarium. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now