Fine Beach Sand for cory?

[limsteel]

I am upgrading to 1½ft tank (from 1ft) for cories. I have partition the tank 2/3 lapis gravel and 1/3 reserved for sandy patch... I have filled up the Lapis gravel and now looking for sandy substrate.

Is FINE BEACH SAND found in our beach suitable? I am looking at those very fine powdery type... Thinking of collecting a bag for my tank.

Currently, I am using fine coral sand 1 pack $5 type (but still not as fine as the ones on the beach). The Pygmy Cory seems OK...

[SCOPE]

The beach sand is fine enough....but beware of the salt content. Cories don't endure salt. Better wash & soak very thoroughly.
Still my advise - don't try this method...as cories are very sensitive fishes

[doubleace]

if you looking for fine sand go for SUDO bottom sand. Its very fine just like beach sand..

[SCOPE]

Yes, this is suitable. i saw it selling at BIOTOPE 11 bucks

[Cup]

Beach sand will significantly raise hardness. I think it'd be wise to hold off and buy inert substrates.

[YAL05T]

I use the beach sand over here with no problems, but it has very little to no shell content, it is more or less just silica. I wash it 3 times and let dry in between. Also the wood that I add negates the small amount of shell that may be present and keeps the pH down.

[limsteel]

Will soak and wash in boiling water. Later I will soak it in peat (or maybe Vinegar). Try to dissolve as much as Ca as possible.

In the end... is all the labor worth it? I think so...

[YAL05T]

.In the end... is all the labor worth it? I think so...

Sure is not only for the aesthetics of the tank but for the barbels on your little cories

[barmby]

Does it mean that using pebble size of 10mm will hurt cory ?

[limsteel]

Cory like to forage and feed at the bottom of the tank. Fine sand is the best deal.

I have cories in my main 5 ft tank with 2mm grain size clay pellets. So 10mm pebble won't harm then unless there are sharp edges.

Updates:
Just collected the beach sand from Changi Beach! Very FINE but there are lots of impurities. Cigarettes butts, plant root, & seeds, Styrofoam, dead leave bits, plastic bits and pieces, "dog poo" (lucky I missed that one), etc!

I used water from my fish tank to wash to the sand. For that I killed 3 birds with 1 stone (WC for main tank, Washing Beach Sand & I SAVED WATER BILL) most impurities floated after I added water. I still need to sift the sand through...

The sand is soaked in diluted vinegar overnight to hopefully get rid of Ca Compounds.

Next up, wash with water, to rid vinegar

Then, boiling water treatment to kill unwanted life forms. Also targeting undissolved sea salts that might still be present.

Finally, into the tank it will go!

[barmby]

Thanks. My previous experience with cory wasn't good. maybe it has to do with the 10mm pebbles.

[luenny]

Cool keep us updated and please post photos of your tank when it's ready.

[taygu]

HI, did you measure the PH before and after??

[bossteck]

Would the use of fine sand increase chances of substrate getting anaerobic?

[luenny]

I don't think that would be a problem if the sand is not very thick. Cories are active sand movers so you probably end up with a patch of bare spot.

[bossteck]

I see, good point.
I guess if it is not too thick, coupled with the corys' activity should be ok to use fine sand.

[limsteel]

My gravel is about 5cm thick, I planning to have the same thickness. But yet to put in.

I gave the fine sand a hot water bath and the water turned brown. I don't know what the heck is in there... So I planning hot water bath until the water is clear.