Sand or Aquasoil??

[marty_87]

Hey,

Just wondering what everyones general thoughts are on what substrate to use with apistos? Currently have seachem flourish capped with up aqua soil which was there for when it was a planted tank. Now since getting a little more into apistos I looking at making this tank into a more apisto friendly tank but that still looks ok with a few plants like crypts and amazon swords.

Now looking at the biotopes of apistos they come from sandy bottoms, but looking around here I notice people have had success using aquasoil??

If I was to change to sand does it really matter what sort? Sand pit sand, propergating sand or silica sand?

Thanks in advance!

[ILLUSN]

silica sand is inert so it would be best, also try and get either poolfilter sand or river sand, costal sand can have high ammountsof salt and carbonate.

aquasoil would be ok but would break down overtime, where as sand would keeps its integrity.

[marty_87]

Thanks for that but any thoughts one being better or worse for keeping apistos?

[steph]

Hi Marty

Ive kept my apistos on sand for about 10 years now. I used to use river sand - although sold as "washed" its filthy and needs a really good clean. Im currently using propagating sand (from bunnings) but I think overall I prefer the river sand. It has a more even grain size, the propagating sand seems to aggregate a bit..

I grow crypts very successfully in both (its about all I can grow ;) and lace fern also does well in my tanks with a pH of 6.

The river sand I had about 5 cm's deep and only ever cleaned the surface, never did a deep gravel vac - mostly too many plants in the way.

The one thing I love about sand is I use upturned flower pots with an enlarged drainage hole for caves, all my females use these by preference and you can tell when they are spawning or getting ready as there is a pile of fresh sand on top and around the outside of the pots as the females dig them out to their liking. Great to watch.

hth

steph

[marty_87]

Thanks steph! When u say river sand what do u mean by that and where do u get it from? Have you ever used pool filter sand?

[swampy1972]

Doesn't Up Aqua buffer your water to slightly acidic - good for Dwarfs and Discus?

Is this trait of those soil any benefit?

[steph]

River sand can be got from a horticultural centre or good garden nursery - especially one speicalising in aquatic plants. I thin mine came in a 25 kg bag

Ive never used 'specialist' substrates so cant comment on those, although I saw a thread here? on one in particular leaching ammonia for a number of weeks - TW or Kristina might remember better.

Swampy - the key to apisto is the TDS rating (Total Dissolved Solids) measured as conductivity, which is like kH, gH and everything else all together. You actually want TDS as low as possible especially for the more delicate difficult species. Therefore anything that 'adds' something to the water is not necessarily a good thing even if it says its good.

Steph

[marty_87]

Yeah it does swampy and I'm currently using it in my 4ft hi tech planted tank, but in this smaller tank I was thinking of using the sand as plant growth is not what I'm after.

Is it worth keeping for the buffering effect that swampy has mentioned or will using sand make them feel for at home and get the correct parameters thru using rain water, indian almond leaves and peat work better?

[swampy1972]

Thanks Steph, as always, good advice.

I guess the key is to build from a 'neutral base' as it were and tailor your tank to suit the requirements of the specific genus.

Marty, do a search to find the pics of Japes biotope tank - Awesome

[steph]

Marty it depends on what species you want to keep. Something like cacatoides or double red agassizi are pretty happy in a pH of 6.5 and soft water. If you are trying to breed something more water sensitive (I wont say difficult as thats misleading, because usually if you give them the right water they will spawn) eg your bitaeniata then you want very soft water and a pH of under 6. You will not achieve this if there is something in the tank buffering it. I have no idea of what the Up Aqua soil does but if they are saying its good for discus I presume there is enough buffer in it to keep the pH around 6.5 or whatever discus like.

All the rainwater/peat/IAL will do very little if there is a source of gH or kH in the tank.

Further on what Rob was saying about very soft water tanks are not necessarily planted tanks in another thread, its because very soft water contains no nutrients or minerals, no calcium, no phosphate etc, once you start fertilizing you are adding 'stuff' to the water column which prevents the achievement of really soft water. You are either satifying the demands of the apistos or the demands of the plants.

so sand.


steph

[Rod]

I totally agree with Steph

I have always kept apisto's in well planted tanks......and included snails in the mix

Plants pull nutrients out of the water and snails reduce the calcium which they use in their shells

The alternative is what happens in nature......no plants just pure water full of rotting leaves!!!

I have been a avid fan of the planted tank concept but am now thinking the pure water and leaves maybe better!!!

It is really a specie by specie approach......unlike mbuna....apisto's come from a wide variety of ecosystems....that change from season to season!

[marty_87]

Thanks Steph and Rod BIG help!!

Sand it is :D

One more thing, is river sand inert like silica sand is? Will it buffer the water at all?