Re: Sand on the bottom..........

On Mon, 08 Oct 2007 19:47:04 -0500, Reel McKoi wrote:

>> And I know I've said it before, but the best homemade substrate I've
found
>> is the coarse "tube sand" or "traction sand" with the really fine
>> particles sifted out.  More like fine gravel than sand.  My plants seem
to
>> love it.  And it's cheap :-).
> ==========================
> Are you talking about the stuff in bags called "builders sand" used to
mix 
> concrete?  I haven't heard of it called traction or tube sand.  They may
be 
> the same product.  Where did you buy it?  True, plants do make vacuuming
the 
> bottom difficult but fear the bottom will become a nitrate factory if
not 
> vacc'ed at all.

No, traction sand is what you carry in the winter to put under your wheels
if you get stuck in the snow and ice.  About 2/3 to 3/4 of it is fine
gravel in the 1/16" to 1/8" range.  I sift out the finer stuff and throw
it away.

It may be different in your area - I live in eastern Wa****ngton state.

I haven't had any problems yet with gunk on the bottom, but I have a herd
of Maylasian trumpet snails in each tank :-).