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424 Posts
As the title says, I need help choosing a substrate. The reason I just didn't go off someone else's post is because I have specific factors that need to be considered because of my water and the fish I will be getting. I would really apreciate the names of good brands along with your posts to help me find them better to research. If you don't know a brand, could yall at leat spell out what yall are talking about instead of using shorthand? I might not know what it means :-/
The Facts
1. pH is 6.2 from tap and 6.8 after 48 hours of sitting.
2. Water is very soft
3. 20 gallon long that will be filled 1 inch deep, so quality over quanity since I wont need an obscene amount.
4. Silica free (with my low pH, I experenced a terrible brown algae/diatome breakout that covered my tank. The problem was confined to the one with pool filter sand and did not improve over 6 months until I removed it. Believe me, I tried everything else first)
5. Good for Betas and Kuhli Loaches (preferably fine smooth gravel or sand that wont compact or ruin my filter). I also might get afew Otos later on, but if it works for Kuhlis, it should work for Otos too.
6. My plants will be stem and floating. With no root feeders, enriched substrate isn't really necessary. Plant wise, at most it will be something for the plants to hold onto.
7. Appearance is irrelivant. Function over looks. I only want the substrate that is best for my fish and plants
8. Avaliable in the US
The Facts
1. pH is 6.2 from tap and 6.8 after 48 hours of sitting.
2. Water is very soft
3. 20 gallon long that will be filled 1 inch deep, so quality over quanity since I wont need an obscene amount.
4. Silica free (with my low pH, I experenced a terrible brown algae/diatome breakout that covered my tank. The problem was confined to the one with pool filter sand and did not improve over 6 months until I removed it. Believe me, I tried everything else first)
5. Good for Betas and Kuhli Loaches (preferably fine smooth gravel or sand that wont compact or ruin my filter). I also might get afew Otos later on, but if it works for Kuhlis, it should work for Otos too.
6. My plants will be stem and floating. With no root feeders, enriched substrate isn't really necessary. Plant wise, at most it will be something for the plants to hold onto.
7. Appearance is irrelivant. Function over looks. I only want the substrate that is best for my fish and plants
8. Avaliable in the US