# What is this substrate and where to buy it?



## Animal Mother (17 Oct 2009)

I want a very fine white sandy substrate like on this video



Can I buy this in the UK?

If so, what is it and where can you get it?


----------



## jimbo (17 Oct 2009)

It's a sand a substrate. If you like the look of sand you can get some childrens play sand from any of the big diy stores really cheap which would be fine in an aquarium given a good rinse first. Try b&q or argos.


----------



## Garuf (17 Oct 2009)

It's just white sand, it's not particularly natural stuff and is useless for plants with being inert. That's not that you couldn't have plants with it you could but would have to water column dose and you'd be more prone to algae if your dosing went arise.  In the planted tank we tend to use sands as plantless foregrounds since they appear much more natural in this way and then have a nutrient rich substrate where the plants will be.


----------



## Animal Mother (17 Oct 2009)

I have some Aqua SOil for the plants, I wanted the white sand as a contrast/feature.

Is play pit sand very white?If not,where can I get the very white stuff?


----------



## Garuf (17 Oct 2009)

You can get pure white substrate but it all looks much of a muchness I find. The play pit sand I'm using is from tesco and It's not perfect white but it's very very pale.


----------



## jimbo (17 Oct 2009)

The sand in the video may not be as white as it appears under the light on a very low resolution video. Most of the whitest sand you can get is aragonite based sand used in marine aquariums. This sand is far from inert & would effect the water chemistry in your tank making it very unsuitable in an average freshwater setup.

Theres a white substrate available here, not sure from the pic about being white, but it claims to be white & also inert.
http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.p ... cts_id=393


----------



## Garuf (17 Oct 2009)

http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.p ... cts_id=393

Pure white. 
I'd personally go for play sand, my 10kg bag cost Â£2...


----------



## jimbo (17 Oct 2009)

Garuf said:
			
		

> http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=393
> 
> Pure white.
> I'd personally go for play sand, my 10kg bag cost Â£2...


I swear I never stole your link it was purely by chance, I re-edited my post & came across the same product as you from aquaessentials. I agree that play sand is far better value for money.


----------



## Animal Mother (17 Oct 2009)

Will coral sand work? I don't mind the hardening properties as it'll counteract the AquaSoil affects.


----------



## jimbo (17 Oct 2009)

Animal Mother said:
			
		

> Will coral sand work? I don't mind the hardening properties as it'll counteract the AquaSoil affects.



It would probably cause sudden ph swings. Could stress fish out alot if you have softening & hardening happening at the same time. It would probably be hard to find a consistent balance.


----------



## Animal Mother (17 Oct 2009)

There won't be any fish, only a few shrimp.

Surely the ph would obtain an equilibrium?


----------



## ceg4048 (18 Oct 2009)

jimbo said:
			
		

> Animal Mother said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


pH swings do not stress fish - EVER. This is another myth of The Matrix. If you have a CO2 injected tank your pH swings back and forth constantly without any ill effect. Your pH swings every time you change your water. You'll lead yourself down a terrible path if you concern yourself with pH stability.

Cheers,


----------



## jimbo (18 Oct 2009)

You could give it a go then I guess.


----------

