Carib Sea substrate decision

[Silbar]

I am in the process of setting up a 10 G tank to transfer my blue Betta into. Trying to decide on substrate to use. What are your experiences with Carib Sea ? It will have the back glass blacked out and it will have live plants. With luck I will be able to add some Green Neon , shrimp and Pygmy cories. I am looking at Crystal River or Topeda Beach as options. Because my Betta is blue I want him to be able to stand out. I need to decide today to complete my Drs F/S order (20% promo code FAMILY20 ) ends today. I'm also getting the glass top, AC filter and Current USA Satellite+.

[Rocksor]

Pretty light in weight, and easily gets sucked up by the python water change when you put it into the substrate. PFS sand is larger in comparison and doesn't get sucked up.

[Silbar]

What is PFS? Is that pool filter sand? That isn't the same as the Zeobrite that they also use in pool filters is it? I don't want the substrate to be so fine that it gets sucked up.

[Rocksor]

What is PFS? Is that pool filter sand? That isn't the same as the Zeobrite that they also use in pool filters is it? I don't want the substrate to be so fine that it gets sucked up.

Yes PFS is pool filter sand.

If you have a planted tank, you will more likely not let the python touch the substrate anyway.

[Silbar]

Carib Sea does come in different grains sizes so if anyone has experience with this product I would like to know if it rinses easily, etc.

[MCHRKiller]

Torpedo beach is a heavy and slightly larger grain sand; it is larger than any PFS I have used. Plants also love the stuff despite being inert, it doesn't compact and is a good size for root growth.

[Boundava]

Sorry I just have the Tahitian moon sand-black one and I don't have any issues with it being ultra fine and lightweight. When one has sand in a tank you don't really stick the python in it as it will suck up any weight of sand; you lightly go over the surface to get what is laying on top of the sand. I was looking at some comments and the crystal river grain size is like sugar in the raw sized-so not at all fine, but larger and coarse so no issues with it being super fine and compacting.

http://www.amazon.com/Carib-Sea-ACS0.../dp/B003JVU03O

Question: Is this a roughly standard size grain size? similar to beach, sand or much larger? like twice as large? or 10x as large?
Answer: It's like sugar in the raw or coarse grinder salt
By Crowned on July 13, 2015
It is like beach sand.
By book wyrm on July 13, 2015

Here's a side by side...looks like the torpedo beach is the largest of the two with the crystal river being comparable to pool sand. I don't think you will have issues with it. I like the natural tan-ish color of the Torpedo Beach, but the crystal River is nice too.

Picture1.jpg

[Silbar]

Thanks guys. I am leaning towards the Topedo. That helps a lot. How does the National Geographic substrate sold at Petsmart rinse? I want something that will not take forever to rinse.

[Rocksor]

Sorry I just have the Tahitian moon sand-black one and I don't have any issues with it being ultra fine and lightweight. When one has sand in a tank you don't really stick the python in it as it will suck up any weight of sand; you lightly go over the surface to get what is laying on top of the sand.

If you have substrate moving cichlids, you should be putting the gravel vac in the sand since they can bury what is on top of the sand as they look for food or stake out territories.

[Boundava]

This tank is going to be for a betta so no earth-movers, so that doesn't seem to be an issue that Silbar will face, the options he has should work fine with his stock.

So Silbar, did you wind up getting one of them with the discount?