[mwebb]

I am wondreing if anyone has ever placed a layer of fine gravel or sand on top of their exisitng substrate. I have a 54 gallon which has a combo of flourite and laterlite. I dont want to do a complete tear down, but wish they had made the darker flourite sand at the time I purchased my reg. brown flourite gravel. I really enjoy the look of the darker finer substrates. Can a layer of sand (flourite or any other type that may be better for plants) just be poured directly on top of the exisiting flourite and will it stay? Or would it just end up on the bottom with my laterite? If it does settle through will my substrate then be kind of "clogged up" because all the space between the flourite gravel will be filled in and would this hurt my plants in the long run? Hopefully it can be done and it will stay on top. I hope someone can share their experience if they have tried this.

 

[wespastor]

This is the way things seem to happen; finer silts and sands go to the bottom while larger pebbles come to the surface.

This seems to be the order of things even in our tanks as much as we try to resist and work against it.

Hope that helps.
Best wishes,
Wes

 

[OverStocked]

Short answer: not a chance.

 

[mwebb]

Yes I was afraid that would be the case. I was hopeing the brown flourite would be fine enough that it would pack tight enough to hold up a layer of black sand if it was fairly thick. Don't get me wrong the brownish flourite is good, very natural looking the the black is better I think. It may not matter if I can get my carpet thick enough anyway. Thanks for your response

 

[Wasserpest]

If it's mainly the color bothering you, regular black Flourite would work. Although each time you pull out a plant you will have an orange sprinkling. I use a mixture of regular (red/black/brown) and black Flourite in some tanks, think it looks "natural" and fairly dark at the same time, but of course everyone has different preferences.

 

[mwebb]

If it's mainly the color bothering you, regular black Flourite would work. Although each time you pull out a plant you will have an orange sprinkling. I use a mixture of regular (red/black/brown) and black Flourite in some tanks, think it looks "natural" and fairly dark at the same time, but of course everyone has different preferences.

I had forgotten about the black flourite. that is something to consider. Thanks for the tip. It is a combination of color and texture ( the sand gives both) but at least I could have the color.

 

[HolyAngel]

yes it will, but will have to be thick, like an inch, just dont uproot a lot and you'll be fine, both my tanks are setup this way and no sand on the bottom of the tank or intermixing after a year

 

[mwebb]

yes it will, but will have to be thick, like an inch, just dont uproot a lot and you'll be fine, both my tanks are setup this way and no sand on the bottom of the tank or intermixing after a year

Well that is encouarging. I wonder why it is staying maybe the thick layer of sand is the key

 

[HolyAngel]

Yeah idk, here's th shrimp tank

And the 29

Both sand layers are sitting on around an inch of floramax/flourite and no sand moving after over a yr... Sry for the horrible pics lol but you get the idea ^^