# Safe dark plant substrates for kuhli loaches?



## cggorman (May 9, 2009)

The original Eco-Complete has spherical grains and is quite dark. Not black, but very dark.


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## Naisi (Mar 9, 2011)

I just re did my tank with fluorite black sand and its not hard to plant in at all. The plants I put in have all stayed in place without anything used to hold them down. My stem plants didn't have a lot of roots, I had cut them down due to loosing some lower leaves. Just wash it good, did I say good. Really good, and let it dry out in the sun if you can. And it won't cloud your tank that much. As for the loaches, sorry I have know idea.


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## petroica (Feb 23, 2011)

Well, cost is a concern as well. Petco.com has a pretty good sale on Eco Complete Black (~$40 shipped for 40 lbs). I'm guessing the kuhlis would prefer Flourite sand, but the prices I'm seeing for it are around $50 shipped for 30 lbs. I haven't scouted for it at LFSes yet, but I can't imagine they'd be much cheaper.


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## gordonrichards (Jun 20, 2009)

Why not go with a bag of fluval stratum? 17 pounds bag goes for $30.00 and change.

Kuhli love to burrow, and plants love stratum!

-Gordon


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## JasonG75 (Mar 1, 2011)

Tractor Supply Black Sand Blasting Sand. This is what I use and it cost 8.99 for a 50lbs bag. I use it for a cap for the Organic Miracle Grow.


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## petroica (Feb 23, 2011)

I'm guessing that sand blasting sand is inert, no? If I were starting a tank fresh, I'd probably do Miracle Grow or MTS, but for now I just want something that would make for an easy switch (no layers, etc.)

Around here, I don't see Fluval Stratum for less than ~$70 for 35 lbs. (29g tank)

Mostly I was curious if any of the non-sand Flourites had improved their shape, in case I run into it for a decent price. A friend has a bunch of Flourite Black sitting around, but I fear for my loaches.


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## audioaficionado (Apr 19, 2011)

Sandblasting grit (reprocessed coal slag) is very abrasive by necessity.


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## 10galfornow (May 13, 2011)

fluval shrimp stratum. easy to plant in, has a lot of nutrients, doesn't leak ammonia, nice granual size. Expensive, but worth it.


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## JasonG75 (Mar 1, 2011)

audioaficionado said:


> Sandblasting grit (reprocessed coal slag) is very abrasive by necessity.


Depends on grit, mine feels just like my playsand except finer.


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## valerietheangel (Jan 6, 2008)

I have my kuhli's in the Soilmaster Select "charcoal" substrate, however I believe that's unavailable now. We are setting up a new planted tank with Turface Pro-League and they don't offer a black or charcoal color so we went with the natural clay color and it's a very nice riverbed clay color now that it's in the tank. The Turface is the same texture as the Soilmaster Select so I think something like that would be fine for your kuhli's if you don't mind the color options. I paid $12 for a 50 lb bag...

I've kept kuhlis in sand and it didn't work well. I used well washed play sand and I think it was just too abrasive for them. I ended up losing the 4 black kuhlis that I had at the time (over a period of a couple of months). I've had these common kuhlis for 3 or 4 years in Soilmaster Select with no problems.


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## JasonG75 (Mar 1, 2011)

valerietheangel said:


> I've kept kuhlis in sand and it didn't work well. I used well washed play sand and I think it was just too abrasive for them. I ended up losing the 4 black kuhlis that I had at the time (over a period of a couple of months). I've had these common kuhlis for 3 or 4 years in Soilmaster Select with no problems.


huh, mine (4) never had an issue with the playsand and they loved to burry themselves. The playsand I used was from HomeDepot.


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## valerietheangel (Jan 6, 2008)

@JasonG75, Yeah, not sure what happened. I've kept kuhli's multiple times over the years and the sand was the only tank they did poorly in. This was probably 2001/2002 or so. My current batch with Soilmaster Select are in great health, no problems. Kuhli's that I'd kept in tanks with regular aquarium gravel (prior to the 01/02 batch on sand) were fine and lived for years too. Just my experience.


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