GroovyChic17

Thank-you for replying, Schmitee I was worried that the grains were too sharp and not uniform enough (especially in comparison to the photo on this aquahobby thread). It's such a relief to know that the sand I have should be safe!

Hello! I'm somewhat new to fish keeping and am currently in the process of setting up my first community tank. I'm planning on keeping corydoras and would like to get some opinions on whether the Double Washed River Sand I bought from Bunnings would be safe for them. I've read that the sand should be round/spherical and consistent in size - the river sand I have looks similar to sugar or salt but most appears to be under 1/2mm. There is the rare piece which may be 3mm or larger, but I would be willing to sift the sand if this is not acceptable. It doesn't feel abrasive when I rub it between my fingers, but I'm unsure if this is a reliable indication that it is safe or not. I've also read a lot of conflicting information on pool filter sand vs play sand vs river sand and would appreciate any clarification on which would be the best sand to look at next if the sand I have is not safe. I have a pretty high pH already (around 7.7 according to my LFS) and realise I can't really risk having that go any higher - I've got a couple of pieces of driftwood which will hopefully help buffer it. I've heard that pool filter sand is suppose to be inert and not effect pH, but have also heard some had it raise it despite. The ruler in the image is cm/mm. I'm planning on washing the sand before I put it into the tank and will rake the sand once weekly during/after water changes to ensure no gas pockets build up. (Also, apologies if this is the wrong place to ask this question or the image does not show etc as it is my first time posting properly. Thanks in advance for any help!)

Thank-you! It's 106l/29g. I'm still deciding on what to keep, but am looking at Pygmy Corydoras, Harlequin Rasboras, Guppies, Peppered Corydoras, Threadfin Rainbowfish, a Bristlenose Pleco and maybe once the tank matures Otocinclus Catfish. Any advice on what to keep over others is welcome as I'm having a difficult time narrowing down my selection.

Hi all, I'm somewhat new to fishkeeping, currently setting up my first community tank. Thought I'd join the forum to get any questions answered I couldn't find easily online, or are more area-specific. Hopefully I'll be able to contribute and overcome being a major lurker in online spaces!