Which substrate should I use for loaches

[Nandita]

Hi everyone, I have a 40 gallon tank and would like to get some loaches for it.
Right now, it has a rough white gravel substrate and I plan to switch that out with pea gravel. Should I create a thick layer of pea gravel over the white gravel or remove the white gravel completely and just use pea gravel or use a completely different substrate? Which will be best for loaches?

 

[jpm995]

Unless the gravel has very sharp edges it should be ok. The best substrate would probably be sand but almost any gravel works ok. Really go with what you like best, the fish adapt to anything.

 

[A201]

It's okay to layer pea gravel over the current substrate. Eventually both gravel types will mix & give the tank a unique look.
Completely changing out gravel can really mess things up biologically speaking.

 

[Nandita]

Unless the gravel has very sharp edges it should be ok. The best substrate would probably be sand but almost any gravel works ok. Really go with what you like best, the fish adapt to anything.

Thanks a lot, sorry for the late response. This is the gravel, would you say it's too sharp or okay?

It's okay to layer pea gravel over the current substrate. Eventually both gravel types will mix & give the tank a unique look.
Completely changing out gravel can really mess things up biologically speaking.

Oh, okay; I also have an MTS problem and was hoping the loaches would take care of it. I've read that they dig in the substrate for snails, would mixing the gravel cause any problems?

 

[A201]

I have mixed gravel in my tanks. The Loaches have no trouble digging in it.
I use "Quikrete all purpose gravel".
It's small grain rounded river gravel.
Home Depot & Lowes sell it in the lawn & garden dept. Much cheaper than the gravel sold at pet stores.

 

[jpm995]

That gravel looks fairly sharp but i think the loaches would be ok with it.

 

[Fish99]

Hi everyone, I have a 40 gallon tank and would like to get some loaches for it.
Right now, it has a rough white gravel substrate and I plan to switch that out with pea gravel. Should I create a thick layer of pea gravel over the white gravel or remove the white gravel completely and just use pea gravel or use a completely different substrate? Which will be best for loaches?

I think the smaller the better like sand.
I've read that unless you have an undergravel filter the gravel doesn't have all that much beneficial bacteria in it anyway. So, if you have a good filter running changing it should be ok. Maybe leave some of the old stuff spread around to help "seed" it?
Like already said something that doesn't have sharp edges for sure.
I have Carib sea's "torpedo beach" sand now. It's not super fine but I have a UG filter under it so I wanted some flow. My Black Kuhli loaches just shove their little heads in best they can to get food. So far so good.
If you think about it when you have larger gravel the food will go down deeper and the Loaches will never be able to reach it.
Anyway, that's my 2 cents worth.

 

[Nandita]

I think the smaller the better like sand.
I've read that unless you have an undergravel filter the gravel doesn't have all that much beneficial bacteria in it anyway. So, if you have a good filter running changing it should be ok. Maybe leave some of the old stuff spread around to help "seed" it?
Like already said something that doesn't have sharp edges for sure.
I have Carib sea's "torpedo beach" sand now. It's not super fine but I have a UG filter under it so I wanted some flow. My Black Kuhli loaches just shove their little heads in best they can to get food. So far so good.
If you think about it when you have larger gravel the food will go down deeper and the Loaches will never be able to reach it.
Anyway, that's my 2 cents worth.

Oh, I see your point; thanks a lot!

I have mixed gravel in my tanks. The Loaches have no trouble digging in it.
I use "Quikrete all purpose gravel".
It's small grain rounded river gravel.
Home Depot & Lowes sell it in the lawn & garden dept. Much cheaper than the gravel sold at pet stores.

I'll check it out, thanks a lot!

That gravel looks fairly sharp but i think the loaches would be ok with it.

Great! Thanks a lot.

 

[Thunder_o_b]

I switched to sand (pool filter and Black Diamond Blasting Sand) years ago. My loaches and plants do very well.

The BDBS really brings out the color.

 

[Nandita]

I switched to sand (pool filter and Black Diamond Blasting Sand) years ago. My loaches and plants do very well.

The BDBS really brings out the color.

They look great! The reason I don't use sand is because its a pain to clean. Also, some plants don't grow in it as the substrate is too tighly packed for them. But I assume loaches and cories love sand.

 

[Thunder_o_b]

They look great! The reason I don't use sand is because its a pain to clean. Also, some plants don't grow in it as the substrate is too tighly packed for them. But I assume loaches and cories love sand.

Thank you.

I never have had issue with those points. Maybe you have used too fine a sand? What plants did not grow for you in sand for you? I never have had plants that with the proper supplements did not thrive in sand.

As for cleaning I guess it comes down to filtration. I use at least 10x the water column in gallons per hour filtration. That photo is from a 150 tall that has over 1,500 GPH in filtration. Have never had to clean the sand.

I use a Seachem supplement that breaks down organic waste. Seems to do a very good job. Seachem - Pristine

 

[Nandita]

Thank you.

I never have had issue with those points. Maybe you have used too fine a sand? What plants did not grow for you in sand for you? I never have had plants that with the proper supplements did not thrive in sand.

As for cleaning I guess it comes down to filtration. I use at least 10x the water column in gallons per hour filtration. That photo is from a 150 tall that has over 1,500 GPH in filtration. Have never had to clean the sand.

I use a Seachem supplement that breaks down organic waste. Seems to do a very good job. Seachem - Pristine

Yeah, my filtration wasn't that good. The plants I used were brittle naiad and ludwigia sp. mini super red.

 

[Thunder_o_b]

Red plants generally need iron supplements and high light in the proper spectrum.

 

[Nandita]

Red plants generally need iron supplements and high light in the proper spectrum.

Yep, I had both but they still weren't growing properly. I have them in another tank of mine and they're doing great.