I have been fish keeping for about 9 years. I got the tank setup from someone who didn't want it anymore, cleaned it well and started over (sort of - I didn't clean the biowheel so I had some bacteria to help restart).
Through the years, I've moved and taken the tank along. I've had issues with different water qualities that have resulted in inconsistent levels of ph. It's created a problem of a well-established tank. I'm now in a permanent place and the water results in a high ph level consistently. I'm looking to establish a tank that contains fish that thrive in this setting. The current fish I have are doing great. I know it seems like an unlikely matching of fish, but they are basically what's left of species that I've tried. The tiger barb I have is aggressive toward certain fish. I had 3 and they actually took out 2 dwarf puffers (to my dismay).
I do a ton of research before I introduce anything new to the tank but everyone has different opinions and it ends up being a case by case scenario. I'm frustrated because every time it seems I plan for a tank, there's a problem. I have bad selection in fish shops around my area. Mainly a large Petco that takes horrible care of their fish and the people on staff think they know what they are talking about but definitely don't. I have found a better quality shop about 45 minutes from my home, so I typically plan and order the fish from them and pick them up as soon as they're in.
Now that I've given you the background.... here's my question(s). I'm looking to change to a sand substrate (black tahitian moon) and I wonder if anyone has experience doing so. I know my catfish (the most successful in my tank to date) like to burrow and I believe my other fish would prefer this as well. I like the cleaning aspects and contrast of the sand too. I would like to maintain some of the bacteria I have in my gravel and transfer it to the sand. I'm also hoping to obtain some freshwater clams at some point that I think would look great with the sand.
In addition to advice on switching to sand, I would love some suggestions for fish or other inhabitants. Sometimes it feels like I've tried them all but I'm willing to take suggestions. My ph is around 7-8 with all other levels keeping steady. I also have a higher general hardness. I have snails for feeders if need be as well. I have some MTS and ramshorns in the tank as well that the loaches occasionally snack on.
Sorry for the horribly long post and thank you for any suggestions. Please refrain from yelling at me about any of the above information. If you have an advisory, I am happy to learn more but I'm really tired of people flipping out about setups because 'typically' certain fish don't get along. I watch closely for signs of aggression and immediately separate upon the issues. Thanks.
Through the years, I've moved and taken the tank along. I've had issues with different water qualities that have resulted in inconsistent levels of ph. It's created a problem of a well-established tank. I'm now in a permanent place and the water results in a high ph level consistently. I'm looking to establish a tank that contains fish that thrive in this setting. The current fish I have are doing great. I know it seems like an unlikely matching of fish, but they are basically what's left of species that I've tried. The tiger barb I have is aggressive toward certain fish. I had 3 and they actually took out 2 dwarf puffers (to my dismay).
I do a ton of research before I introduce anything new to the tank but everyone has different opinions and it ends up being a case by case scenario. I'm frustrated because every time it seems I plan for a tank, there's a problem. I have bad selection in fish shops around my area. Mainly a large Petco that takes horrible care of their fish and the people on staff think they know what they are talking about but definitely don't. I have found a better quality shop about 45 minutes from my home, so I typically plan and order the fish from them and pick them up as soon as they're in.
Now that I've given you the background.... here's my question(s). I'm looking to change to a sand substrate (black tahitian moon) and I wonder if anyone has experience doing so. I know my catfish (the most successful in my tank to date) like to burrow and I believe my other fish would prefer this as well. I like the cleaning aspects and contrast of the sand too. I would like to maintain some of the bacteria I have in my gravel and transfer it to the sand. I'm also hoping to obtain some freshwater clams at some point that I think would look great with the sand.
In addition to advice on switching to sand, I would love some suggestions for fish or other inhabitants. Sometimes it feels like I've tried them all but I'm willing to take suggestions. My ph is around 7-8 with all other levels keeping steady. I also have a higher general hardness. I have snails for feeders if need be as well. I have some MTS and ramshorns in the tank as well that the loaches occasionally snack on.
Sorry for the horribly long post and thank you for any suggestions. Please refrain from yelling at me about any of the above information. If you have an advisory, I am happy to learn more but I'm really tired of people flipping out about setups because 'typically' certain fish don't get along. I watch closely for signs of aggression and immediately separate upon the issues. Thanks.
As for the clams, well, they really serve no benefit to a freshwater tank and in fact, make more of a mess than benefit. Just make sure you clean the sand thoroughly before putting it in the tank as you will have dirty "dusty" water for awhile. Cleaning sand is not a quick process. Takes patience and time to make sure you get it as clean as possible. Good luck!