[Doc-55]

Good Morning,

Am putting back together my 180 gallon all glass, and a 75 gallon all glass. The plan is to have an Oscar and a few silver dollars in the 180 with either the exisiting 5 cascade 1500 canister setup or build a sump, the 75 will be a JD tank with twin 350 bio-wheels......Question to the community is;

Has anyone had better luck with either? I use a Python for H2O changes and heard pros and cons with each......Thoughts?

 

[djrichie]

I won't use either because of the silca content and that causes silca algea which is that brown algea that you get when you first setup a tank. I use aquarium sand when I use sand and not that often a good gravel about 3mm is what I like. However, a simple solution to vacumming sand is to add a wood dole to the end off the tube so that keeps the tube about 4 to 5 inchies above the snad and you use the dole to loosen up the gunk and it will flow and than be sucked up by the tube leaving the sand.

 

[Doc-55]

Thanks for the input.....I know that a diatom bloom is not out of the question when intially cycling the tank with silica, but it was always my impression that had to do with high nitrate and phosphate levels that would hopefully be quelled after the cycle was complete, and a good cleaning ....Reasonable lighting as well?.....But, maybe in the end, ordinary playsand would be the way to go. I had a small gravel mix the last time and was looking for a diiferent look and something more suited to an Oscar, and the love of digging......Thanks again, Dave