Show me your BLACK/B&W Substrate

[fastrd400]

I am going to be changing out my substrate and am thinking of black sand, or a mix of black and white. I am not going to commit until I can see some actual pics of peoples tanks with this substrate in it . Also any pro/cons you may have for the sand you are using would be greatly appreciated.

 

[dcantucson]

I had it both systems. A picture? Humm...

 

[Bifferwine]

 

[dcantucson]

Dang Biff your ricords were doing well.

 

[Bifferwine]

I know. That picture makes me cry.

 

[OhNoNemo]

FOWLR....

 

[Brian_G]

how many gal was that tank biff?

 

[dcantucson]

I think it was her 10 gallon contest tank. :(

 

[Bifferwine]

Dcan is right -- it was 10 gallons. Everything in it is now dead. :cry: Horrible horrible tragedy.

 

[Brian_G]

awe. but if it makes you feel better, that tank pic is inspiring me to do a ric tank with my ten gallon that is just laying around.
and the black sand bed looks great

 

[Bifferwine]

Yes. I hope it inspires the love of rics in some people. My rics will live on in the hearts of others!

 

[dcantucson]

Here's my Red Sea Max when I had Tahitian Moon sand.

 

[fastrd400]

Thank you Dave and Biff. Any pro/cons to that as opposed to say just your normal white or brown reef sand?

 

[Jmck]

Sliiightly off topic, but what are rics? and even pods that ive been hearing about on here?

 

[BL1]

Sliiightly off topic, but what are rics? and even pods that ive been hearing about on here?

rics = Ricordeas, a type of coral. If you look at the pic of Biffs tank in this thread, all the corals in it are rics.
Pods are a type of creature that lives in our tanks that provide a live food source for our fish.

 

[Jmck]

Ohhhh k, Ill have a good look at the pics, and how do we get pods and where do they stay?

 

[BL1]

If you have live rock, then chance's are that you have them. That's why most people build refugiums, it gives the pods a place to live and breed undisturbed. But, you can always boost your pod population by buying them.
Saltwater Aquarium Feeder Inverts for Marine Reef Aquariums: Nutrimar Tigrio Bottled Copepods
Reef Nutrition - Tigger-Pods?

 

[Jmck]

ohhh k thanks, I have a refugem and all the live rock but the tank is still young. This is all good to know :)

 

[BL1]

If your tank has finished cycling, then it's a good time to add the pods, even if you have no fish. The earlier you add them the more time they'll have to reproduce, especially if you have no fish.

 

[BL1]

Also, dcan, did you ever have any issues with a rust colored algae growth on your sand? I read on another forum that there were issues with the Tahitian moon sand having metal particles in it that caused problems in tanks.