The Puffer Forum

i have a ten gallon tank that i will soon be setting up for a fig8. what is the best substrate for them. i have heard alot of people saying they use crushedcoral and argonite do they do this to buffer the water. my water is hard and has a ph of 8.2 so i was wondering if playsand, i use this stuff for my oscar tank, or regular gravel would be good for the puffer

It is not just used to buffer the water but to keep the pH at a steady number. Your tap water's pH should change at any time.

so it is a good idea to use argonite?

Are you on well water or city water? Well water is stable with regard to pH (unless its run through a softener or something), but city water can change.

You can also call the water department and ask if they change the pH of the water or if that's the natural pH due to the water source.

However, it's always safe to use aragonite/crushed coral and then you never worry about strange city water pH shifts...

Eric

im on city, i will get some aragonite, thanks for all the help

I use aragonite and love it. Buffers the water and looks pretty good too. I also run my changewater over crushed coral for a few days and reckon that helps as well.

I am thinking of buying aragonite for a substrate in my 35 gallon with my 4 figure-eight puffers and four bumblebee gobies. Is it hard to clean or can I use the vacuum the same way I would on rocks. Does it scratch the aquarium?

A 10 gallon tank just isn't big enough to house a figure 8 for it's entire life. Tank minimum is 15 gallons, although I still think that's a little on the small side. I think a few dwarf puffers is a far better choice for you. They have great personalities too! Just IMO

Eva - the aragonite I have is as easy to gravel vac as small/fine aquarium gravel.

Eric

I like aragonite for light BW puffers also, and I do like for it to be vacuumable. Aragonite is available in a whole range of particle sizes, so don't just buy any bag, check that the size is near the sand/gravel borderline (~3mm).

so is it vacuumable, or is it hard to vacume up, is it expensive?Will it scratch the aquarium?, or should I just stick with my soft small gravel size rocks. I was just wondering If I should change my substrate. I have beutiful dry coral and decorations, I was just wondering about the best type of substrate for my figure-eight puffers and bumblebee gobies which are in a 35 gallon aquarium.

RTR - do you have a source/brand for large particle size aragonite? I can only find smaller sizes.

Eva - are you thinking about replacing your gravel with all aragonite? I was thinking of just supplementing my gravel with it if I could find large particle sizes.

My pH is a constant 8.2 and my hard water comes from a well - should I even bother with aragonite?

I was thinking of replacing it all with aragonite. I though of sand but I thought it would get stirred up and go up the vacume when I clean. Sorry I am an amiture when it comes to substrate . I have only ever used gravel. I Was hoping someone could tell me what type of substrate I should use as long as it doesn't scratch the aquarium any more then gravel would and be able to vacume the aquarium.

Most of mine is from CaribSea, but I do not remember the rather fanciful names they attached...

Just checked their site. One I have used and like a lot is labeled "Bermuda Pink". Another is "Grand Bahama Biome", but I used that mixed with something else, perhaps the "Pink" perhaps something not pictured - They offer a lot of choces and do specify the particle sizes.

Note that the Pink is a sand/gravel mix by particle sizes.

Thanks RTR.
The naming/marketing is very good - makes one want to visit those exotic beaches...