Review on 🐠 Enhance Your Aquarium with Carib Sea ACS05840 Super Naturals Crystal River Sand – 5-Pound Bag! by Evelin Barnett

There are two versions of Caribsea's Crystal River Sand. One is just sand. The other is packed with pre-cultivated nitrifying bacteria. The version with pre-cultivated nitrifying bacteria comes in the same plastic bag, but the sand will be wet. And it is not recommended to wash it off. In the bag you will find two small packages. One of them is a dechlorinator. The other contains a flocculant to clarify cloudy water. If you are starting a new tank this is what I would recommend. This helps eliminate deadly ammonia emissions. Of course, you should still start with a hardy fish until the aquarium has stabilized. This is great substrate. The grit varies from fine to medium. The size is big enough that you can vacuum the soil without losing too much substrate in the siphon hose. This is the perfect size for most situations in my opinion. The grains are small enough that fish droppings and other debris cannot penetrate the substrate. Yet large enough and heavy enough not to spill too much when servicing the tank. Some fish, such as armored catfish and German sheep, prefer such a fine, sandy bottom. Almost like glitter, but not flashy. You can use it in a fish-only aquarium or even as a substrate for a planted aquarium. This can be the ideal substrate with one exception. If you have bright light, algae will grow on this sand. And it ruins the whole beauty. Algae still grow on the darker sand, but they hide it. If you can keep your aquarium clean, this is perfect for you. If you are low maintenance, choose darker sand. There is black sand from the same manufacturer called Tahitian Moon. It's a bit thinner and hides algae very well. And something else. When you hold a rainbow, it tends to show its best colors when its sand is dark. Update: I bought a five pound bag to replace the small amount I lose through the gravel vacuum hose with every water change. Some will also leave the aquarium when you get rid of unwanted plants.