What is the best substrate for Corys?

[Barbels]

I will soon be putting together a 55 gallon tank and hope to keep Corys with Brown Pencilfish as tankmates.

A few people have suggested silica for substrate because they say it is so smooth and round. I have also heard that silica can irritate Cory gills. Silica has some human warnings, too, so I'm not too sure I want to use it.
I do not know of any substrate that is smooth and round, only small grain.
This is what I have in mind, http://www.caribsea.com/pages/products/super_nat.html
I like the Sunset Gold, but I need to know if it will be too rough for Cory barbels.
What do you think?
What do you suggest?
Thank you.

[andywoolloo]

I have used and use regular play sand from Lowes, carib sea Tahitian moon, moonlight white and sunset gold in all my fish tanks with corys and synos and pl*cos and goldfish and bettas etc .

Most of my tanks have the black sand, some have black and white mixed some have black and sunset gold mixed, some have play sand mixed in or all play sand.

I haven't noticed any problems. And the live plants grow fine.

**edited for typos**

[corybreed]

Sand is the best substrate for corys. I have used pool filter sand, marine sand and play sand. What ever sand you use it is important only to have a thin layer covering the bottom of the tank. If you use too much sand it will pack down and create a lot of anaerobic activity that is not good for the fish. I have also utilized #1 gravel which is sold as grit to help with digestion for birds.

Mark

[PlecoCrazy]

I've used a couple of bags of the stuff for pleco and cory tanks and no problems. Specifically no barb loss. The coloration of it was great as well. Make sure you turn of your filters when adding water if your using power filters.

I used the peace river on most of my tanks that have power filters. The sunset gold on the tanks that just have air driven filters

I'm a really big fan of the caribsea products.

[corycrazy]

I use play sand for my mass of cories,and found no problems with it,has long has you stir the sand to keep it from having gas pockets forming then it should be fine

[jeff@zina.com]

CaribSea is a great product. That said, I'm cheap and use play sand. I only go about 1/2" deep so a $3, 30# bag lasts about 14 years...

Jeff