The substrate is play sand that I got at Home Depot. Thankfully I had read to dump the sand in a tub or bucket and rinse it thoroughly with the garden hose. A thick layer of bubbly, scummy froth came up, which I scooped off. It didn't take long to have the water in the tub pretty clear.He's so freakin cute! What substrate do you have on the bottom of the tank?
Jacques LOOOOOOOVES his sand!
He sometimes half buries himself in it.