Sand or gravel?

[ff.rice]

I just got my hands on a 55 gallon aquarium for my cichlids so I can move them out of my 30 gallon tank. I'm just now getting ready to start setting it up and still have to build a stand. I was wondering if anybody had any suggestions on what equipment I should get for it (filter, light, air pumps)? But I guess my biggest question is.... Should I use sand, or gravel in the bottom of my tank?!?! I have cichlids and a Pleco right now but may get a few others after its set up, and I am unfamiliar with sand so I don't know what to use!! You guys have given me great advise thus far so any advise it suggestions would be appreciated!

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

I prefer sand over gravel it just looks great, but it also looks bad quicker because all the waste settles on the top

 

[Convict2161]

I've hand both and I can tell ya... I'm SO glad I switched to sand. Easier to keep clean IMO and at least for my tank it looks better.

 

[ff.rice]

How do you clean the sand without it getting cloudy? And any recommendations on equipment?

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

My sand is bigger grain so I vaccum it about the same as gravel otherwise you just hover above it and it sucks everything off the top.

 

[Convict2161]

How do you clean the sand without it getting cloudy? And any recommendations on equipment?

I just keep the hose about an inch away from the sand bed and it just sucks up the debris and fish poop. Ya might get a little sand but for the most part if you keep the hose far enough away you'll be fine.

 

[dornblaser1]

i love my sand i used washed play sand from home depot $4 a 50lb bag, i like the aquatop cf series canister filters they are cheap but push a lot of water and have a lot of room for media, maybe get a power head, and do what you want for lighting cichlids dont care, last lots and lots of rocks

 

[ff.rice]

What do you mean by power head?

 

[ff.rice]

And what's the best way to wash the sand?

 

[cbourg746]

And what's the best way to wash the sand?

I used a large totes container recently and it work well. Prop the end of the container up on a brick, Put your sand in it, turn your hose on and stick it in the bottom of the sand. Let the hose run for an hour or so, sifting it around every so often and let the water over run the side. Once the water starts to run clear after sifting thoroughly you should be ready to add it to the tank. The longer you let the hose run and the more you sift it around the better.

 

[dornblaser1]

a powerhead is a pump which pushes water around the tank type in marineland maxijet 1200 on google that is a power head/circlulation pump
cichlids love water flow my filter is pushing 525gph, and i have two powerheads totalling in about 650 gph with all i am doing about 1175gph throughout my 75 gallon tank

for the sand washing i just got 2, 5 gallon buckets from home depot used a hose and ran water through it stirring it with my hand until it ran clear it doesnt take long as long as your stirring the sand. stir by digging your hand to the bottom and pulling up, so i maybe lost like 5-8lbs but i bought 2, 50lb bags

 

[Crawdaddy]

On top of it looking better IMO, gravel is a nitrate factory. It seemed no matter how much I vacuumed, there was still waste under it. When I switched to sand, I vacuumed first, and then scooped it out. The water still managed to look like sewage.

 

[U_Hoo]

I used Quickrete brand pool filter sand. Looks awesome! We didn't rinse it first either (gasp!). We felt it would be clean enough due to being specifically for pool filters. PLUS some playsands can have anti-fungal additives which would NOT be good for the fishies. It took about a day to settle, then we turned on the filters. Voila! Crystal clear by the next day.

Vacuuming is a tad bit trickier....you have to hold the end of the siphon/hose just above the sand. Google 'How to vacuum sand in the aquarium' and a nice little video should come up.

Have only had the sand substrate for about a month and a half, but so far LOVE it My son switched to pfs in his 20gal just recently as well, he really liked the look vs. gravel.

 

[ff.rice]

Ok..... So I'm pretty sure I'm gonna go the sand route...... Does it create problems with a bottom feeder/algae eater such as a Pleco?

 

[Crawdaddy]

Ok..... So I'm pretty sure I'm gonna go the sand route...... Does it create problems with a bottom feeder/algae eater such as a Pleco?

Nope, not at all. My Cory's love it.