Substrate question

[prisoner1572]

I am currently using a small size gravel in my tank. I am thinking about switching to sand or shells for aesthetic reasons, although people can probably give me water quality and livestock health reasons. A friend of mine who worked as the head zookeeper at an aquarium told me to keep the gravel because it will prevent anaerobic spots from occuring. Is this a concern? Should I switch do a different substrate? If so, which one? There is sand, argonite, quartz, crushed coral, which are all fine grain, and then the shells which I think are broken shells that are large pieces. And how would I prevent the sulfide bubbles that I have read about? I have a 125 gallon tank, how much sand would I need?

 

[f-dean]

use sand calculator a top page, nassauria snails are what im getting for my sand the tunnel but do not eat pods.

 

[fishfreek]

The key with a sand bed is sand sifters. Worms, hermits and mini starfish all help move the sand around to prevent the true anaerobic areas. ALthough you do want areas of very log oxygen so as the conversion of nitrate to nitrogen gas can occur.

As frank pointed out the calculator link above will help you determin approx how much sand to add based upon tank dimentions and your desired depth.