Does Gravel Matter?

[5x5]

I am starting a freshwater tank this week and still need to choose substrate. The LFS sells gravel, sand and crushed coral. Is this selection purely aesthetics or will this impact the fish?

I am not sure if I will be doing a community or species tank, but leaning towards community at the moment.

 

[mfergusonjr]

I prefer to use pfs. It's much easier to clean IMO. The gravel can have side effects like damaging barbs on coreys and such. Plus pfs is much cheaper.

 

[Mr. Limpet]

I prefer to use pfs. It's much easier to clean IMO. The gravel can have side effects like damaging barbs on coreys and such. Plus pfs is much cheaper.

+1

PFS is the best choice IMO. Just so you know, crushed coral will raise you pH and as I understand it, quite significantly.

At my local Petco, sand/gravel goes for about $1 per pound (averaged out) and Leslie's Pool Supply at the other end of the parking lot sells 50lbs of PFS for less than $10 and they even load it into my truck lol.