Gravel: Natural Vs. Colour - Aquarium Advice

03-19-2004, 05:14 PM

which is your preference and why

Menagerie · 03-19-2004, 05:21 PM

I have both. The larger tanks are all natural--rock, wood, natural colored gravel, sand... (okay, fake plants). My bumble bee gobie tank has black gravel and I am waiting on a centerpiece castle (I wanted something different). That tank is NOT natural and my fiance hates it

He got to design the other tanks--he likes the look of natural aquascaping.
Aquafishy, what is your preference??

Madame_X · 03-19-2004, 05:24 PM

Natural!

I want my fish to be the eyepiece, not my gravel. They are beautiful in (as close to) their natural setting.

Since we're taking them out of their natural environment and putting them in a glass box, I think it helps them adapt more easily if they're in a natural setting.

Of course, many are tank bred so I suppose that's not a valid argument. But I like the natural look!

**QTOFFER** · 03-19-2004, 05:58 PM

I've got dark natural gravel in both tanks.

[acronym:48591e62dc="In my opinion"]IMO[/acronym:48591e62dc], however, certain fish like bettas just look better with a dark epoxy-covered colored gravel.

I'm not a big fan of 'clownpuke' myself, but if it matches the carpet in your daughter's bedroom, I say go for it!

William · 03-19-2004, 06:19 PM

I prefer more natural look, and I complete with with Tahitian Moon Sand, Driftwood and Live plants.

My fish act happier when their in the sand bottom tanks as opposed to the gravel

I just changed out the gravel for sand in my 29 yesterday and my pl*co is as happy as evern a,d actually coming out to be seen now! SOmething he never used to do before.

He likes to dig in it, to. Heh.

But after seeing this, I've got to say it must be good for a fishes psyche to feel the soft natural feeling of nature as opposed to manmade stuff

oscarbreeder · 03-19-2004, 06:59 PM

I also like the natural look.
I like to use sand in my bigger tank with rock and driftwood.
I have natural gravel in the 55gal community tank and 10gal [acronym:f4dd57d39b="quarantine or quart depending on context"]QT[/acronym:f4dd57d39b] tank.
The 5gal crayfish tank has green gravel in it since it is my little girls tank.

Fruitbat · 03-19-2004, 07:34 PM

Natural for me. My daughter has black gravel in her 5 gallon tank and I have to admit that her guppies and pencilfish look absolutely spectacular in it!!!

Christmasfish · 03-19-2004, 08:38 PM

Natural..it sets the fish of better
but I am not against something interesting in a small tank. keep the fish from being bored...

Mr Burns · 03-19-2004, 09:04 PM

i'll take natural over clown puke any time.

Beacious · 03-19-2004, 09:52 PM

All Natural!!![/img]

03-19-2004, 05:14 PM	#1
Guest Posts: n/a	Gravel: Natural Vs. Colour which is your preference and why

03-19-2004, 05:21 PM	#2
Menagerie Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Vancouver, WA Posts: 11,266 Images: 77	I have both. The larger tanks are all natural--rock, wood, natural colored gravel, sand... (okay, fake plants). My bumble bee gobie tank has black gravel and I am waiting on a centerpiece castle (I wanted something different). That tank is NOT natural and my fiance hates it He got to design the other tanks--he likes the look of natural aquascaping. Aquafishy, what is your preference?? __________________

03-19-2004, 05:24 PM	#3
Madame_X Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 580 Images: 14	Natural! I want my fish to be the eyepiece, not my gravel. They are beautiful in (as close to) their natural setting. Since we're taking them out of their natural environment and putting them in a glass box, I think it helps them adapt more easily if they're in a natural setting. Of course, many are tank bred so I suppose that's not a valid argument. But I like the natural look! __________________ 55 Gallon Cichlid Tank--1 Pseudotropheus Polit, 1 Neolamprologus Leleupi, 2 Synodontis Petricolas, 2 Clown Plecos (Starting over after columnaris wiped out most of my cichlids... sigh) 30 Gallon Oceanic Cube, Heavily Planted--3 Bolivian Rams, 3 Marble Hatchets, 2 Black Phantom Tetras, 1 Bristlenose Pleco, 3 Otocinclus, 2 Upside-Down Catfish, 5 Amano Shrimp 29 Gallon, Moderately Planted--1 South American Puffer, 3 Pearl Danios, 1 Peppermint Pleco, 1 Frogmouth Pleco, 1 Pitbull Pleco, 3 Otocinclus Catfish, Ghost Shrimp 12 Gallon Eclipse System--2 Neolamprologus Brichardi

03-19-2004, 06:19 PM	#5
William Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Florida, USA Posts: 2,553 Images: 5	I prefer more natural look, and I complete with with Tahitian Moon Sand, Driftwood and Live plants. My fish act happier when their in the sand bottom tanks as opposed to the gravel I just changed out the gravel for sand in my 29 yesterday and my plco is as happy as evern a,d actually coming out to be seen now! SOmething he never used to do before. He likes to dig in it, to. Heh. But after seeing this, I've got to say it must be good for a fishes psyche to feel the soft natural feeling of nature as opposed to manmade stuff __________________ 30gal; Bala Shark, Plco

03-19-2004, 06:59 PM	#6
oscarbreeder Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Columbia,S.C. Posts: 3,084 Images: 13	I also like the natural look. I like to use sand in my bigger tank with rock and driftwood. I have natural gravel in the 55gal community tank and 10gal [acronym:f4dd57d39b="quarantine or quart depending on context"]QT[/acronym:f4dd57d39b] tank. The 5gal crayfish tank has green gravel in it since it is my little girls tank. __________________ Please remember to vote for Aquarium Advice! http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/kyman_33/sig.jpg

03-19-2004, 05:58 PM	#4
QTOFFER Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Kew Gardens, NY Posts: 3,701 Images: 30	I've got dark natural gravel in both tanks. [acronym:48591e62dc="In my opinion"]IMO[/acronym:48591e62dc], however, certain fish like bettas just look better with a dark epoxy-covered colored gravel. I'm not a big fan of 'clownpuke' myself, but if it matches the carpet in your daughter's bedroom, I say go for it!

03-19-2004, 07:34 PM	#7
Fruitbat Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Garland,Texas Posts: 1,818 Images: 30	Natural for me. My daughter has black gravel in her 5 gallon tank and I have to admit that her guppies and pencilfish look absolutely spectacular in it!!! __________________ Loaches: Botia almorhae, B. kubotai, B. striata, Noemacheilus triangularis, Schistura sp.aff.nicholsi, S. vinciguerre, Sinibotia robusta, Vaillantella maassi Bichirs: Polypterus senegalus, P. senegalus (albino), P. delhezi, P. sp. 'Congo', P. palmas polli, P.weeksii, P. ornatipinnis, P. palmas buettikoferi, P. retropinnis, P. endlicheri congicus, Polypterus bichir lapradei, P. palmas palmas, Erpetoichthys calabaricus Anabantids: Ctenopoma acutirostre, Ct. ocellatum, Ct. oxyrhynchum, Ct. kingsleyae, Microctenopoma ansorgii, Mct. fasciolatum, Trichogaster trichopterus, Belontia signata, B. hasselti, Anabas testudineus, Macropodus opercularis, Betta splendens Catfish: Dekeyseria sp. (L-052)Sturiosoma panamense, Hypancistrus inspector (L-201), Synodontis eupterus, Synodontis nigrita, Synodontis brichardi, Synodontis soloni, Anaspidoglanis macrostoma Barbs/Rasboras: Capoeta tetrazona, Rasbora borapetensis, Labeo cyclorhynchus Tetras: Phenacogrammus interruptus Other: Xenomystus nigri, Papyrocranus afer, Pantodon buchholzi, Oxymormyrus boulengeri, Protopterus annectens andPhractolaemus ansorgei

03-19-2004, 08:38 PM	#8
Christmasfish Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Greater Pacific Northwest Posts: 1,421 Images: 25	Natural..it sets the fish of better but I am not against something interesting in a small tank. keep the fish from being bored... __________________ "Fish! Thank You! Oh, tropical huh? Did you buy a heater? Auuugh!" Mega-pet stores prolly should not be allowed to sell animals as retail "items".

03-19-2004, 09:04 PM	#9
Mr Burns Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: cincinnati Posts: 784	i'll take natural over clown puke any time. __________________ "If this were a dictatorship, it'd be a heck of a lot easier...just as long as I'm the dictator..." --George W. Bush, Washington, [acronym:3a5f9f69f4="Direct current"]DC[/acronym:3a5f9f69f4], Dec 18, 2000

03-19-2004, 09:52 PM	#10
Beacious Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Arkansas Posts: 196 Images: 3	All Natural!!![/img]

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