Sand or Gravel for plants?

[meese-a-mew]

I have tried both with more success with gravel but I aways see other people saying that sand is better for plants.
Which do you choose and why?


Meese

 

[Mattfinn]

People generally choose sand because it's easier to clean imo also I find it looks better and it benefits a fishes health. Like corys. Gravel can damage their barbels

 

[Mebbid]

Sand 100%. Its much easier to anchor plants in sand than it is gravel.

 

[flitabout]

Sand, I have done in gravel, but the plants roots anchored in faster in the sand. All of mine have done very well either way, but it might have been that they are all dirted.

 

[meese-a-mew]

Sand, I have done in gravel, but the plants roots anchored in faster in the sand. All of mine have done very well either way, but it might have been that they are all dirted.

Root tabs can basically replace dirt almost right?


Meese

 

[Mebbid]

Root tabs can basically replace dirt almost right?


Meese

Root tabs are needed for root feeding plants regardless of dirt or not. Dirt really helps plants establish their root system in the substrate.

 

[meese-a-mew]

Root tabs are needed for root feeding plants regardless of dirt or not. Dirt really helps plants establish their root system in the substrate.

Ok so roots tabs will be good?
If I was gonna dirt, I have a question about the setup. I want to have a large hill in the back of the tank so would I have to stack the dirt really high so that the roots can actually hit it?


Meese

 

[Mebbid]

Ok so roots tabs will be good?
If I was gonna dirt, I have a question about the setup. I want to have a large hill in the back of the tank so would I have to stack the dirt really high so that the roots can actually hit it?


Meese

Personally, I wouldn't do a large hill of just sand. I would pick a way to raise it like a plastic divider or some rocks to border it. Over time a sand hill will likely get wore down by current or fish and will expose dirt making a huge mess

 

[meese-a-mew]

Personally, I wouldn't do a large hill of just sand. I would pick a way to raise it like a plastic divider or some rocks to border it. Over time a sand hill will likely get wore down by current or fish and will expose dirt making a huge mess

Yah I'm going to have the hill kind of surrounded with rocks and stuff.


Meese

 

[Coursair]

Had gravel for years. Prefer sand.



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[Rodeo one]

Sand, definately. Large grain. The Wet Spot has a great product that they sell in bulk. It s what they use I their tanks. Also Iike CaribSea ( I think that s the name). Help me out here guys.


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[jetajockey]

Yah I'm going to have the hill kind of surrounded with rocks and stuff.


Meese

What I would do is put a plant pot in there with dirt and then use the sand to help cover it to make the hill. That way the soil is contained.

I use pool filter sand in some tanks, gravel in some, and saftsorb in others.

 

[meese-a-mew]

Is play sand ok to use?


Meese

 

[jetajockey]

It's ok to use, but I would'nt since it's really silty. It just makes for a pain to rinse out and also tends to cloud in the tank even after thorough rinsing. It also gets blown around by filter output much easier than PFS.

 

[Mebbid]

It's ok to use, but I would'nt since it's really silty. It just makes for a pain to rinse out and also tends to cloud in the tank even after thorough rinsing. It also gets blown around by filter output much easier than PFS.

+1 the play sand I tried ended up losing close to half of its volume by being washed away as a mud.

 

[meese-a-mew]

It's ok to use, but I would'nt since it's really silty. It just makes for a pain to rinse out and also tends to cloud in the tank even after thorough rinsing. It also gets blown around by filter output much easier than PFS.

Are there any like big chain stores that I can get it from or do I have to get it from a pool supplies store?


Meese

 

[meese-a-mew]

Oh also forgot to ask, does plays and still grow plants equally well to pool filter sand?


Meese

 

[Coursair]

Oh also forgot to ask, does plays and still grow plants equally well to pool filter sand?


Meese

Sand has no nutrients, it's inert. So plan to add root tabs for Swords and Crypts.


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[Mebbid]

Oh also forgot to ask, does plays and still grow plants equally well to pool filter sand?


Meese

They act the same, but play sand is a pita. I avoid it like the plague after trying a bag of it. Half of it is dirt that just gets washed out whereas the pfs I use doesn't even need to be washed. I add it to a tank of water, do a 100% water change, and call it good

 

[jetajockey]

Some home depot stores carry it in the summer time depending on your area, it's worth doing a google search anyway. I have found it cheaply at a DoItBest store as well.