Fish Only: Coarse Gravel verse Oolitic?

[DeepCutta720]

I am planning my 20g long tank fish only right now.

I am trying to choose a substrate that will be the easiest to keep visibly clean.

I can't decide between oolitic grain(.25-.5mm) size that I can't vacuum or something more coarse(1-2mm or 2-4mm) that I can vacuum.

I will have 3-4 small fish and a small clean up crew consisting of a few snails and crabs.

What should I get?

Thanks
Aamir

 

[fishfreek]

Personally I would go with the smaller grain size. What I am reading from your message that this will be fish only but there is a chance it might be more later on. I doubt you will want to go thru all the effort of changing out substrate, etc later on when you want to minimize nitrate levels and you find the larger substrate is collecting them more than removing them.

 

[DeepCutta720]

This tank will not advance any further. No coral or anenomes. Just fish and some cleaners if they can actually clean the tank. It will just have base rock.

 

[FishyMel]

I use the OOlite sand and I just stir the surface about once a month to keep it looking clean. You get a bit of algae on it otherwise. The thicker gravels are nitrate factories and never look clean because the whole piece of gravel gets covered with algae and crud. Definitely go with the fine grade sand!

 

[captivereefs]

I think oolitic sand is more of a pain than it is worth. You are limited from high flow;and it is hard to have crystal clear water with it.On a smaller tank it will usually push into one corner. I use the carib sea special seafloor grade crushed coral and it works nice. It is still very small and works quite well.

 

[seaham358]

IMO sand, stay away from course and CC. Why vacuum when you don't have to? Get a Clean up crew big enough to handle the job and sit back and watch the tank. Use between 1-3" and you will be fine. You should not be using a large PH that will be blowing the sand all over the tank get one big enough to do the job and have it blowing up for surface agitation not down. Use a smaller one if needed for bottom movement.

 

[nodoubt471]

fishfreak, that is the cutest avatar ever...

i prefer the "something larger" category, i really think that its a mater of asthetics, i really dont like the oolithic sand it is sooo ahrd to keep the tank clear...

just IMO IME