Dark substrate or light substrate?

[Caliban07]

Which do you prefer? Which is better for the fish?


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[Ricky 1]

I like sand I think it looks more natural, also gravel is not that good for cory's etc.

 

[fishliker]

I like black sand. It makes the colors pop on the fish. And I don't know if this is true, but I think some fish color up better with a dark color, their natural thing to blend in. For instance, I once had a bolivian ram that always stayed pale and at that time I had light colored sand. The only downside is its a little more difficult to vacuum the black because you can't see what's on it but, hey, it always looks nice. One of our mom and pop local stores has a big tank when you walk in, it has black sand and black backing, with lots of lights over it and the fish look great! When I got a new tank I tried both and it was too much black so I changed the backing to blue and I really like it.


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[PB_Smith]

lighter colored substrates tend to wash out the fishes color, as fishliker mentions.
I also always make use of some type of background on the tank as that also affords the fish some security.
I just can't understand when folks have tanks sparsely decorated, all wide open and no backgrounds, makes me think those fish are in constant stress.

Most tropical fresh water fish and especially tetras enjoy heavily planted tanks with areas of darkness and plenty of caves or overhangs. when they have "secure" areas and lighting, they are more likely to carry on natural behaviors.

Take Ricky 1's tank above for example. While the fish look healthy and all looks well, I doubt very much if the angels would ever pair off and breed in the set-up, it's to "open" and lit up. Add a background, more plants and some shaded areas and the chances go up considerably.
No personal offense intended Ricky, just using your pic as an example.

Although I will say in the natural habitats that most of these fish live in, including yours Ricky, have lots of decaying plant matter and mud, the water is the color of tea and the bottom substrate is about as far from white sand as you could possibly get, so it really isn't "more natural" actually the opposite it the case.

 

[Caliban07]

lighter colored substrates tend to wash out the fishes color, as fishliker mentions.
I also always make use of some type of background on the tank as that also affords the fish some security.
I just can't understand when folks have tanks sparsely decorated, all wide open and no backgrounds, makes me think those fish are in constant stress.

Most tropical fresh water fish and especially tetras enjoy heavily planted tanks with areas of darkness and plenty of caves or overhangs. when they have "secure" areas and lighting, they are more likely to carry on natural behaviors.

Take Ricky 1's tank above for example. While the fish look healthy and all looks well, I doubt very much if the angels would ever pair off and breed in the set-up, it's to "open" and lit up. Add a background, more plants and some shaded areas and the chances go up considerably.
No personal offense intended Ricky, just using your pic as an example.

Although I will say in the natural habitats that most of these fish live in, including yours Ricky, have lots of decaying plant matter and mud, the water is the color of tea and the bottom substrate is about as far from white sand as you could possibly get, so it really isn't "more natural" actually the opposite it the case.

Thanks PB-smith

Since our conversation about my washed out firemouths I have added a black background and subdued the lighting. I've been hanging on for a substrate which is more of an earthy brown than pure black but I can't find one suitable. I wanted to stick with sand as the firemouths sieve it through their gills. Perhaps they only do this because the they can't avoid sucking sand in whilst taking there food or they do it for some other reason and this wouldn't be a problem with gravel however, I think sand is cleaner so black sand it is.


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[Caliban07]

I like black sand. It makes the colors pop on the fish. And I don't know if this is true, but I think some fish color up better with a dark color, their natural thing to blend in. For instance, I once had a bolivian ram that always stayed pale and at that time I had light colored sand. The only downside is its a little more difficult to vacuum the black because you can't see what's on it but, hey, it always looks nice. One of our mom and pop local stores has a big tank when you walk in, it has black sand and black backing, with lots of lights over it and the fish look great! When I got a new tank I tried both and it was too much black so I changed the backing to blue and I really like it.


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Thanks fishliker. Washed out colours is precisely the reason I am opting for a darker substrate, I just didn't want to go full black either.


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[44Paps44]

So if planning to switch to sand using play sand (Quikrete 50 lb. Play Sand-111351 at The Home Depot) like i'm going to shortly. Is there a way to darken the sand color?

Getting the 50lb bag above ($4), should I also buy a 10lb bag of Tahitian Moon to add in? Or will the sprinkling of black sand just make it look like 'poop' mixed in with the play sand?

56 gallon column tank

 

[BBradbury]

Substrate Color

Which do you prefer? Which is better for the fish?


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Hello Cal...

Darker substrate will absorb more light and be warmer and the light substrate repels it, so it's cooler. That's the only difference. I doubt the fish will care either way. I like the lighter, polished gravel, I think it makes the tank brighter and with the dark green plants, gives a more noticeable contrast between the two.

Your call of course.

B

 

[Ricky 1]

lighter colored substrates tend to wash out the fishes color, as fishliker mentions.
I also always make use of some type of background on the tank as that also affords the fish some security.
I just can't understand when folks have tanks sparsely decorated, all wide open and no backgrounds, makes me think those fish are in constant stress.

Most tropical fresh water fish and especially tetras enjoy heavily planted tanks with areas of darkness and plenty of caves or overhangs. when they have "secure" areas and lighting, they are more likely to carry on natural behaviors.

Take Ricky 1's tank above for example. While the fish look healthy and all looks well, I doubt very much if the angels would ever pair off and breed in the set-up, it's to "open" and lit up. Add a background, more plants and some shaded areas and the chances go up considerably.
No personal offense intended Ricky, just using your pic as an example.

Although I will say in the natural habitats that most of these fish live in, including yours Ricky, have lots of decaying plant matter and mud, the water is the color of tea and the bottom substrate is about as far from white sand as you could possibly get, so it really isn't "more natural" actually the opposite it the case.

Well, I have a blue background, and 2 pairs that have laid 3 lots of eggs in this tank, angels need space as they get quite big as you know.......

 

[fishliker]

PB_Smith, thanks for your post. For me, the things you said are things I have learned over the years of keeping fish. This year I decided to go to live plants maybe I went overboard... I took out all the fake ones but the live ones didn't grow very fast. Finally I just stuck as many fake ones back in as would fit, and immediately I could tell the fish were calmer and behaving more naturally. And the tank looks better too.


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[Caliban07]

Hello Cal...

Darker substrate will absorb more light and be warmer and the light substrate repels it, so it's cooler. That's the only difference. I doubt the fish will care either way. I like the lighter, polished gravel, I think it makes the tank brighter and with the dark green plants, gives a more noticeable contrast between the two.

Your call of course.

B

Hi B

You don't think that the darker substrate will encourage more active behaviour and better colouration due to the fish feeling safer?

This are very timid cichlids. I hope the change makes a vast difference to their behaviour.




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[PB_Smith]

Hello Cal...

Darker substrate will absorb more light and be warmer and the light substrate repels it, so it's cooler. That's the only difference. I doubt the fish will care either way. I like the lighter, polished gravel, I think it makes the tank brighter and with the dark green plants, gives a more noticeable contrast between the two.

Your call of course.

B

I very, very seriously doubt there is ANY type of temperature fluctuation due to the color of the substrate unless you are dumping sooooo much light into the tank that the light alone would kill the fish.


light is gonna heat up the substrate...
and the fish don't care either way...LOL

 

[Ricky 1]

Any chance of photo's anyone..........

 

[Caliban07]

This is my tank before the substrate change.


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[Ricky 1]

Nice tank I love it, it wont be as nice with the black, may be too dark......

 

[fishliker]

Ok guys, I have a couple of nice photos I took with my iPad but have no idea how to get them on here. As far as I have gotten is to mail them to myself. If someone could send me a link or explain one step at a time I will get them up. Thanks.


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[Roccus]

I like darker substrate.. I have white in my reef tank... but for the fresh stuff I prefer darker.. here's one with a light blue gravel and a light blue back ground.. kind of a compromise... I have another with jet black sand ... I don't have pictures of it here.. I'll post them another time.... the black even under brighter lights seems to present a softer tone...hard to compare the 2 one is 20 gallon the other is 65.. with different lighting and plants and decor

 

[Toad]

I like darker substrate, when I get my big tank running again I plan on getting black sand, as with the whiter stuff any algae growth ended up inside the sand and wouldn't rinse out so after some issues with lighting I had crappy looking sand, plus my fish looked washed out. And the poop just stood out a lot.


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[fishliker]

Roccus... Very pretty!


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[Caliban07]

Very nice tanks. This has been a very insightful post for me as I was under the impression that the majority went with the lighter substrates and I thought I was following the masses.


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