Sand VS. Gravel

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octember123

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Mar 9, 2012
Messages
43
Location
Michigan
I'm not sure what I should get for a substrate. I know gravel is easier to clean, but I have Corys and I don't want to hurt their barbels. Any advice? What are advantages and disadvantages of sand?
:thanks:
 
i like sand. as for gravel being easier to clean,i dont agree with that. i have sand in my 10 and my 55,and all you neew to clean sand is hold the gravel vac about 1-2 inches above the sand and swish it around. i also think sand looks nicer
 
i like sand. as for gravel being easier to clean,i dont agree with that. i have sand in my 10 and my 55,and all you neew to clean sand is hold the gravel vac about 1-2 inches above the sand and swish it around. i also think sand looks nicer

+1 i agree with that 100%
 
+1
I agree- sand is much easier to keep clean than gravel! I have kept large & small gravel & it doesnt compare to pfs (pool filter sand) for keeping a tank clean & easy to care for. Pfs doesnt cloud or get sucked up easily in a gravel vac either.
 
jameswoodall said:
I didn't thinks live plants do well in sand I could be wrong

Live plants can grow just as well in sand than in gravel.

+1 on the sand. I like sand better, looks more natural. You're almost never going to find colored pebbles at the bottom of a lake.

Sand is also easier to clean! Instead of all the gunk sinking into the gravel, it sits on top if the sand. If you keep up on water changes, you wit have and poo on your sand.
 
Thanks! I don't know where to get sand either. I live on Lake Michigan and I could get natural beach sand and then clean it but I'm not sure if that's a good decision. Any advice?
 
octember123 said:
Thanks! I don't know where to get sand either. I live on Lake Michigan and I could get natural beach sand and then clean it but I'm not sure if that's a good decision. Any advice?

Home depot has play sand or silica sand. They might even have black blasting sand. Check local hardware stores. Look for any pool supply stores also for pool filter sand.
 
I would think beach sand would work fine as long as it was thoroughly sanitized. boil it and rinse it a few times. I think it would look beautiful!
 
MandyINCo said:
I would think beach sand would work fine as long as it was thoroughly sanitized. boil it and rinse it a few times. I think it would look beautiful!

I agree. Just make sure it's super clean. Boil, boil, boil lol. And try and get some clean looking sand without any weird stuff or dead fish on top of it
 
I did the same with my river rock but I used conditioned water to soak them in after boiling just a precaution lol
 
Thanks for the advice. How well do aquatic plants grow in the sand? such as Dwarf Hairgrass and Dwarf Baby Tears?
 
octember123 said:
Thanks for the advice. How well do aquatic plants grow in the sand? such as Dwarf Hairgrass and Dwarf Baby Tears?

I'm growing dwarf hairgrass in sand and it's doing awesome.
 
Thanks for the advice. How well do aquatic plants grow in the sand? such as Dwarf Hairgrass and Dwarf Baby Tears?
The plants in my sand tanks have more and finer root system than the ones in my gravel tanks. They also take root much more quickly in the sand tanks.
 
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