gravel vs sand

[jeff6898]

Going to be tearing down my 60 gallon aquarium and start over. Will be doing a fish less cycle this time. Can anyone recommend if gavel or sand is a better substrate or is it just a personal choice?

 

[Enchantress]

Depends on what you want to keep in it. Bottom dwelling fish like corydoras etc. have to be kept on sand, as gravel can hurt their mouths and bellies. Sand is also needed if you want to keep cichlids. If you want a planted tank with more demanding plants you might want to add aquarium soil or an active substrate (also if you want to keep some more demanding shrimp).

 

[jeff6898]

[ keeping plecos catfish tetras glow fish clown loach tiger barbs ect


QUOTE=Enchantress;3545479]Depends on what you want to keep in it. Bottom dwelling fish like corydoras etc. have to be kept on sand, as gravel can hurt their mouths and bellies. Sand is also needed if you want to keep cichlids. If you want a planted tank with more demanding plants you might want to add aquarium soil or an active substrate (also if you want to keep some more demanding shrimp).[/QUOTE]

 

[Enchantress]

In that case you should go with sand.

 

[jeff6898]

Thanks



[/B]

In that case you should go with sand.

 

[celticfan]

I feel sand is easier to maintain, it lays flat and its pretty easy to vacuum with a siphon. Gravel gets dirtier as waste gets between gaps and siphoning and sucking it up means you usually need to level it after as well.


Depends on the fish though, some fish I think like to nibble gravel for algae and food like Goldfish I think do it and some other kinds. Where as some other types of fish like corys, loaches and algae eaters like to do it with sand and dig around.

 

[Enchantress]

[ keeping plecos catfish tetras glow fish clown loach tiger barbs ect

[/QUOTE]
Your tank is too small for clown loaches, and be careful what species of pleco you get as some grow to enormous sizes and need aquariums as big as 150g or more (most notably the common, royal & sailfin plecos). You could go with the birstlenose, clown, zebra, snowball or gold nugget plecos as they are smaller.
AND - it sounds as if your current plans are going to result in an overstocked tank...maybe consider reducing the number of fish you're going to keep? Less is always better than more, safer and easier to maintain.

 

[TMaier]

I prefer sand, larger particles. Pool filter sand is my fav. I keep Malaysian trumpet snails to keep it in shape.