How do you keep it clean w/sand, laterite!!!!!!!!!

[frostby]

I've always used the pebble/pea gravel for my substrate, but for you, who use sand. What keeps your water from getting all cloudy, and how do you gravel vac! Do plants do better in sand?

I see many also recommend laterite for a substrate, can you mix the laterite with gravel, or is it an all or none type of thing!??!

Did you see a big improvement in plant growth using a more difficult/advanced substrate!?

 

[CHBGator]

I did a base Layer of Sand/Gravel/Laterite then a top layer of about 2-3 inches of Quickrete Play Sand $2.95 for a 50 lb bag at Lowes. Cleaning isnt as much of a problem as you might think. If you make a low spot in one part of your tank most of the waste will settle there then you only need to hold the siphon about 1inch to half an inch from the sand and the waste gets sucked right up without the sand. I also have a smaller vac so the draw isnt as much as say one with a 1" diameter tube. this is my first planted tank so I cant say if the plants do better in it but My Loaches all seem to really love it. If you rinse the sand well its not going to get that cloudy.