Sand or gravel?

[Convict2161]

Probably been done before BUT... I'm just starting my 75 this weekend and I'm pumped! I have gravel, and a lot of it. Buckets of it. Some say sand is the way to go. For me I like the look of gravel. Does that make me "wrong" is it preference?

Is there one that's actually better for a Malawi's? I like the look of the gravel with all the stone caves and drift wood.

If like your input on this. I'm probably gonna go with the gravel that I have. I have about 25-30 pounds of it from old tanks. And the gravel in my 55 now.

 

[DerekMartinez]

I have gravel in my 75 as well and I like it. Others say sand is the way to go but I don't like having to clean it. Rocks are easier to clean for me. But its what u like for your tank. You could also get an arguement to use argonite or some other cichlid substrate to keep your Ph level up for them.

 

[Jmedic25]

You know how I feel about it. I have 80lbs of expensive black gravel in my garage. I can promise you one thing...I dont regret it at all. Just go look at a cichlid tank with sand before you make your mind up. Picture this, the fish dont touch the substrate just hover over it. Or they spend thier day digging fixing, and scaping thier own world. The best part is you get to watch the show, it was like they woke up . I started my 75 2 months ago with gravel. I can send you pics if you want. All the doodie just hangs out deep in the gravel. It just sits on top of the sand. Ok ill quit hounding you lol!!!. I have gravel in my tropical tank and I have to keep it under scaped because of having to allow access for the gravel vac. Not to mention the bottom of lake malawi is mostly sand.

 

[Shay]

Have had a fine natural looking gravel in my 75 for years with my Labeos & Aceis, plus other here and there breeding groups over time, personally love it wouldn't have done it any other way with them.

Will be pulling the gravel from one of the 55's to give the Mchengas sand for spawning purposes since the males need to build castles to get the girls interested, not much of a sand person but if it works I'll willing to come to some middle ground with them LOL

 

[iheartmyed9]

My Malawi johanni in my 62 gallon loves his sand. He had rocks and would half attempt to burrow in them. I changed to sand about a week ago and he loves it. He's dug two tunnels and a pit already.

 

[Malawi Freak]

My 125 has 150 pounds of PFS. Best $26 investment in the whole tank. I got the brand lighthouse because it's a natural color and not just white with black dots.

 

[jnizzle]

i switched from gravel to sand in my tank last week and have no regrets. go for pfs because you can still vac it for the most part!

 

[Lady_Alia]

Does pfs mean pool filter sand?

 

[Shane l]

I just changed from gravel to sand for my Corey's and it's great

 

[Convict2161]

Does pfs mean pool filter sand?

I believe so...

 

[got-to-love-Chiclids]

I have the super fine sand in mine with a mixed bags of the chunkeyer coral sand so they can make there own designs it's vary cool to watch cleaning it is not that bad eather

 

[Lady_Alia]

In my frontosa tank I've got a mix of pool filter sand and black cichlid sand. It looks phenom and the fish love it! Take a looksie at my photo album.
I've got 2 tanks with gravel and 3 with sand and I think the sand is WAY easier to clean. And the sand doesn't hold as much debris.

 

[QuietPlotter]

I tried sand in my betta tank once. Disaster. It floated everywhere.

 

[QuietPlotter]

Only luck with sand is my cichlid+reef tank, and someone else did the adding of substrate for me there.

 

[T-man02]

i have had an incident were one of my fish got some gravel stuck in its mouth scavenging... i highly recommend sand... highly

 

[Lady_Alia]

i have had an incident were one of my fish got some gravel stuck in its mouth scavenging... i highly recommend sand... highly

I've had 2 fish die because they had a rock stuck in their mouth. In fact, my first frontosa, QT, died like that. It's heartbreaking. That's a big reason why there is sand in my frontosa tank!

 

[T-man02]

I've had 2 fish die because they had a rock stuck in their mouth. In fact, my first frontosa, QT, died like that. It's heartbreaking. That's a big reason why there is sand in my frontosa tank!

im sorry to hear... i hear those are not inexpensive. i was able to save mine. i agree after a thing like that i didnt take any chances!

 

[Lady_Alia]

im sorry to hear... i hear those are not inexpensive. i was able to save mine

Thank you! And I'm glad you were able to save yours. Frontosas aren't cheap but ohhhh I loved that little fish!! I tried several times to get it out but wasn't able too. Lesson learned.

 

[T-man02]

it only takes once

 

[Thelynchfamily]

We love the sand in our tank and we went to the hardware store and bought playground sand it looks great! It's so cool seeing the fish "redecorate" !