Sand or gravel??

[Tay]

Hello I was wondering whether to get sand or gravel. My lfs said that I should stay with sand because 1 it scratches the crap out of the glass if it get behind the magnet, 2 it doesn't let the substrate airate, (I do have live plants) and it s hard to clean. If I was to greet sand it would be pool filter or play sand. Thanks
Tay

 

[Tay]

I meant stay with gravel beccause sand scratches stuff etc

 

[NYgiantsRP]

I would get gravel, I switched my tanks to sand and I regret it. You see every piece of poop and the bottom feeders have to swim through it. The gavel makes the tank look cleaner. The poop will settle into little areas under rocks and wood, so I can't get to it without disturbing the whole tank. I will be going back to gravel. Also, my water parameters were fine with gravel. Some people say that gravel holds more crap, so it releases more toxins, but I haven't gotten any proof of that. My parameters are the same with the sand as they were with the gravel. I think its all about water changes, not substrates.

 

[fishfan88]

It depends on what kind of fish you are going to have and what you want the tank to look like... I have gravel in my tropical community tanks but I'm going to get sand in my cichlid tank because 1- cichlids like to dig, and that would be easier with sand and 2- I like the way the rocks contrast with the light sand. I've never had sand before, but I have heard it can look dirtier because the poop doesn't fall through, but easier to clean for the same reason. Most people I've talked to (or typed to ) who have switched to sand are glad they did, but of course there are lots of people that prefer gravel. I think it's mostly just personal preference.

 

[my_little_tetra]

I just switched to sand. I got the black diamond blasting sand and I love the way it looks! I don't see the poo, I guess because the sand is dark colored? I just put some plants in, so I can't speak to how they will do with the sand yet. I also don't use magnet scrapers.

 

[NYgiantsRP]

I just switched to sand. I got the black diamond blasting sand and I love the way it looks! I don't see the poo, I guess because the sand is dark colored? I just put some plants in, so I can't speak to how they will do with the sand yet. I also don't use magnet scrapers.

I also have black sand. I see poop everywhere, the poop is brown, so...it doesn't hide it very good. All of the poop collects in the same spots, because of the filter moving it in a certain direction. I'm going to try moving around my decor, so the flow of water doesn't have anything impeding its progress.

 

[BBradbury]

Gravel or Sand

Hello I was wondering whether to get sand or gravel. My lfs said that I should stay with sand because 1 it scratches the crap out of the glass if it get behind the magnet, 2 it doesn't let the substrate airate, (I do have live plants) and it s hard to clean. If I was to greet sand it would be pool filter or play sand. Thanks
Tay

Hello Tay...

I went with polished, pea-sized gravel in my planted tanks. It can't compact or create voids that may cause water chemistry problems. It's easy to vacuum if necessary and different colors can create different effects in the tank.

I keep Corydoras that supposedly prefer sand, but some of my fish are 5 years old and apparently like the smooth gravel.

B

 

[Tay]

Thank you everyone!! I am deciding to stay with gravel but maybe a smaller polished size. Thanks everyone