Sand Substrate

[Bubbles]

:hi: all

From experience would anyone care to list me the pro and cons of sand substrate, compared to fine gravel, it would be very helpfull

 

[Jo Crane]

I use both gravel is king for planted tanks some of the river garvel can look really cool in the right setup I use this in my shrimp tanks, sand is brighter in colour and can lighten a tank up you have to be careful not to have it layered to thick with high flow it tends to get pushed into one area in my tanks I suppose it all depends which look you are going for

 

[Doodles]

I use sand in my tank with smaller plecs and corydoras. Personally i wouldn't advise sand with big plecs like commons, gibbys etc. I set up a whole new tank for my common plec which had a sand substrate, added him and the next morning the water was full of sand like it had been stirred up all night, he was quite happy sitting on a bit of wood looking like butter wouldn't melt lol. I syphoned it all out and put quite fine gravel in(river gravel by hagen i think it is)

Sand also isn't good for filters, acts like sand paper over time.

 

[Bubbles]

Thanks Jozebs for your kind reply : )

 

[Bubbles]

I set up a whole new tank for my common plec which had a sand substrate, added him and the next morning the water was full of sand like it had been stirred up all night, he was quite happy sitting on a bit of wood looking like butter wouldn't melt lol.

:lol: I can just imagine from my larger one, he was sitting on top of his cave this afternoon looking like King of all he surveyed :lol:

Thank you for kind replies, i was wanting peoples opinions for future ref for myself and others who may wonder.

 

[Jo Crane]

Thats a good point I only thought about little plecos I bet a really big plec would whip it into a sand storm.

 

[SmithRC]

We've got sand in most of our tanks - its easier to clean but as Jo said it does tend to get blown about a bit - but I just move it back every couple of weeks.

Our corys love it as do our Geos

 

[Skilldeft]

Ive Always had sand in my tanks and never had a problem but the more big panaques ive got the more im temped to get rid of it, no matter how many water changes it constantly looks dirty. Other than that all my plecs, corys and geos seem to love sifting through all day.

Gary

 

[SmithRC]

Thats a good point I only thought about little plecos I bet a really big plec would whip it into a sand storm.

our 12" common leaves it alone in the 350L...

 

[Scrapman53]

I have brown silica sand in my biggest tank. It's darker than normal/playsand and it's also heavier. I can use my large gravel cleaner on it no probs with only a very minimal ammount sucked up into the bucket.

 

[Bubbles]

Thanks for all the replies, much obliged, even with fine gravel the larger common seems to be able to shift it and uncovers a couple of places in the tank and he is only 8 inches.

I like the sound of brown silica sand, something to look into : D

 

[Rabbit]

Sand is deffiantely more appealing but gravel i guess is easier to clean.

 

[Doodles]

Sand is deffiantely more appealing but gravel i guess is easier to clean.

Not if you have MTS, Malaysian Trumpet Snails lol. I don't really find sand to be any less difficult to clean than gravel, i stir it up a bit and syphon the top.

 

[Terry Got Hip kissed]

I want to set-up at least one Sand tank when i expand my operation, i like the Black Unipac sand my LFS uses, its dark enough to bring out the colours in the fish and settles really well, not fine enough to hang in the water like playsand.
As long as you stir it up as Lisa says its not a problem.
:thumbup:

 

[Bubbles]

Well i must admit i really like both fine gravel in black or natural colour and i also like the idea of a darker sand substrate, the boss will have the final say though lol : )