Advantage And Disadvantage About Sand?

[D4N]

what are the advantage and disadvantage about sand??

 

[Fishkeeper2004]

Some of the main disadvantages come when you have sand as a substrate, in a tank containing large fish such as Plecos. These are very clumsy and when alarmed will disturb the sand substrate, so your tank will appear disorganised.

Also, I seem to have a problem with keeping the plants roots in the sand. They always seem to rise up, and often in the mornings I find 2 or 3 plants floating, when they're meant to be buried!

 

[Milo]

I use sand for my baby bichir. It looks very natural and my baby loves it. Keep your layer of sand under 1cm unless you want plants.
As for keeping your plants down, just tie a metal band around the roots and your plants should stay at the bottom.

 

[D4N]

thanxs 4 the fast replys keep them coming as i dnt no wot to do sand or gravel

 

[geo7x]

Here are some good/bad points about sand, comparing it to gravel:

sand looks better (its a fact ),


you cannot use an undergravel filter with it, the grains are too compact therefore there is not enough water flow between the grains,

can have a builup of toxic air pockets but this can be prevented/resolved by raking the sand every so often, corydoras catfish, kuhli loaches, some snails and others that rummage throught the substrate can also help prevent this from happening, also be sure to put no more than 2 inches of sand in the prevent this

fish waste sits on top, where with gravel it can fall through. This has advantages and disadvantages, it means that in a sense it is easier to clean because it sits on top, however poo sitting on top of sand doesnt look to good

Catfish, gobies, soles, spiny eels, and cichlids are all fish that love to rummage through the substrate, and sand makes it alot easier for them to do so, and coarse gravel can even damage some of these fish (cories barbels get worn down etc)

Sand is more reflective than gravel, and this can be a downside with some fish, who may show faded colours.

HTH

 

[Tolak]

If you have fish that stir up the substrate, sand can get into your filter. This does a number on impellers & shafts. A sponge pre-filter will minimize this, though real fine particles will get through.

 

[sparklefuzz]

I just changed to sand this weekend and so far the fish love it, I have a large pleco (8") who digs right into it and wiggles, very cute to watch. My cory loves it too, it's obviously much softer on her nose... and although the poo does stay on the top, I think it adds to the character, the tank looks very natural, I love it.

 

[OohFeeshy]

I have sand in both my larger tanks, which are full of fish that stir up the substrate, and I've had no problem with sand in the filter.

Even if so-called 'toxic air pockets' do build up, releasing one is unlikely to do any harm as the bubble with go straight up through the water and into the air.

While all the waste tends to stay on top, what would you prefer- a bit of waste on top where it can easily be vacced up, or sinking into the gravel where it rots away and produces even more nitrate?

 

[MegTheFish]

I have sand in both my larger tanks, which are full of fish that stir up the substrate, and I've had no problem with sand in the filter.

Even if so-called 'toxic air pockets' do build up, releasing one is unlikely to do any harm as the bubble with go straight up through the water and into the air.

While all the waste tends to stay on top, what would you prefer- a bit of waste on top where it can easily be vacced up, or sinking into the gravel where it rots away and produces even more nitrate?

Good points