Can I add sand on top of my gravel substrate?

[AilyNC]

My tank substrate just isn't deep enough to properly root plants. It's max an inch at highest but mostly not that deep.

I got Argos kids sand for my toddler but wondering could I steal some from him (it's not opened yet) and put it on top of my gravel? Or have deeper gravel area and a sand area?

Or stop messing abd leave well enough alone?

 

[HoldenOn]

It would sink between the gravel

 

[AilyNC]

It would sink between the gravel

Oh yeah I crack me up!

What about dividers so that I've sand sections and gravel? Or just add more gravel?

 

[HoldenOn]

You could probably add more gravel. I like the divider idea. Maybe you could do like gravel "riverbanks" and have sand running through the middle.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Just replied to a similar thread, lol.

If you pour sand on top of gravel, you could have a number of issues. (e.i. Sand sinking in between the gravel, decomposing food/poop, etc.)

Or do you mean make a sand/gravel tank? (Like half the tank is sand and half the tank is gravel?

 

[Byron]

It is best to have one continuous substrate throughout a tank. Different substrate materials will draw attention to the substrate, and visually the space will appear smaller. Not that that really matters I suppose. The materials will mix, and sand being smaller grain will be on the bottom. Dividing areas would need a permanent boundary siliconed to the tank floor so the substrates cannot shift, as they will naturally tend to do with normal thermal currents and movements, thus mixing.

 

[AilyNC]

I think I'll just wait until I set a new tank up and decide the fate of this one. It's just annoying trying to bury the roots. For the new tank I'll probably go with sand.

 

[AilyNC]

It is best to have one continuous substrate throughout a tank. Different substrate materials will draw attention to the substrate, and visually the space will appear smaller. Not that that really matters I suppose. The materials will mix, and sand being smaller grain will be on the bottom. Dividing areas would need a permanent boundary siliconed to the tank floor so the substrates cannot shift, as they will naturally tend to do with normal thermal currents and movements, thus mixing.

the permanent divider sound like a thing to do before you add fish and in a bigger tank too.

 

[Byron]

the permanent divider sound like a thing to do before you add fish and in a bigger tank too.

Yes, correct. You silicone some sort of "divider" to the tank floor when the tank is dry. Then rinse the substrates and add them carefully. Dividers can sometimes be rock strips.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

They make “aquascaping” damn’s, which is essentially a small piece of plastic, that holds sand in place.

You can probably find a really long one, and snake it from one end of the tank to the other. (Sort of like the metal dividers in gardens)

I would personally not though... I never have, because it never seemed like a good idea to me. (For the reasons @Byron and I mentioned)

 

[AilyNC]

Yeah I think it'd be a headache to keep them separate. Sand for the new tank and then I can decide what to do with the small tank.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I think you will really like sand. I did when I switched from gravel to sand.

 

[AilyNC]

I'm unsure about cleaning it but it looks better in tanks & I want a lil pleco so that'll prefer sand. The only delay for me with new tank is figuring out a lid.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Cleaning is defiantly not the same. I suggest removing the big part of the siphon, and just using the tube. Once you start the suction, hover over the sand and sort of swirl the tip around. You'll get the hang of it after a while.
(There are also some great how-to videos on YouTube)

 

[AilyNC]

I think I'll use the Argos kid's sand because it's €5.50 for 15kg so I won't stress while I get used to new siphoning skills