Do You Use A Substrate, Or Not?

[constantine03]

It seems as though many hard-core breeders are strictly against substrates because 100% water changes can't be performed and they gather bacteria (the bad sort, since we turn our filters down)... Do you use a substrate? Discuss.

 

[Phoenixbaby]

in my 35 litre i have black sand, reason being is i like it heavily planted and it looks nice, plus it was that way b4 i started keeping betta's

Recently i have brought a small 4gallon tank for my male CT, and ive not put any substrate in due to it being such a small tank, ive only got a fluval 1 running, so it will have a hard job keeping it clean if i had substrate

Its much easier not having any, its easier to keep clean

 

[newfishy]

what I would do is come cleaning day, get betta in a betta cup temporarly...with lid, pick up tank go to sink, dump, rinse everything and refill and declo....then either test temp to make sure its the same as the cup or float fish for a few min.


in a tank too large to dump like that could not you use a good filter and aim it in one direction...to not disturb the water as much and then gravel vac really really good?


I dunno just throwing some ideas out there.

 

[liz2]

I use the glass stone pebbly things. They are so pretty and if you pour boiling water on and rinse they come up sparkly clean

 

[eb2]

I use the glass stone pebbly things. They are so pretty and if you pour boiling water on and rinse they come up sparkly clean

I say minimal substrait(I'm not a breeder). With my fish on and off sick since I got him, I just redid my whole tank, took out all but a thinnish layer of those glass stones ..and I chucked out my filter(Biowheel) too...right now it's a hospital set up with an air stone. What do you think of this idea for a filter ? the Whisper 3i, Gerry-rigged with a bit of Aquaclear sponge, and Xeolite in the little container? So I can get 3 stages of Filtration without all those working parts.

 

[monica]

I do not use substrate in any of my tanks. I do not find it at all rediculous, except for spawning tanks. I saw someone with white substrate on youtube spawning their bettas.

I find it easier to clean, and I don't like the look of gravel much. If I were to get a large planted tank, I would probably only use sand as substrate.

 

[eb2]

I do not use substrate in any of my tanks. I do not find it at all rediculous, except for spawning tanks. I saw someone with white substrate on youtube spawning their bettas.

I find it easier to clean, and I don't like the look of gravel much. If I were to get a large planted tank, I would probably only use sand as substrate.

After reading this I may even remove my flat marbles. I've looked for freshwater sand and can't find it, only marine

 

[fourthtimelucky]

I have pea gravel in my betta's tank, which is planted too.
The only problem with not having a substrate that I could see would be possibility of reflections freaking out the fish.
I guess it's just a matter of taste though.
I never put substrate in my hospital tank, too much fuss to keep clean.

 

[happyannie]

[The only problem with not having a substrate that I could see would be possibility of reflections freaking out the fish.]

WOW. Never thought of that aspect! I just set up a 10 gallon for Bevo, my VT, without substrate.. Thanks for the thought.

 

[constantine03]

The reason I asked this question is because the other night I was strongly scolded for using any sort of substrate in my tanks. The reasoning behind it was that since we turn our filters down to reduce the current, we aren't actually filtering the tank like normal, and therefore a harmful bacteria layer can settle onto the top of the gravel and on silk plants. It's, apparently, more difficult to remove from the gravel than if you were to leave the tanks bare.

However, I was also scolded for keeping multiple fish in a 10g tank and using dividers, because the fish will still be "stressed."

I'm not sure how I feel about this. My tanks have gravel, are planted (silk plants), and have hiding places and the fish all seem very happy...except for one, but he's not even happy in a tank by himself. He's nearly eaten his entire tail! Totally different story though. Anyway, I just can't see how bettas could be happier in a jar without any substrate, with a small floating live plant.

That's just me though. I think that totally came from a breeders aspect of keeping bettas...and I agree. If I had 50+ bettas, I wouldn't use substrate. That'd be a nightmare! But...I don't. I would never use it in the spawning tank, or in individual jars, or in the barracks I'm setting up. Still, I don't see how it hurts the way I have it.

 

[happyannie]

Was this person a betta guru? I dunno.... If it works for you, do it. We all have our own ways that we've either worked out or are working on working out. If it's life and death then it might be worth scolding another person over.. I don't see how that's life and death.. or am I missing something?

I'd take it with a big phat grain if it isn't an urgent issue. There lots of folks on here who have dividers. I think those are a shade better than living in poop soup in a cup at W*l-M*art. I think you have the sensitivity to know when to move a fish who's overly-stressed. Just go from there is my advice...

 

[liz2]

I love sand got it in my puffers tank (someone is now going to tell me that is wrong!) but it looks good in with him. I think the bettas like the pebbles they can see reflections in them and they are always looking at themselves and sometimes flaring, stops them being bored.

 

[eb2]

I love sand got it in my puffers tank (someone is now going to tell me that is wrong!) but it looks good in with him. I think the bettas like the pebbles they can see reflections in them and they are always looking at themselves and sometimes flaring, stops them being bored.

I started out with a layer of gravel and those flatish marbles, with full filter running, fully cycled tank, a good water parameters but I've had a recurrent Velvet problem(I determined that my Biowheel was the prob, and the gravel just kept perpetuating, or I reintroduced it myself with an implement) so I basically had to tear the whole thing down. I returned those flat glass pebbles sparsley to the bottom. I believe that I will leave it this way as I can see the entire bottom when I vac and can simply push those pebs aside as I do, and it still looks festive. Frankly I can't see having the same filtering probs in the larger tanks and if your fish are healthy, and you aren't inconvenienced with your own processes, no problem. People do get wound up about things, and you know what opinions are like *#! everybody's got one
(this is also a test of my updated signature but the fish isn't moving) Did you get the rest of your new fish yet?