I Want To Add Sand To My Existing Grvel, Can I Do That?

[Mikem702]

I have a 30 gallon freshwater tank with 1 jurupari, 1 pearl gourami, 3 tiger barbs, and 2 angles. I've had the tank for a while and had chaanged the gravel to a more natural looking pebble a couple months back. I just wanted to know what im getting into if i do this. I think that it will look great to have a mixed subscrate of both sand and gravel, ive seen it done before. Please tell me anythign you know about doing this. thanks a lot.

 

[rdd1952]

The problem with mixing sand and gravel is that the smaller particles of the sand will filter through the gravel and eventually, the sand will be on the bottom and the gravel on the top. The coarser the gravel and the more vibrations the tank is exposed to (simply walking through the house will cause it to filter down), the faster this will take place. I would think that the pebble-type gravel you have would lead to a pretty quick process as the pebbles are most likely rounded so the gaps will be larger than with sharper edged gravel that can mesh together better.

 

[Mikem702]

thanks that makes sense, but i really want to do, is it a good idea bad idea or in between?

 

[rdd1952]

It's not really either. Won't hurt anything other than maybe looking bad as it starts to filter through.

 

[Mikem702]

I dont think that it will filter through as mush as you think. The tank is in a finished basement, of course there is concrete underneath the rug.

 

[rdd1952]

I may take a little longer but it will happen. The tank is exposed to vibrations of some type 24 hrs a day. Just the filters running creates a slight vibration.

 

[Mikem702]

True, thanks a lot

 

[Madam Macaw]

I have half of my tank pea gravel and the other half sand. They mix a bit, but it works for me.