No Sand?

[Spike_ea_2k6]

could i take all my sand out and leave it bear bottom?

 

[Castellop123]

? )

 

[SamUK]

should be fine.


fish mite not be too happy if they like digging but its a damn sight easier to clean.


breeders and discus keepers do it alot.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

What sort of fish do you have in the tank? Why do you want to have a bare bottom tank ?

 

[demonmagus]

lol bear bottom


anyway, unless you have a fish which enjoys digging then it wouldn't really matter I suppose

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

I've read that some fish don't like for other reasons though, arrowana's can apparently get this condition where they constantly look upwards because of the light reflecting from the tank lights onto the bottom of the tank and up- everywhere the fish goes there's no shade or anything to concentrate on. So i would be wary about doing it with some fish for that reason. Bottom feeding fish certainly won't enjoy a bare bottom tank as they won't be able to feed normally.

 

[Spike_ea_2k6]

i have:
2x LOO1's
1x male green terror,
1x male blue acara,
1x female blue acara,
2x parrots,
1x jag * if he gets too agress then ill take him back to my LFS *
1x senegal birchir,
3x bristlenose plecos,
1x frog pleco,

the reson for wanting bear bottom is my 2 9" LOO1's keep digging and clogs my filters,
and its eaier too clean.

can i do this as it will be soooo much better,

thanks for ur help.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

So be honest bare bottom tanks aren't a great deal easier to clean than fine sand based ones- on bare bottom tanks, waste floats around the bottom, on sand tanks it floats on top of the sand- not a great deal of difference really. If you're getting sand in the filter just raise it a couple of inches off the bottom.

 

[Spike_ea_2k6]

when my LOO1's dig the sand goes everywhere, looks like the tank is full of bubbles arfter and fluval V4 isnt a filter i wanna clean every week, cause of this

so they should be ok when i take all the sand out tommorrow?

 

[Spike_ea_2k6]

when my LOO1's dig the sand goes everywhere, looks like the tank is full of bubbles arfter and fluval V4 isnt a filter i wanna clean every week, cause of this

so they should be ok when i take all the sand out tommorrow?

 

[Spike_ea_2k6]

sorry done it 3 times

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Why noy try using a heavier/larger grain sand so its not so easily kicked up by the plecs? What sort of sand do you currently have in there and did you wash it out before you put it in the tank?

 

[Spike_ea_2k6]

yes its been in there for about 3 - 4 months, the sand is call " white aqua sand "

i carn't but any sand at the moment as im skint out of money.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

yes its been in there for about 3 - 4 months, the sand is call " white aqua sand "

i carn't but any sand at the moment as im skint out of money.

Its probably fine white silica sand then, same stuff i've got. Personally i don't have a problem with it and my pleco's, are you positive you washed it out thoroughly enough before you put it in the tank? Hmm...if you save up some cash, you can opt for some heavier/larger grain sand. Personally i think the pleco's will prefer having the substrate rather than no substrate at all, what sorts of foods are you feeding them at the moment and how regularly?

 

[Spike_ea_2k6]

i feed them " pleco wafers and other catfish sinking tablets " i feed them every 2 days and they are chunky and fat lol, they nibble on the bogwood as well.

i dont really want to get bigger grain as it cost around £50 around here for a large bag. very dear around here.