Sand As Substrate

[alysonpeaches]

I did a tank makeover recently with lots of new wood and new plants and decided to use playsand as a substrate. I have only used gravel before. It looks great at first, and when you do a water change/vac, but I feel that it is spoiled by visible poop on the sand. Ive added a few pebble size rocks, its still visible and Im not happy as its not as easy to vac as the gravel is.

If I put some gravel on top of the sand would that cause problems? Should I just wait until I want to have a big clear out and replace it all? Any other suggestions?

 

[Truck]

heres my tank after 5 weeks, a combination of good flow and some cories keeps it in shape

 

[alysonpeaches]

heres my tank after 5 weeks, a combination of good flow and some cories keeps it in shape

Right! this tank has no cories. I have them in my other community tank. Must get more or move them over. I think the bristlenoses produce most of the poop as they chew on the bogwood and this makes really dark poop.

 

[Honeythorn]

Or simply switch to a darker sand?

 

[pippoodle]

cories will deffo help with the poop i have playsand in my tanks and dont have any visible poop

 

[TylerFerretLord]

Trumpet snails.