Sand Vs Gravel

[OohFeeshy]

I've never had too much of a problem with plants uprooting, if anything it tends to be if you've got a bare stem plant (i.e, with no roots), but as long as you bury it deeply enough you should be fine. It can help to temporarily shift the sand around so it's a lot deeper than normal where you're planting, once they're a bit more established you can move it back.

Also, with regards to syphoning, I haven't found that a lot of sand gets sucked up unless you're literally sticking it in the sand. The small amount in the bottom of the bucket gets rinsed and put back in when I refill- putting it in wet is so much easier. If it's dry, it balls up and floats around, gets everywhere.

 

[KkAaNnEe]

I have got sand, but like you I started the fishless cycling with gravel and changed it over towards the end. The change was easy, I syphoned the gravel up the tube and into a bucket. I have B&Q play sand, a big bag cost about £4.00. I didn't know I needed to wash it, so just shoved it in and then then the filter seemed to sort it out for me.

Last weekend I put bronze corys, harlequins and live plants in my new tank. All seem okay.

Today I did the first water change, I used the gravel cleaner but don't think I will again. I think I will just use the tube in future. The corys and the harlequins survived okay, they just kept out the way or hid.

However, most of the plants came out and I had to put them back in again - that was a complete pain. I had bought the set of 25 from last trading post on E bay and besides one particular type they seem to be growing okay and the cuttings are growing roots. I have put flourish food into the water a couple of times and today put in a bit of flourish carbon to see if that brings them on any.

Hope you get there soon, I got bronze corys not pandas as I believe they a little bit hardier and can go into a newer tank. They are really cute little fish and seem to be all over the place and seem to enjoying playing in the bubbles when I put the air pump on.

Fishy55.

Hi

I was just wondering if you have a problem with fish poo all over the sand, I also have harelquins and they seem to be producing quite a lot of waste, Its ruining the look of my sand and im already considering not having schooling fish if they produce this much waste. Do you have this sort of problem and how do you combat it?

oh, I also bought the same plants as you from ebay, quite a good deal really...
thanks

 

[arobinson1984]

Thats one of the drawbacks of having sand, being able to see the waste. Is the tank planted? having plants can help 'hide' the waste from view.

A good thing about seeing the waste on the sand is that you see when it needs a good clean, normally cleaning it weekly is fine but you will see waste on it between cleans no matter what fish you have so getting rid of schooling fish wont make much difference. I have a BN plec in my tank with sand, she makes a mess

Some poeple are not bothered about seeing the waste as it adds to the 'natural' look


Andy

 

[walkers101]

for me changing to sand is silly

it wears out the impellor in the filter
most tropical fish do not see sand in the wild so do not prefer it
if you dont move the sand around at least once a week it traps sulfer gases
clogs your filter up if your filter cuts out and you reboo it you will have a sandstorm in your water

but its your choice

 

[Twinklecaz]

I thought the filter thing was ok as long as the sand level is about 4 inches below the filter (which mine will be - just).

 

[walkers101]

I thought the filter thing was ok as long as the sand level is about 4 inches below the filter (which mine will be - just).

yea thats true to stop the whole lot of sand getting sucked into the filter but it does not stop the fine particles that you can not see sand blasting the impellor

 

[Harlequins]

Changing to sand is a fab idea has you intending on having cories

Has long has you turn your filter off when doing tank maintenance and give the sand i stir ,it should be fine

 

[waterdrop]

Right I'm gonna do it, thanks everyone. It's only £2.99 online from Argos. You can't argue with that can you?

WD do you have live plants in yours? I was only plannning to get low tech ones anyway coz all that CO2 stuff makes me go like this -----> . Actually, I need to read up about plants. It's something I've yet to do really.

Oh yes, I have plants. Its the other half of the hobby! I wouldn't miss it, despite that fact that its a steeper learning curve as my previous experience when I was younger was much more weighted toward the fish side of things.

I do low-tech, no CO2 so far, just liquid carbon as my carbon source. I forget, do you have some hardness to your water? My water is quite extreme in the soft direction, adding a bit of difficulty to my plant education.

WD

 

[Twinklecaz]

By the slight white marks I get around the water line and if it drips down the tank.....I'm guessing yeah. What test is it I get to find out exactly?

Changing to sand is a fab idea has you intending on having cories

Has long has you turn your filter off when doing tank maintenance and give the sand i stir ,it should be fine

Your photo in your sig is one of the reasons I wanted to do it. It looks nice and your corys just LOOK happy! lol

 

[vicstar078]

I just have a bit of both gravel and some islands of sand.

 

[spidergravy]

Hello there,
I was considering changing to sand because we're going to be moving house in a few weeks' time, so at that point I have to empty the fish tank out anyway and remove the fish. Worried now that I might not have time to do it on moving day, what with the kids and the dog and the, um - oh yes, furniture. Glad you all seem to recommend sand, think it looks really pretty. If I keep my plants in their little terracotta pots, that should allow them to root a bit, shouldn't it?

Shall I just go for it - go to Argos, get some sand, wash it, and then do the whole fish swap thing? Do I have to remove all the fish while I take the gravel out? I have a large (about 15 inches long) common plec, and I'm scared of taking him out of the tank because he's spikey, and takes a lot of catching. And I'll have to move them all soon, don't want to stress them all out.

Sorry for being such a wuss.

 

[Harlequins]

Hello there,
I was considering changing to sand because we're going to be moving house in a few weeks' time, so at that point I have to empty the fish tank out anyway and remove the fish. Worried now that I might not have time to do it on moving day, what with the kids and the dog and the, um - oh yes, furniture. Glad you all seem to recommend sand, think it looks really pretty. If I keep my plants in their little terracotta pots, that should allow them to root a bit, shouldn't it?

Shall I just go for it - go to Argos, get some sand, wash it, and then do the whole fish swap thing? Do I have to remove all the fish while I take the gravel out? I have a large (about 15 inches long) common plec, and I'm scared of taking him out of the tank because he's spikey, and takes a lot of catching. And I'll have to move them all soon, don't want to stress them all out.

Sorry for being such a wuss.

If you want to change to sand then it will be a good time to change it when you move,has you would need to empty the tank anyway and transport the fish in buckets and better still a storage box with lid,maybe put a black bin liner in the box to make it less stressful for the fish.
If you get the sand from argos give it all a good wash before you move,(the more its washed the better,will save tank clouding up)keep the fish and filter if you can in the same large container,empty the tank and remove the gravel,then once at the other end put sand in tank refill and get the heater going,re-acclimatise the fish and away you go...you can always try to save some of the water,even though it doesn't hold any value,it will be easier on the fish when putting them back in.

 

[spidergravy]

Wow, what a star. Will get the sand, wash it, and renew my tank on moving day - thank you! You mention not having to keep all the water - I thought that it was a good idea to keep as much as I could?

I have four little panda cories and two clown loaches, a big black shark and a plec, so I think they will like the sand.

 

[Twinklecaz]

My sand came today. 15k is plenty for my 60 l (60cm x 30cm) tank isn't it?

I think I better start soaking it

 

[OohFeeshy]

Well, when I bought a bag it did my 2ft plus my 4ft, plus a little bit spare.