substrate

[Thomas A. Anderson]

What are the pros and cons of gravel over sand and vice versa?

 

[slt]

well i put sand in for my eel put some on top of the gravel, but it vanished,
the corrys and cats scatterd it every were

 

[Thomas A. Anderson]

I was thinking of putting sand on one half and keep gravel on the other.

I bought a flounder today and they prefer sand to gravel.


Any comments?

 

[semper fi]

only thing about the sand is with the cichlids which are notorious diggers they stir up the sand and it tends to clog the filter. not all that familiar with the flounder if he is a digger or not. what size tank are you putting him in?

maggie

 

[cryosi]

i have an inch of gravel and half inch of sand in the choc zebbie tank but the L002 and the ancistrus soon dig up the gravel underneath should have stuck with less gravel and more sand ( only put in the gravel for the plants)

 

[Thomas A. Anderson]

I don't keep Cichlids so no worries there. My tank is a 4 foot one

 

[cichlidmaster]

The only drawback IMO to sand is it compacts rather quickly.

I have read where you should not keep more than an inch or so if using sand. It also traps more detritus and therefore may have a tendancy to foul the water quicker.

Have never used it so can't say from experience, this is just from what I have read!!


CM

 

[Thomas A. Anderson]

It seems to be more trouble than its worth.

For those who do use sand, how do you clean the tank? You cant use a gravel hoover as the sand will be sucked us as well as the water?

What kind of sand do you use?

Do you have to chnage it every so often?

Also what other kinds of substrate are there - other than gravel, sand and peat?

 

[Thomas A. Anderson]

Decided to go for some ultra fine multi-coloured gravel (my daughters were with me so they chose the colour) The loaches and the floumder seem to like it anyway. Only drawback is my water is very very cloudy due to taking the old gravel out and putting the new stuff in. O well its slowly clearng up, should be ok by tomorrow. (I hope)