Unipac Gravel And Sand, Which Do You Own?

[RCA]

I use the Unipac Tana (recommended) and more latterly the Sengal, my preferred.  I have just bought some Limpopo for a new project, but am considering whether to switch it to one of the sands?  Therefore, I am interested in what other people own and what fish they keep in their tanks with these products (also an option for other), plus your experiences.
 
Please can you vote for the types you use (will allow multi-choice) and then respond with the following:

1. What species of fish do you keep?
2. What was your main reason for choosing the type(s) you did?
3. How often have you used these products or is it your first experience with them?
4. If you use the "coloured sand" have you found it maintains its colour or fades over time?
5. Do you have a planted tank, and if so are you happy with the plants in this substrate?
6. Anything else you think of, pros/cons...?

Source for Poll: Unipac
 
I have read that Grey is a good colour to show fish off to their maximum, but have yet to find a dark Grey sand product, the best I have come across is the Black Coloured Sand by UniPac, but as I have yet to use their coloured sand and am unsure if it maintains its colour over time?  Please let me know if you know of a Grey sand product?
 
Thanks in advance everyone 

 
 

 

[Livewire88]

I have only used Limpopo Black out of what you have listed, It is inert so wont hold any benefits for plants. 
 
If you are hoping to keep a planted tank you can still use this but would need to dose ferts, and I would suggest using root tabs if you want any plants that are heavily root feeders. I have kept a large variety of fish and all have been kept on fine gravel because I do not like dealing with the mess sand can make when disturbed.
 
One of my friends used to have grey sand in his Cichlid tank, I do not know what brand it was but it kept its grey color the whole time he had the tank running which was around 3 years. 
 
As a planted tank enthusiast I like to use substrates that either hold nutrients and slowly release them, but I am limited what planted substrate I can use because I have Corrydoras, so I use Caribsea Eco Complete (fine version) I would like to use either ADA Aqua Soil or Colombo Flora Base, but the activity from the Corrydoras would cause the substrate to cloud the water slightly.
 
At the moment I need to keep my 8 Lazer Orange Corry's happy in my main tank, but will be using some Colombo Flora Base in my Arc60 once it gets re scaped.
 
What ever you choose it can be made to work what ever plans you have. 
 
Cheers
Dan

 

[RCA]

Thanks Dan for your response that is very useful.  There are so many debates about gravel vs sand etc., and I think unless we have tried the different options it is difficult to know.  I wish I knew where your friend got his grey sand from, I guess he would no longer know?
 
In respect to plants I use the JBL Aquabasis Plus underneath the Senegal and that appears to be working well without too much disturbance from the Corys.  Currently though I am having trouble keeping the recently acquired Blyxa Japonica in the substrate as my Pencil Fish seem to be obsessed with it.  I may need to add some weights until it can get established.
 
I am also planning Lazer Orange Cory's plus Black Venezuelan Cory's in my project, see link in signature.  Stunning Cory's both of them ...

 

[DreamertK]

It was 5$. Also included strange rocks in it. Doesn't look too bad after a while though. I thought it was a nice contrast to my black sand tank, though I cant recall what the name of it was.

 

[Shelster]

Don't think mine is any of the above - its more a very very fine gravel......

Have just had a quick look at the bag but nothing descriptive at all

Sorry that's not much help!

 

[MBOU]

Is it a Unipac bag Shelster? If so, the name is usually on a label on the back next to the barcode Could be fine grade nordic (river stones), arctic (whiter river stones), canterbury spar (pinkish tinge to it) or several others.
 
Personally, I would expect the coloured sands to lose their colour over time and wouldnt personally use them...
 
I keep looking at the Limpopo Black Sand and thinking it looks nice but I honestly cant think up a tank scape in my mind in which black sand would look either natural or just good. Just my opinion! I struggle almost as much with the (aquarium) silver sand... although saying that... i would use that with a lot of leaf mulch for some biotopes so could at least have a use for it!
 
I like the idea of sand...  but it is just so impractical!!
 
I always ended up reverting back to 2-4mm Nordic Gravel though always wished there was finer but in the same colours. Turns out one of the above is pretty much that.. cant remember which now! It was either Fijii or Samoa Coarse Sand I would definately want to use that next time
 
Its coarser than the really smooth sand but still fine enough to be great for cories (though tbh i think some people worry too much about cories, its not 'sand or nothing' its just keep gravel as fine as possible and smooth, not sharp like a lot of coloured ones are) but also has enough weight that its actually quite easy to use a gravel vac on with a bit of practise! I hate having tanks i cant use a gravel vac on so in heavily planted tanks, I use JBL Manado without covering it and tbh, as weird as the brown is to look at at first, it is actually easy to get used to and is easy to cover with plants anyway,

 

[Shelster]

Thanks MBOU, I've just been back out to check, but no barcode, or bag size???

It's a genuine product, here's the bag.....

Ugh, think photobucket down atm.