Which Should I Have? Sand Or Gravel?

[ev_michael]

i have two african dwarf frogs, and thinking about getting sand! i like how it looks but is it hard to clean? Also if i go to a petstore, does it matter what kind of sand i get?

 

[loachman]

i have two african dwarf frogs, and thinking about getting sand! i like how it looks but is it hard to clean? Also if i go to a petstore, does it matter what kind of sand i get?

Go with sand. You want a silica based sand. Play sand from a hardware store is also fine (it's the cheapest) as is pool filter sand/silver sand.

Don't get any that are for reef tanks or African Cichlid tanks, as they will raise the pH and hardness.

cleaning is easy, everything sits on top of sand. Just hover the "gravel vac" or plastic tubing about 1/2" above the sand. I prefer to use the fat cup on the end of a gravel vac to get the siphon started, then remove it underwater so I just use the tubing for cleaning.

 

[Bobtastic]

Yeah, I think that sand would be the best idea too. If in doubt sand tends to be the better option. Softer on soft bellies.

Depending where u are (UK/US) Argos Play sand seems to be reasonbly popular/affordable.

 

[bagu]

sand!

aesthetically it looks nier IMO just takes some getting used to with the gravel vac

 

[Bobtastic]

I wish that I'd put sand in my tank originally... *sniff* I'm stuck with gravel until I can be bothered with that pain of stripping out the original substrate and putting in sand, or I get a new larger! tanks.

 

[bagu]

hehe, ive gone gravel, but in a week or so im going to revamp to sand

 

[deceptacon]

Sand for sure... and you can still use the gravel vac on sand, I've developed a technique for it that I do every once in awhile. I push the vac in the sand, then pinch the tube before the sand actually goes through the tube. When it's pinched, the sand falls back out, and the nasty stuff stays in the tube. Release. Voila.

 

[degsod]

My first 2 tanks where gravel but my no3 tank is sand, and in future all my tanks will be sand

 

[SilverHatchet]

Sand for sure... and you can still use the gravel vac on sand, I've developed a technique for it that I do every once in awhile. I push the vac in the sand, then pinch the tube before the sand actually goes through the tube. When it's pinched, the sand falls back out, and the nasty stuff stays in the tube. Release. Voila.

Is this the only way to vac the sand?

 

[deceptacon]

Is this the only way to vac the sand?

Haha, no. Usually the stuff is on the top, but every once in awhile (once every other month) I like to get some of the gunk out that you can't see, since I don't have plants.

 

[Forestpisces]

Got to say sand!

I have sand in my tanks and it is not difficult to clean and the gunk is easier to see than it is on gravel

 

[doktor doris]

Sand with some artfully arranged natural gravel around some plants looks best I think.

 

[ev_michael]

Yeah, I think that sand would be the best idea too. If in doubt sand tends to be the better option. Softer on soft bellies.

Depending where u are (UK/US) Argos Play sand seems to be reasonbly popular/affordable.

actually i never got the sand... i still want to, but wanted to wait to get a bigger tank which i did, so im going to now get sand and was wondering if the argos play sand was sold in any stores in the U.S like lowes,home deopt, etc hardware stores, and also if there are small sizes of sand i dont want to buy a HUGE bag

Thanks