White Substrate?

[LeeAberdeen]

Quite interested in using some of this stuff, either sand or gravel, but wondered whether it stays white or starts to look dirty? I vacuum a lot on my current tank and wondered whether that would be enough to keep it looking okay, or will it naturally deteriorate in colour regardless of what I do? The white would look great in my black tank, so it's definitely my preferred option. Anyone used it successfully? Unsuccessfully?

 

[Lillefishy]

I've never used white sand but have heard white gravel has a habit of going green or brown over time.
Think about what fish you have as well as some can look washed out on a pale substrate

 

[LeeAberdeen]

I was thinking of putting an Oscar and some zebra loaches in there, so not sure if that would be a problem in terms of toning down their colours.
 
The beneficial bacteria grows on the substrate as well as everywhere else, so there must be a real risk of it going green/brown. Wouldn't want to be vacuuming that stuff off just to keep it looking pristine. My alternative plan is a white tank with black substrate, so that might be a better option?

 

[Lillefishy]

I like black sand, I have it in several of my tanks.
If you want loaches be careful what sand you go for as some is too sharp for bottom dwellers, also some fish, especially bottom dwellers adjust their colour depending on the substrate so the loaches could go very dark to try & blend in.
I'd also worry about the Oscar trying to eat the loaches as it gets big, loaches have spines they raise up for defence that could choke the Oscar & you'd lose both fish.

 

[LeeAberdeen]

Loaches and Oscars are supposedly 'compatible'. I'll be getting a small one anyway and raising him, by which time the loaches will be fully grown. He won't be eating a four-inch fish, and they're compatible anyway. The spine is presumably the reason fish like loaches don't get eaten, in the same way plecos get left alone.

 

[fluttermoth]

Seriously, I wouldn't risk that combination of fish. I've kept both species and wouldn't put them together in a million years.

Oscars are notorious for having 'eyes bigger than their mouths', and I've known of a few that have got other fish, like big cories and loaches; even smaller plecs like BNs, stuck in their mouths, and you do very often lose both fish

 

[Ch4rlie]

I have had white sand in one of my tanks.
 
Tbh, I liked it at first, nice and bright and clean, after a short while is shows all the fish poop and looks dirty and unkempt depute my gravel vac carefully to try and get most of the dirt away.
 
In the end, decided I no longer liked white sand, took all the substrate out and swapped for fine black gravel, much better imo but did make the tank look a little darker so a few extra plants and decent lights made it look fairly good.

 

[LeeAberdeen]

Seriously, I wouldn't risk that combination of fish. I've kept both species and wouldn't put them together in a million years.

Oscars are notorious for having 'eyes bigger than their mouths', and I've known of a few that have got other fish, like big cories and loaches; even smaller plecs like BNs, stuck in their mouths, and you do very often lose both fish

 
Thanks. Good to have input from someone who's kept both. Sounds like an Oscar might be best kept alone, because loaches are about the only thing that are possibly compatible according to the charts I've seen. Unless you can suggest anything else that might be compatible in a 200-litre tank? Would be nice to have more than one species in there.

 

[daizeUK]

I have had white sand in one of my tanks.
 
Tbh, I liked it at first, nice and bright and clean, after a short while is shows all the fish poop and looks dirty and unkempt depute my gravel vac carefully to try and get most of the dirt away.
 
In the end, decided I no longer liked white sand, took all the substrate out and swapped for fine black gravel, much better imo but did make the tank look a little darker so a few extra plants and decent lights made it look fairly good.

 
I agree with what Charlie said about white sand.  It can be more maintenance intensive but it does make a tank look much lighter.  I persevere with white sand because I love the lighter look.  I've moved away from dark backgrounds for the same reason, I prefer white substrate and a backlit background.  It is a bit of extra work, particularly during the settling-in stage if you get diatoms.

 

[LeeAberdeen]

 

I have had white sand in one of my tanks.
 
Tbh, I liked it at first, nice and bright and clean, after a short while is shows all the fish poop and looks dirty and unkempt depute my gravel vac carefully to try and get most of the dirt away.
 
In the end, decided I no longer liked white sand, took all the substrate out and swapped for fine black gravel, much better imo but did make the tank look a little darker so a few extra plants and decent lights made it look fairly good.

 
I agree with what Charlie said about white sand.  It can be more maintenance intensive but it does make a tank look much lighter.  I persevere with white sand because I love the lighter look.  I've moved away from dark backgrounds for the same reason, I prefer white substrate and a backlit background.  It is a bit of extra work, particularly during the settling-in stage if you get diatoms.
 

Should be okay with the algae, because there'll be no plants in there so won't need strong lighting on for long, and there'll be no direct sunlight either. Like you, I'm tempted to persevere with white sand, because I think aesthetically it could look stunning in a black tank. Just need to keep up the vacuuming now...