120 substrate

UltimateRayz

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 30, 2011
48
0
0
Rhode island
I have 3 pbass in a 50g, moving to a 120g for a year or so. What is the nicest looking easiest to clean substrate? I see a lot of people like the sand. Can you clean sand or do you have to replace it everytime you clean? I have rocks and wood with some sword grass and other plants in the 50 and I like the look....
 

BigFishMommy

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Apr 4, 2009
156
0
0
Deadmonton, lol, Canada
with sand, you just swirl your gravel vac above the sand when you do a water change, and that will lift up the wastes and suck them up. you don't need to replace the sand at all. if there are no live plants to worry about uprooting, i would stir your sand well with a chopstick or other type tool every week to keep gas pockets from forming underneath. you only need about an inch of sand in the tank.

but IMO, a tank will be much easier maintained bare bottom - juvenile fish (i'm assuming your p. bass are juvies if they are still in a 50 gal) often need more frequent feedings, and keeping the tank bottom bare makes it much easier to clean out un-eaten food and poop.
 

Warrensmentor

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 29, 2012
574
0
0
Virginia
I vote you go with something from the caribsea supernatural line. Not the sand they have, sand has its issues like ruining filters (it can be fine I've just had a bad experience). Instead choose a one of their fine gravels. They are inert so they won't change your water parameters, they are smooth, even ray safe, and in my opinion are the most beautiful, natural looking substrates in the world. Their goal as a company when developing the super natural line was, let's fine the most beautiful substrates nature had anywhere in the world and copy those. You can see the line at their website. I chose crystal river because its whiteish, but not super fine sand. If it gets kicked up, it just goes nicely back down. GL choosing, designing the look of your tank is one of the highlights of the hobby so take you're time. :)

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cpr_mike

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jan 11, 2009
695
4
33
Columbus
I have the caribsea gravel. The granules are very small almost sand like but you dont have to worry about the gas pockets. It is a little expensive to do but I like it. I had another MFKer come to my house to check the tank out and he went home and put the same gravel in his tank that next week.
 

Houdini89

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Feb 21, 2009
4,325
3
0
North Jersey
Sand looks cool, but jacks up your filters, and a bare bottom tank may be easy to keep clean, but does'nt look cool, looks like an unfinished tank........Just one fish lovers opinion.
 

UltimateRayz

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 30, 2011
48
0
0
Rhode island
The tank is in the lobby of my salon so it is just as much for looks as it is my hobby. I am going to check out that caribsea.... I don't have a problem with the gravel that I have now it's just no fun to clean. They still eat live fish now but eventually they will be on fillets n stuff. Ideally I would like a bigger tank but I could not afford the bigger that I was finding, so the 120tank is only going to be for a year. Scooped it of c list for $100. Looking for something 6ft but at least 200g(3pbass). . .
 
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