Budget gravel recommendations?
- Thread starter Hatredy
- Start date
My biggest problem with gravel, and leven arger size material like pea gravel, is that detritus can work its way between the large interstitial spaces, and create pockets of rotting material, that after a while belch hydrogen sulfide gases, and generally deteriorate water quality.
Play sand is too fine though, and also compacts.
For me the solution is PFS.
It allows detritus to rest on its surface where can easily be vacuumed up, before it gets a chance to deteriorate water quatily,
but is heavy enough to fall back to the substrate, before it gets a chance to get sucked in to filters, and ruin filter impellers.
I got PFS from an abrasives dealer much more economically than high cost than LFSs.
Play sand is too fine though, and also compacts.
For me the solution is PFS.
It allows detritus to rest on its surface where can easily be vacuumed up, before it gets a chance to deteriorate water quatily,
but is heavy enough to fall back to the substrate, before it gets a chance to get sucked in to filters, and ruin filter impellers.
I got PFS from an abrasives dealer much more economically than high cost than LFSs.
Either way, gravel/ rocks are best sourced from local landscaping yard. Sand - local hardware store. Also agree with Duane. if you use gravel go light, or be prepared for the extra work.
Hi,
I agree with both of the above with one exception.... Regardless of if you choose gravel or sand, there is going to be work.....
ORRRRRR, you could do what I did, and use actual filter bio media as substrate for the tank.....you don't even need to get expensive biomedia! I used the cheapest ceramic noodles I could find and a few spare large 1.5 inch spheres of marine pure balls......(there is actually more bio media on my tank floor than in my actual filter!)
Reasons why I have been using substrate for years:
1) no cleaning (literally zero), large enough for water to wash away detritus, small enough for bottom dwellers to dig through and move around......
2) cannot damage filters or pumps
3) if the fish go rearranging the substrate there is nothing to settle
4) after about 6-8 it will go anaerobic, competing the nitrogen cycle fully....... I have not done a water change for over 12 months, only topped for evaporation.
(It does this because the media is not under any form of pressure/forced flow of a pump, this allows the water pressure of the column to push water through the core/center of media EXTREMELY slowly, allowing oxygen to deplete and anaerobic bacteria to form)
(for any nay sayers on point 4, i am happy to post water tests as proof of the fact that that I have 0,0,0 across the board)
Feel free to ask any questions, although I do have to say this was based on something
RD.
posted years ago, about achieving anaerobic bacteria in a filter/sump system.....i took his idea, removed the filter and pipes and put all the media directly into the tank..... So thanks to him!!!
I agree with both of the above with one exception.... Regardless of if you choose gravel or sand, there is going to be work.....
ORRRRRR, you could do what I did, and use actual filter bio media as substrate for the tank.....you don't even need to get expensive biomedia! I used the cheapest ceramic noodles I could find and a few spare large 1.5 inch spheres of marine pure balls......(there is actually more bio media on my tank floor than in my actual filter!)
Reasons why I have been using substrate for years:
1) no cleaning (literally zero), large enough for water to wash away detritus, small enough for bottom dwellers to dig through and move around......
2) cannot damage filters or pumps
3) if the fish go rearranging the substrate there is nothing to settle
4) after about 6-8 it will go anaerobic, competing the nitrogen cycle fully....... I have not done a water change for over 12 months, only topped for evaporation.
(It does this because the media is not under any form of pressure/forced flow of a pump, this allows the water pressure of the column to push water through the core/center of media EXTREMELY slowly, allowing oxygen to deplete and anaerobic bacteria to form)
(for any nay sayers on point 4, i am happy to post water tests as proof of the fact that that I have 0,0,0 across the board)
Feel free to ask any questions, although I do have to say this was based on something
RD.
posted years ago, about achieving anaerobic bacteria in a filter/sump system.....i took his idea, removed the filter and pipes and put all the media directly into the tank..... So thanks to him!!!
6-8 weeks... The substrate physical depth is a single layer of ceramic noodles... I'll edit the original post lol
Hello; much of my early fishkeeping years funds were always a problem. The cheapest substrate I ever found was construction sand. I made a frame of 2x4 lumber and an assortment of window screens. The screen wire with 1/4 inch openings is called hardware cloth for some reason. House window screen was too fine but useable as a first step.
First step is to get a lot of the sand. Fifteen years or more I got well over a half ton for something around $20. I have no idea currently. Try to get dry sand or at least find a way to let say four times what you will want to wind up with get fairly dry. Sift the 1st round thru window screen mainly to get rid of the very fine stuff and the dust. Have buckets of some such to keep the larger stuff.
Once you have sifted away the dust and have a good amount of the stuff which does not sift, then have a look at what is left. Is it too small still? If so find other screening wire or try to layer the hardware cloth to get desired openings.
Once you get suitable sized particles then do a job of rinsing with water. I learned the hard way about rinsing.
Here is where I confess that the sand in my area may be different from where you are. I lived & worked near Wilmington NC for a couple years and noted they had different sorts of sand for different purposes. I grew up in SE KY and had not understood such. Maybe you have some choices in the general sorts of construction sands. Might want to check around.
The best substrate in my experience was had back in the 1970's. I think it is a crushed Granet. It is a black & white small stone from about bb size to a bit larger. maybe .17 of an inch. I bought lots of it back in the day but have not seen it for decades. Too bad.
First step is to get a lot of the sand. Fifteen years or more I got well over a half ton for something around $20. I have no idea currently. Try to get dry sand or at least find a way to let say four times what you will want to wind up with get fairly dry. Sift the 1st round thru window screen mainly to get rid of the very fine stuff and the dust. Have buckets of some such to keep the larger stuff.
Once you have sifted away the dust and have a good amount of the stuff which does not sift, then have a look at what is left. Is it too small still? If so find other screening wire or try to layer the hardware cloth to get desired openings.
Once you get suitable sized particles then do a job of rinsing with water. I learned the hard way about rinsing.
Here is where I confess that the sand in my area may be different from where you are. I lived & worked near Wilmington NC for a couple years and noted they had different sorts of sand for different purposes. I grew up in SE KY and had not understood such. Maybe you have some choices in the general sorts of construction sands. Might want to check around.
The best substrate in my experience was had back in the 1970's. I think it is a crushed Granet. It is a black & white small stone from about bb size to a bit larger. maybe .17 of an inch. I bought lots of it back in the day but have not seen it for decades. Too bad.
Now I'm not questioning the ammonia/nitrogen cycle being complete. I will however point out that that isn't the only thing a water change does. By never changing any of the water, depending on your water source, you could have all sorts of things building up in the water. Things like heavy metals, minerals, and even chemicals. These things can also lead to old tank syndrome, where the current fish are ok, because they acclimated over time, but new fish may not be able to handle it. Or say you blow a seal on your tank and have to move everyone in a hurry, to new water, they will struggle with the transition.4) after about 6-8 it will go anaerobic, competing the nitrogen cycle fully....... I have not done a water change for over 12 months, only topped for evaporation.
(It does this because the media is not under any form of pressure/forced flow of a pump, this allows the water pressure of the column to push water through the core/center of media EXTREMELY slowly, allowing oxygen to deplete and anaerobic bacteria to form)
(for any nay sayers on point 4, i am happy to post water tests as proof of the fact that that I have 0,0,0 across the board)
Feel free to ask any questions, although I do have to say this was based on something