Can I use filter sand and river pebbles for substrate?

[STONEDFISH]

Pretty self explainatory. I bought 100 pounds of regular old pool filter sand from leslie pool supplies. Kinda boring alone I thought...just plain old brown sand, but if I added some nice smooth river pebbles it would look nice and natural...and bichir friendly. Would it be a pain in the butt to clean and does anyone else do this?
stndfsh

 

[Raul-7]

Eventually the sand will sink to the bottom if you're going to try and layer it. The only way it can work is if you divide the tank up into sections and place the desired substrate in each section and avoid mixing.

 

[Wolf3101]

I think it will look intresting. As long as you keep the amount of pebbles down, it will have a natural...scattered look to it.

 

[Ianab]

Yup.. it can work. Just put down the sand as per normal and scatter the pebbles as you like. They will get shuffled around when you are cleaning, some maybe get buried and uncovered later. Can give a more natural and interesting look. One of my tanks has a coarse sand/fine gravel substrate with heaps of 'found' river pebbles. Looks fine.

Worst case, you have to pick the pebbles out if you dont like the look.

Cheers

Ian

 

[Bizzaro]

how does that pool sand look? can i see a pic?

 

[bugz]

Interested in pix too~~~

 

[Raul-7]

If it's anything like the pool sand I got from Leslie's, it looks like very tiny gravel rather than actually sand. Very coarse, rigid and darker than your regular sand.