Gravel OR Sand? (HELP)

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Warlock

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jun 19, 2005
229
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In Limbo
Tank size: 90 gallon
Filter: Marineland Emperor 400 (dual bio-wheel) soon to get another one
Substrate: Pea-size gravel
Freshwater
Fish: 2x Iridescent sharks (ID sharks) that are 3''
Video of my tank: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXOodb3kwck (before i added another ID shark)
Ok so i am using some pea-sized gravel and i really do not like the look of it at all and i think it takes more maintenance than other substrates. I understand gravel is good because it allows beneficial bacteria to grow and colonize inside the gravel which promotes a healthier tank. I have a bare tank with no decorations and i am planning to put in a few small fake plants and maybe some stones for shelter, but i would REALLY like to switch to tan colored sand (normal sand lol). I would like to get some feedback on this. Do you think it is not a good idea and why?

Why i think sand is a good idea: Easier maintenance, food is more visible for me and the fish to see on the bottom, i like the look and feel of it better.
Why i dont think sand is a good idea: Less places for beneficial bacteria to colonize, maybe its harder to clean with a siphon tube because the sand gets sucked up too?

Please Please Please give me any feedback you can offer! If i left any information out please let me know, i will try to help you help me to the best of my ability. I am new to fishkeeping so bare with me ;)​
 
Sand is extremely cheap, so don't worry about sucking some up during a cleaning. I love sand for its looks, and its better for bottom dwelling fish, as it is smoother than gravel.
 
Sand is super easy and looks so much better. P.s. Id sharks get huge, hope you know.
 
damn as soon as i read the 2 ID sharks I knew people would crap on the poor guy.... Persoanlly I'd go bare bottom . Doesn't leave any unwanted surprises if u vacuum right lol.
 
I'd do sand IMO, I regret doing pea gravel in my 55 gallon because thats what I have in there now.
 
Bare bottom all the way! Cleaning a bare bottom tank is soooooo much easier. We have gravel in some of our tanks that have filtration systems that require it and I like that, even though it's a pain to vacum, but nothing beats a bare bottom in terms of cleaning. We had sand in our 220 and it felt like we had to vacum it like every day just to keep the tank looking clean. EVERYTHING will show in the sand (depending on the color)...So if fish poop showing bothers you (as it did us) you may wanna stay away from sand.
 
You should have enough bio-media in your filtration that you don't need to rely on the substrate to harbor bacteria. I prefer sand all the way, though it does look dirty much quicker. The easiest way to prevent this is to have enough water movement so the waste isn't allowed to settle. I barely have to vacuum my sand since everything stays suspended in my water column until my filters remove it.
 
arowanaryan said:
damn as soon as i read the 2 ID sharks I knew people would crap on the poor guy.... Persoanlly I'd go bare bottom . Doesn't leave any unwanted surprises if u vacuum right lol.
Click to expand...
Lol it's expected because Im pretty sure we all see so many ppl with like 2 of them in a 50 gal. I will upsize when they get bigger.
 
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