Most canister filters go thru the media first. HOB's are the ones that the water (and sand) go thur the impeller first and will shorten it's life. I've been using sand for years and years and NEVER had a problem. Like previously mentioned, don't use the first cheapest sand you can find. You want a larger grain sand (personally I use Leslie's Pool Supply 20-grade pool filter sand) so it falls back down immediately when disturbed. Also you don't have to worry about the toxic pocket build up. These guys that gave that advice have never used a high quality heavy grain sand. I will never go back to gravel. Sand is the best.
gravle vr sand
- Thread starter tfaceon
- Start date
I switched over to sand(tahitian moon sand) in my 75 gallon a few months ago and in my experience both have pros and cons. Sand IMO looks better and it makes the tank easier to clean... But it makes both my HOB and Rena xp2's a PITA to clean. I also don't think catfish or loaches prefer sand. Ever since I switched to sand my YOYO loaches have comepletly stopped digging for food and I have a 007 pleco that will not lay on the sand and he was always out and on the gravel.
Tahitian moon sand is great. dirt stays on top, makes me clean it more often cuz the visable debris is an eye sore, resulting in a cleaner tank. Fluval 404 works fine, but i elevated the suction tube to the middle level to prevent sand suction. Does any one know if toxic pockets build up in tahitian moon sand too?
My first tank was gravel, but all my tanks since have used pool sand. It takes a while to clean when you're first setting up the tank. You have to make sure to either stir up the sand yourself, or have critters that do it for you. All of my tanks have dojo/horse-faced loaches that live in the sand. They love it! They're always sand-sifting looking for food and spitting it out their gills. I've even seen my bala sharks sand-sifting!
A major issue about sand vs gravel is what fish you're stocking. Some fish couldn't care less, but others NEED THE SAND!
A major issue about sand vs gravel is what fish you're stocking. Some fish couldn't care less, but others NEED THE SAND!
Pufferpunk;1173860; said:
Will this happen if you have a reverse UDF pushing around all the sand?
Or is there a cat fish small enough for a 75 gal that will push around the sand to stop this gas forming?
i like the look of sand better, but with my fish especially the firemouths the sand washed them out so i went back to dark gravel. but sand is a good way to go IMO
1. Please use PREFILTERS on hang on back filters...you wont have to worry about sand getting to the impeller.
2. If rinsed properly BEFORE being added to the tank it will not make the tank cloudy whatsoever.
3. Using 5/8" tubing, gravity fed siphon into a bucket is easier than a python. Its precise and you skim above the waste.
4. If you have any fish that dig, they will love the sand. If you have cichlids the are missing out.
2. If rinsed properly BEFORE being added to the tank it will not make the tank cloudy whatsoever.
3. Using 5/8" tubing, gravity fed siphon into a bucket is easier than a python. Its precise and you skim above the waste.
4. If you have any fish that dig, they will love the sand. If you have cichlids the are missing out.
