Pros and Cons of dark or light substrate?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
iloveoscars702

iloveoscars702

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 4, 2008
5,824
3
0
33
Canada... i wish.
ok so im setting up my new 125 and i was wondering what are the pros and cons of using dark substrate or using light substrate..

so my first plan was to use slate tile, which is black, with some red, green and gold hues.

my second plan is to use the pfs that is already in my 100 gal. which is a tannish color.
 
I suppose that it depends on what type of effect you are going for. In my 220 I am using a black gravel that will surround my "Loach Mountain", with an angled line giving way to creek pebbles for a little ove a third of the tank, and then changing over to Pool Filter sand for the last not quite third of the tank. Personally I think it looks pretty cool. Driftwood is located throughout the creek pebbles and a few landscaping rocks in the sand. Plants throughout the tank.

sorry.........not trying to hijack your thread. What type of stock are you putting in the tank? IMO that would make a difference in substrate. I would figure that you would want to either highlight or offset the stocks colors. Good Luck
 
SnaKeheAdSrAwSomE;4075857; said:
he's putting in bichirs
Click to expand...


hhhmmmm.....absolutely no experience with them whatsoever. Is it a 50/50 on bringing out their coloring then?
 
Well, then it would seem to me that he would want to go with one of those. When you have something that helps bring out colors, it makes it so much easier to kill several hours relaxing and watching the tank...............hhhmmmm maybe the lighter color would be better then.
 
Darker is usually better if it doesn't go against the fish's natural environment. Dark substrate enhances color. Fish tend to washout in lighter substrate. I like the natural look of river gravel and stones and natural sand. That's all that I use. I think colored sand looks cheesy and cheap.
 
fish will be silver aro, african aro, odoe, orino pbass, ornate bichir and a senegal
 
Not sure about birchirs, but i noticed with all my puffers when i put them in a tank with a lighter substrate there colors seemed to show up more > the darker substrate
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom