Should i change my substrate from gravel to sand ?

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

qguy

Piranha
MFK Member
Nov 10, 2009
898
104
76
Vancouver. Canada
This is my tank now...



Planning to change the substrate to something like this

Photo credit to MFK member FSM

P1010567Large.jpg


My concerns...

1. Not sure if it would look "natural"
2. I gravel vac once a month, its a 250g tank, currently some of the poop disintegrates and goes to the bottom, the problem lies when the cichlids starts digging and debris starts floating into the water column until the filter gets it, if i use sand, poop will now stay on top of the sand until the filter gets it... not sure which is worse ???

Whats your thoughts ?
 
I have done both, I am back on gravel. but I run larger ciclids. with gravel I can sink the vacuum tube into the gravel and let it sift out. with sand I suck up allot of sand. I have also had them get a mouth full of sand and spit it out right on the filter intakes, not good for impeller chambers. for smaller fish I think it be great. I would love to, but not with jags and Oscars.
 
I have large fish (dovii, Red devil, midas) in the tank, I have a sump, which feeds another fish tank at the bottom, so fish spitting sand into the drain is no issue for me.
 
I'm a sand guy, but I gotta say that your tank looks great with the gravel. I wouldn't change it.
 
I have pool filter sand in my 180.

Likes:
Poop stays on top for for easy siphoning / filters to grab
Light color makes tank brighter
Easy on pleco and catfish bellies and whiskers

Dislikes:
Poop stays on top until filtered / siphoned, looks terrible (especially pleco poop)
Light color washes out fishes natural colors
Have to be careful when siphoning not to send down the drain.
 
I have had sand for years. With the new 300 gallon though I decided to tile the bottom. It looks natural and is way easier for cleaning . especially for fish such as jag's and a dovi. I have maybe 1/8th of the tank with a little bit of black sand blasting sand just so they have something to move around. I find syphoning the poop much easier .
 
Tried reducing the gravel to 1/2 inch to 1 and 1/2 in some area.. let see how it goes, i might add another pump to add more circulation....
 
After many years of only natural colored gravel, did first sand tank @ ten years ago. Before that kept everything, geos, discus, whatever, with small size gravel. Took time to work out how often to clean the sand, started out every month, then every two, then 2-3... before I came to the conclusion this was way easier to maintain than gravel, which I siphoned religiously, full bottom of tanks with every water change for years. Now all my tanks are sand. It's just a lot less work ime.

How often it needs cleaned can vary by tank, type of fish, how many, etc. Apparently with time it develops the bacteria colony to help break down waste, because ime after it's been in the tank long enough it needs less cleaning than at first. Hasn't been much of a problem for my filters, but you can use a pre-filter if need be. I tend to hide my intakes behind rocks, which helps. Occasionally I do find some sand in the bottom of my Eheims, but not much of an issue with the pump sitting on top.

Re: Siphoning. Mainly a matter of moderating the suction to pick up dirt but not sand, especially with a heavier sand like pfs.
 
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