Substrate Choices?

[Ex-Reefer]

I recently sold my 90-gallon saltwater tank in order to purchase a new 150 gallon (72"x18") tank. The tank is going to be freshwater and I want to house 2 Oscars, 1 Jack Dempsey, 1 Firemouth, 2 Severums, and about 6 Silver Dollars.
I have noticed that on this forum there are several people who use sand as their substrate. Of course I used sand as a substrate in my salt tank but is there any advantages to using sand over the regular aquarium rock?
I like the look of sand as a substrate and would consider doing it again. I'm just curious as to if there are any benefits that any of you have had by using the sand as opposed to aquarium gravel. Thanks for your help.

 

[Ex-Reefer]

Wow, Thanks for everyone's overwhelming suport!

 

[---XR---]

I recently sold my 90-gallon saltwater tank in order to purchase a new 150 gallon (72"x18") tank. The tank is going to be freshwater and I want to house 2 Oscars, 1 Jack Dempsey, 1 Firemouth, 2 Severums, and about 6 Silver Dollars.
I have noticed that on this forum there are several people who use sand as their substrate. Of course I used sand as a substrate in my salt tank but is there any advantages to using sand over the regular aquarium rock?
I like the look of sand as a substrate and would consider doing it again. I'm just curious as to if there are any benefits that any of you have had by using the sand as opposed to aquarium gravel. Thanks for your help.

i've done black sand in my tank sometimes just for the look, but i find gravel is much easier to care for as the sand slowly gets sucked away as you wash it with a python or that sort of thing, but replaceing it is no big deal. i couldn't tell you about the different benifets other than the color of the fish may darken or lighten because of the substrate color, i know alot of ray enthusiasts use sand or bare bottom tanks, but i've never kept them so i couldn't tell you why.

 

[Wolf3101]

A large part of our hobby revolves around patiance...

Personally I use fine crushed coral in all of our tanks. Has the look of sand but stabolizes the PH of our RO/DI system to a solid 7.6.

 

[terd ferguson]

One advantage sand has for me is it simply looks better, more natural (which I like).