Substrate for a 350g tank

[rgraze]

I want to setup this tank for cichlids just not sure if I should use gravel or sand for a large tank. I would like plants in the tank so I'm assuming I would need gravel but is gravel hard to maintain? Will I have to constantly vacuum the gravel. I have setup a freshwater sump for this setup. Just not sure which way to go.

 

[rwellbaum]

i would go with sand instead of gravel
easier to clean and looks much better

 

[dxdx]

sand does look the best IMO... If you're doing plants, put some laterite or other planting substrate, not gravel, under the sand in that area.

 

[swk]

I think a mix of both looks the most natural

 

[jrthor_85]

Remember with sand you have to run your hands through it once in a while to release built up methane pockets. This will poison your water if you ignore it.

 

[aldiaz33]

I agree that sand looks better, but with my acrylic tanks I have always been too afraid of them getting scratched up by a rogue grain of sand stuck on my algae scraper. It can happen with gravel, but it's much less likely.

 

[cancanbaji]

Sand...

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[tomomothy]

Ive always been a fan of gravel. Im one of the apparantly few that prefers the look over sand, although vacuuming it is more work. It is nice to not have fish poo pile up on top of your substrate between gravel vacs though. Ive heard some people have a problem with that happening with sand, but Im sure a properly stocked tank would minimize that

 

[rwellbaum]

Remember with sand you have to run your hands through it once in a while to release built up methane pockets. This will poison your water if you ignore it.

i never have this problem my fish move the sand around for me

 

[West1]

Gravel in my opinion. I have one layer of 1" smooth gravel with big sizes here and there.
That was a 16.5" Bichir Bichir for ref