substrate or no substrate

[DyaniBGud]

Substrate can sometimes improve water quality, especially if your tank doesnt have enough filtration material. If you stir up the gravel properly each week, you'll get a nice good bed of media for beneficial bacterias to grow on. But if you have a strong filter with sufficient filter media, you can do without substrate.

 

[Star-Flog]

In my opinion and also observed from many hobbylist, without substrate, it is a lot easy to maintaine the water parameter and therefore quality of water and heathly for your fish.

 

[ckk125]

the fish will feel better when there is substrate...because it looks more natural..and yes...it will help out with filtration

 

[Reefstalker]

Benefits of having a substrate:
1. Substrate houses good nitrifying bacteria, although not as critical if you use a very efficient, high-flow, wet-dry filter
2. Substrate acts as a pH buffer to maintain pH stability; the pH of a bare bottom tank is more sensitive to pH swings, not the other way around
3. I think we all agree that our fishes "feel better and happier" in a system that mimics their natural environment as close as possible. A bare bottom tank with absolutely no decor (wood, plants, etc.) is NOT a natural environment
4. Substrate just makes the aquarium look better!

Benefits of bare-bottom:
1. Easier to clean
However, this reasoning is a cop-out because both Python and Lee's make products that eliminate the need for manual siphon/vacuums, and lugging buckets of water. Their "No Spill Clean N' Fill" hoses connect directly to your faucet/sink and makes the entire process so simple and painless.

 

[Reefstalker]

By the way, I'd like to add that because my Jardini's tank is heavily planted, not only are my Ammonia and Nitrites always 0, my Nitrates never rise over 10 ppm. In an experiment, I didn't change my water for 4 weeks (except for top-offs), and my Nitrates weren't even 20 ppm! All the plants basically use the Nitrates and Phosphates in the water as "fertilizer".

 

[Hakon]

IMO a layer of substrate is best. You can have more plants and fish like eartheaters, corys etc. will thrive better. And, as mentioned in other posts, the substrate will house a lot of bacteria. In all my tanks I have sand/gravel and 0 nitrite.

 

[xxblwn408]

I used to keep my aro in a bare bottom tank. It is easier to keep the tank clean, BUT imo it is just an eye sore to look at. My lima's didn't look to happy either. They would swim around with their snouts draging on the bottom. I now have some black snad in thier and I can say my aro has never looked better. (before the jump anyway)

I vote for substrate.

 

[kriztu]

thin layer of sand. i still think droop eye can be prevented, place the tank on a stand only 2.5 feet higher than the floor. this will force your face to at least refrain from looking down as most people and moving objects are higher than him

 

[baracuda]

I put some substrate in there and alot of plant seeds that are starting to grow so the aro should be good for a few weeks til i move him to a 125 then something bigger later on.