I just upgraded to a 75g tank it will have a red oscar, 2 tinfoil barbs and a firemouth, and Hypostomus pleco. In my smaller tank i have gravel. I would like to try sand because it looks better. Will sand work with the fish i have? Is sand easier to maintain than gravel is? If so what is the best sand for the buck?
What is the best substrate for a 75g?
- Thread starter wolfgre
- Start date
i dont think there is a concrete answer; it all depends what you like. if you decide to go with sand, your best bet would be to use pool filter sand from a local pool store. it has a nice color and is very cheap
Be warned about plecos and light colored sand, they are poop factories and it'll show on your sand, and I mean PILES of it. Just took the plec out of my sand bottom tank for that reason, it'll be fine if you go with black sand though.
As long as the intake tubes areen't on the bottom you should be fine, be sure to rinse whatever sand you get well to get all the lighter floating particles out and you should have no problems.
As long as the intake tubes areen't on the bottom you should be fine, be sure to rinse whatever sand you get well to get all the lighter floating particles out and you should have no problems.
wolfgre;2010709; said:
Hmm may have to keep an eye on how you clean your tank, substrate cleaning and waterchanges.
However what has worked for me somewhat is shortening the intake tube. Use only one extra attachment.
I don't have my AC110 on a sand substrate tank, yet. BUt i do have 2 hang on filters on my sand tank, Whisper 60 & Emp 280. So far the Emperor 280 has no issues and works excellent. The Whisper is my oldest filter and my need a new impeller. It still works but flow rates are severly diminshed.
I use play sand from home depot 3 bucks a bag looks great works good too, downfall; LOTS of rinsing to get clear water from learned hard way, also use Aquaclear HOT filters three inches above sand line no problems that way cept the occasional fish spitting sand into intake line, clean regularly with q-tips to get it out, pool sand is actually more here then I what read online. stupid desert lol. so far no problems with pleco in sand substrate as i hear there should be (fingers crossed and knock on wood). With the Oscars i use a Rena cannister filter and the mechanical filters inside it do an excellent job of keeping fine sand out of the motor and propellar, highly recommend using cannister filter for sand substrate, if i had the money would go all cannister but here they run min. of 150 bucks and up. Also if you get sand make sure it is not silica sand as i hear those are rough and sharp particles that can tear up your fish.