A Question for the Pros

[OliveFish05]

It's really a personal preference.

I find sand easier to clean. With sand, you just use the tub part of the syphon and hover above the sand. All of the debris get sucked up easily. With gravel on the other hand, you have to use that big cylinder and push it all the way in the gravel and then do that for the whole tank.

Also with sand, all the debris stay on top. With gravel, all the debris get sifted down between the rocks, making it harder to get all of it.

But again it's just a personal preference. Some people like the looks of gravel, while others like sand.

Agreed. I too prefer sand

 

[Circus]

Too early? As in the tank wasn't well established enough to keep them fed?

Yeah, had a few otos become very weak from very little food (they don't accept prepared food a lot of the time) then get picked off by another fish. A pleco not finding enough food in the tank can get kinda aggressive with other bottom dwellers when it comes to feeding time.

 

[Back in the fold]

@Fancyfins12 The thing with sand is that it is more natural and has many side benefits. I used nothing but aquarium gravel for years and was perfectly happy with it. I used sand one time decades ago and probably had it too deep and it developed a gas pocket. Stayed away from it after that but listening to all the people here on The Great TFF Forums wax eloquently on the benefits of sand I decided to give it another go. All six of my tanks have sand now. I keep it about a half inch deep. You do a little swirl with your siphon just a bit above the sand and siphon the detritus. You never get it all but a little mulm can be a good thing. I feed live Grindal worms, which are quite small and sink to the bottom, the sand is great because they stay on the surface rather than going into the gravel where the fish can't get at them. Sand is a much better live plant planting bed than gravel and at some point you will want Corydoras catfish or Kuhlii Loaches. Fish like that, with barbels, and being bottom feeders will thrive much better with sand to root around in. I will never use aquarium gravel again.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

about a half inch deep

You will want to go at least 1 1/2 inches deep if you plan on planting live plants.

 

[Back in the fold]

You will want to go at least 1 1/2 inches deep if you plan on planting live plants.

Inch and a half ? Yeah, probably. I'm still a little gun shy about deep sand but an extensive root network from lots of plants would alleviate any problems.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

What do you wish you had known before you got into the hobby?

What's been your greatest mistake?

What did you do the hard way until you learned better?

1. The nitrogen cycle and other elementary water chemistry

2. Putting too many big fish in too small a tank.

3. Artificial plants (hard) vs. real plants (better)

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Inch and a half ? Yeah, probably. I'm still a little gun shy about deep sand but an extensive root network from lots of plants would alleviate any problems.

Definitely need that much sand for swords and vals. Swords get crazy big root systems.

 

[MammaBearinTN]

Not to leave the container of fish flakes where my 4 year old daughter can get them. Woke up to a totally destroyed 29 gallon tank.

Not learning from the above mistake.

My youngest child (another daughter ) did it again a few years later. This time it was a 55 gallon tank.

It's been 20 years, and I'm just getting back to the hobby.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Inch and a half ? Yeah, probably. I'm still a little gun shy about deep sand but an extensive root network from lots of plants would alleviate any problems.

I've got sand that's 5" deep in places in my 40B, no worries...

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I've got sand that's 5" deep in places in my 40B, no worries...

5 inches may be pushing your luck. ?

 

[Slaphppy7]

5 inches may be pushing your luck. ?

Nah, as long as you leave it undisturbed...although I have yanked plants, with no ill effects...not sure if I buy into that "poisonous gas bubble" stuff...

 

[Back in the fold]

@Slaphppy7 The poisonous gas bubble was what I found out to be a nitrogen pocket. This phenomenon occurs naturally in ponds. Go wade out into a natural still pond and you will disturb one. The unmistakeable odor of sulphur will, not so pleasantly, greet your nostrils.

 

[Slaphppy7]

@Slaphppy7 The poisonous gas bubble was what I found out to be a nitrogen pocket. This phenomenon occurs naturally in ponds. Go wade out into a natural still pond and you will disturb one. The unmistakeable odor of sulphur will, not so pleasantly, greet your nostrils.

Errr....nitrogen is odorless (?)

 

[Back in the fold]

@Slaphppy7 OK. Whatever you want to call it doesn't matter. It is a real thing and the gas can be absorbed into water and kill fish. Prove this to yourself.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Errr....nitrogen is odorless (?)

Nitrogen is odorless, lol. However, this is still a real thing that happens in fish tanks.