Aquarium Substrate for Low Maintainance

[csk]

Hi everyone,
I have maintained a small aquarium earlier. I am now planning for a 225-250 litres community tank setup with an over the top Filter. This will have few small size gold fish varieties like the Ryukin Gold and few widow tetra. I will not not be having any Plants. Please help me with these 2 queries:

1. Due to space constraints, I can only pick one of the 2 sizes. Which would be the right size in (L X B X H) 4 Ft X 1 Ft X 2 Ft (225 litres) or 3.f Ft X 1.5 Ft X 2 Ft (250 liters) for my setup
2. I wont be having any plants and I Want a low maintenance tank Gravel (I mean the substance which is at the bottom of my tank) . I have used stones of small size earlier (attached image), but even with siphoning once a week, a lot of excess poop got accumulated at the bottom of the tank and i never could remove them out completely. I am looking for something easier to maintain this time. Would one would be low maintenance
a) stones of big size b) Bare Bottom tank c) sand d) the same small stone which i have used earlier e) anything else?

 

[jaylach]

While I've never used due to u7sing under gravel filtration I would think that sand would probably be the easiest as it will be easier to clean as the crud won't settle into the substrate nearly as much as with rocks or gravel.

With golds I doubt that you will be vacuum free as the things are poop machines.

 

[Lcc86]

I would say sand is easiest, gravel/large stones will trap dirt in between and be more difficult to clean. Although sand will show up dirt it will also be easier to vacuum.