Opinions Please - Sand Or No Sand That Is The Question!

[Gilli]

I cant decide - it looks better but im worried about all the debris making it look messy?

 

[karin]

In my opinion, sand is easier to keep clean as everything stays on top rather than sinking into the gravel. I like the look and bottom feeders such as corys and loaches and sand sifters will love you for it.

 

[juliedavis]

i have changed a small tank to sand and it's brill the best looking tank i've ever had. you do need an internal or external filter, can't use u.g. filters with sand. but looks stunning

 

[Gilli]

I do have an external filter so no worries there. I notice that some people have voted to keep gravel - reasons please guys?

 

[nophtosh]

I've just gotten back into aquaria and after reading a bunch on sand (every place I could find info) and decided to go with it. To me, it looks nice, it's cheap, easier than gravel to clean, and the diggers, burrowers love it . My only gripe would be that it does take a lot more time to rinse properly but no other complaints so far.

 

[moochy13]

I cant decide - it looks better but im worried about all the debris making it look messy?

it will only look messy if you dont keep on top of it. my water change, i dont so much 'change the water', i just hoover up until the sand is clear. a by product of this is removing enough water which acts as my water change. if you see what i mean. i dont take water out of my tank unless its because im hoovering.

 

[mwood2]

Used gravel when I first started out but since then I only use sand (except for goldfish tank where sand isn't ideal). I have used Tahiti Moon sand and basic colored sand and prefer a natural feel over anything else. I also used the ADA Amazon Aqua Soil and wont be using it again. While it looks great and has all the nutrients plants need I hate how plants don't stay down in it, the stuff has very low density and when you unsettle the substrate it clouds up.

 

[jkilby]

Sand every time, looks natural, great to clean and as said before bottom feeders and diggers love it

Sand every time, looks natural, great to clean and as said before bottom feeders and diggers love it

 

[Gilli]

Well I do a routine water change once a week with a good hoover up - would I need to vac sand more than the once a week for it not to look gross? I hasten to add I have 2 BN plecs who are champion poopers so thats why im dithering.

 

[BigbruiserAl]

I put sand in my shrimp tank and while it looks great, after 2 hours of the weekly clean up and water change it looks a mess, prefer the look of gravel IMO as hides the dirt untill cleaning day, you cant ask you fish not to poop can you

 

[moochy13]

when you clean sand, what you see is all the dirt thats in your tank. when you clean gravel, you can be guarenteed that unless you remove everything and hoover everywhere...twice...you will still have rotting poo and food in your gravel. not the end of the world, but just because you cant see it doesnt mean its not there. my sand can go over a week before it start to looks a bit manky, ive got 3 plecs in my tank, inlcuding a rusty plec which im sure his sole purpose for being is to crap.

 

[FishFanatic13]

i prefer sand if clean!
i did have sand but i found it harder to get plants to grow and hard to keep clean
so i did vote gravel

but if you go for cory/loachs sand would work
so about even it down to personal preference

 

[snowflake311]

You can never get gravel fully clean stuff will always be stunk in it yuk. With sand it might look messy if you could clean the poop every week of more. Since everything sit on top of sand fish get all the food that falls. You can clean it so easy.

I love sand it's cheap too. I will never u gravel again.

 

[This Old Spouse]

Okay, so I have a 55g with gravel now. I can't even imagine trying to switch over to sand. btw my dozen corys are swimming all over the tank right now. All the way to the surface. It's 11 p.m. and I've never seen this before. Hope it's normal!

 

[snowflake311]

Okay, so I have a 55g with gravel now. I can't even imagine trying to switch over to sand. btw my dozen corys are swimming all over the tank right now. All the way to the surface. It's 11 p.m. and I've never seen this before. Hope it's normal!

Cory cats swimming around is normal. But Cory cats really Love sand they are differs they love to dig around in the sand for food. Your will see more of their fun natural behavior with sand. I had a gravel tank for a year then one day took all fish and stuff out and made the switch it's not that hard just takes some extra time. But it is worth it.