Sand Or Gravel?

[Joel]

Im gunna be starting my first freshwater aquarium in 5 years next month, and I need help on choosing either sand, or gravel.

Which looks better?
Which do the fish prefer?
Which is more expensive?
Which would you reccomend?

Thanks for the help

- Joel

 

[tttnjfttt]

Which looks better? - Honestly, this is a personal preference thing. I have sand in my tanks though, i think it looks alot better.

Which do the fish prefer? - This really depends on the fish. At the moment, I can't think of anything off the top of my head that prefers gravel, but i'm sure they are out there. I know my tiger barbs love the sand; they play in it all day. My zebra danios could care less either way.

Which is more expensive? - depends on where you buy your sand and gravel. I bought sand for $3, and could have easily done 2 more 20 gal tanks.

Which would you reccomend? - Which ever you like better, unless your fish/future fish have a set preference (mainly bottom dwellers).

Is it easy to care for? - yup. That was my own little addition. It takes about as much effort as gravel.
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The best thing I can encourage you to do is research, research, reserch and question, question, question. If you hear something, ask why. Learn what your fish need before you go out and buy them or buy the set up.

Also, this is your tank. That said, consider what YOU like and what catches YOUR eye. This is a several year investment, go for what you want. What do you think looks better? Do you need to see some pix of tanks with either?

 

[load of pollock]

what u have to watch out for is if u decided to have the filter pump on maximum flow really full then i suggest u get gravel which cannot be suck up as sand can be brought up into filter because it very fine and small, of the flow going into the filter so to be on safe side gravel is better ........ but i think u can have sand but juist dont put it anywhere near the filter flow in hope it help ..........

but it your choice but Good Luck settin up the tank

 

[The-Wolf]

Im gunna be starting my first freshwater aquarium in 5 years next month

I first read that as
in 5years time (next month) I'll be starting an aquairum

the first consideration should be the fish
cories for example love sifting sand through their gills
so sand would be the better option for them.

gravel would be prefered by fish like plecos as the like to graze
on the micro-organisums that would live on the surface of the gravel.

a mixture would be more endemic to a river bed, but is a lot harder to maintain

HTH

 

[Joel]

Im gunna be starting my first freshwater aquarium in 5 years next month

I first read that as
in 5years time (next month) I'll be starting an aquairum

Thanks for the help everyone . I think my decision will be gravel. Im only going to have some gouaramis, angelfish, apple snails, african frogs, a pleco, a red tail shark, and maybe some danios, and most of those fish except the pleco can care less (I believe so). Do you think this is a good decision considering my fish choice?


- Joel

 

[Morrgan]

gravel would be prefered by fish like plecos as the like to graze
on the micro-organisums that would live on the surface of the gravel.

I'd actually say that plecos prefer sand, because mine seem to love digging in it. Perhaps larger plecos would like gravel better, but for small ones I'd suggest sand. For possible grazing I have several larger flat stones instead.

 

[GSD]

the fish seem to perfer sand and its easier to keep clean but sand can stir easier and needs very very thorugh cleaning before puting it in!and you also need to stir sand once in a while