Sand Over Gravel

[ChrisXL]

I want to put sand over my gravel, and want to know whether it is possible. I have about an inch, maybe a bit less, of silver gravel as my substrate, and just goes all dirty and yellow really easily. Looking at other tanks, sand looks so much better. I want to know whether it is possible to put a load of sand over the gravel, so that my plants stay rooted. If I put say 1.5" of sand in, just it stay over my gravel, or will it eventually just push the gravel back up?

 

[TigerIssey]

The sand particles being much smaller than the gravel particles will eventually work their way below the gravel. Unfortunately the only way is to switch the gravel out and replace with sand. You could wait until the gravel works its way up and use a wide meshed net that sand will fall through but gravel won't to fish it out, however it may be easier just to switch.

 

[Repeat]

If you do switch, i would let the sand settle for a day or two. I used pool filter sand in my tank and its larger, and round so it wont destroy your filter if it happens to get into it. Because its larger it doesnt kick up either