Sand vs Gravel

[Falconwithaboxon]

Hello guys,
I'm getting a new tank(45 gallon) and I just had quick questions. I planned on doing sand because I read that it is better for angelfish and cories. Is that true? Is sand harder to take care of than gravel? Would a mix be good(like half sand half gravel)? Any other advice that I did not ask about is appreciated

 

[Guyb93]

I swapped from gravel to sand last year and here is my thoughts
Sand looks better
Suits fish better
Easier to see debris
But
Gravel cleans easier
Doesn’t trap pockets of air
Stays where its put
Easier to plant ( my opinion)
They both had benefits , mine is around 70% sand 30 gravel because I was too lazy to get all the gravel out lol

honestly if my corys and geophagus didn’t need sand I would go back to gravel or never changed

 

[Colin_T]

Sand makes no difference to angelfish.
Sand is better for Corydoras, other catfish, loaches and Geophagus cichlids.

Do not mix sand and gravel because the sand falls between the gravel and it turns to crap.

Sand is harder to clean but it's not much harder. Just use a gravel cleaner and kink the hose if it sucks the sand out.

 

[Falconwithaboxon]

Sand makes no difference to angelfish.
Sand is better for Corydoras, other catfish, loaches and Geophagus cichlids.

Do not mix sand and gravel because the sand falls between the gravel and it turns to crap.

Sand is harder to clean but it's not much harder. Just use a gravel cleaner and kink the hose if it sucks the sand out.

How important is sand to cories? I have four in my tank right now but that tank is gravel. Should I move them over to the new one? Or are they good where they are? I'm going to put the angelfish and algae eaters from my current tank into my new one, if that changes anything with the cories.

 

[Essjay]

I started with gravel then changed to sand. I would not go back to gravel.

I find sand easier to take care of because all the mess is on top of it. I just use tubing to clean the tank, not a siphon with that big plastic thing on the end. I hover the tube just above the sand and move it around slightly to lift the mess into the water where it can be sucked up. Yes, I do suck up sand, especially if I take my eyes of the tubing and poke it into the sand. I use buckets rather than a hose so I just wash the bit of sand in the bucket and put it back in the tank.

Half and half depends.
A layer of one with the other on top will end up with all the sand at the bottom and all the gravel on top.
Sand at one side and gravel at the other will need a physical barrier to keep them separate.

Gas pockets. I've never had a problem, but some members have. Don't have the sand too deep. Cories will dig which will help stir up the sand, and there's always Malaysian trumpet snails. Not over feeding the fish will help keep their numbers under control.

 

[Colin_T]

How important is sand to cories?

Corydoras are sand sifters and like to play in sand. If they are in a tank with smooth gravel, they will be fine but they won't be able to sift sand.

If you have rough, sharp or course gravel, it can harm the bottom dwelling fishes.

If you have gravel, you can put a plastic container in the gravel and put some sand in it. The Catfish can play in the sand. The container only needs to be 1-2 inches high x 10-12 inches square. Half an inch of sand in it and let them play.

 

[Falconwithaboxon]

Corydoras are sand sifters and like to play in sand. If they are in a tank with smooth gravel, they will be fine but they won't be able to sift sand.

If you have rough, sharp or course gravel, it can harm the bottom dwelling fishes.

If you have gravel, you can put a plastic container in the gravel and put some sand in it. The Catfish can play in the sand. The container only needs to be 1-2 inches high x 10-12 inches square. Half an inch of sand in it and let them play.

I will probably move them over to the new tank then thank you

 

[jams]

? Sand for all my tanks.
Especially for Cories. As mentioned they are scavengers and diggers their barbells can be damaged by the sharp edges of some gravel.

Good Luck!

 

[mcordelia]

My old tank had gravel, and my current one has sand. I way prefer sand to gravel. I also find it is easier to clean, I follow the "whirlpool" method described by PrimeTimeAquatics youtube channel. I think it's in their "sand vs gravel" video. Basically, you just swirl your house like 2in above the sand to make a little whirlpool and all the gunk lifts up and you can suck it away, while the sand stays in place. Nifty! I also have a planted tank and speckled sand, so I'm not too picky about how well it gets cleaned since you can't really see the gunk. Also only have plants and a snail producing waste right now, but had a lot of deadfall due to a chilled plant shipment so there's gunk alright lol.

 

[AbbeysDad]

Sand is better than gravel because uneaten food/detritus/mulm does not get down under to rot and pollute the water. I have 3-4" of pool filter sand in my 60g and never touch the sand (8+ years) and it looks just fine. See The Very Best Aquarium Filter.
(note: you don't want a very fine sand as it packs too tightly and inhibits permiability and stifles the root growth of plants...and nay, nay to mixing sand and gravel as it usually self separates.)