The moment of truth is fast approaching

[Tatya]

The moment of choice is fast approaching ...
Shall I go for a sand or pea gravel substrate in my re-vamped main tank?

It'll be fairly heavily planted and will contain Neons and Glowlights with some Ottos and Adolfoi Cories. They'll be lots of bogwood and mopani wood. Bogwood laying on the substrate (as lumps of drift wood) and the Mopani more upright (roots yah know ).

So what do you think should I stay with gravel - or go for sand?

 

[Dragonslair]

The choice is a personal one, and it also depends of the type of filtration system you have. Obviously if you use an ugf system then you cannot use sand. Both media have their advantages and disadvantages. There is the aesthetic aspect and there is the practical aspect. What do you want the media to do? That is the question you must first ask yourself, then you must decide what is the fishes natural habitat? Only then should you make your final decision. :what:

 

[Davy Reynolds]

Both

I'd put a layer of gravel under the sand, this would let your plant root better 8)

 

[Great Lakes]

I'd like you to use the sand as a finish layer at least. Then in six months, you can let me know what you think about it.


I live by Lake Huron, and have thought about doing a native type tank, with the sand and some local salvaged plants.

 

[Davy Reynolds]

Which fish live in that lake GL 8)

 

[Great Lakes]

Trout, salmon, carp, pike, walleye, and all the panfish, you know, bluegills perch sunfish bass and the like.

Could be cool, but I am not sure if I would want to devote the size tank I would need to this species. It would have to be large.

 

[Tatya]

Anything but UGF I've got an internal filter. Their natural habitat is sand. But sand sounds far more difficult than gravel which is why I'm swaying Added to which I already have the gravel!

Using the sand as a finishing layer sounds good - I was also wondering about using gravel but having a sand pit at the front.

HHHmmm choices choices

 

[cichlidmaster]

Davys idea sounds good...best of both worlds. I am prolly going to use sand in a few of the 120 gallon tanks I am setting up, but it will only be at around a depth of 1".

Any deeper than this and you risk the chance of dead bacteria pockets forming. I only use this depth when I use gravel as well...makes it easier to keep clean.

 

[Tatya]

I now think the sand will slip through the gravel and you'd end up with gravel on top of sand - so its going to be sand at the front and gravel at the back and along the sides - the only question now is how to separate it

Probably with bog and mopani wood.

Anyone got any bright ideas where to get the sand?

 

[Rose]

a garden shop is the best bet on getting your sand. I know most LPS' don't carry sand for aquariums. Rose

 

[Great Lakes]

A bag of silica play sand is all you need. get it from any large home improvement store.

 

[Tatya]

Cool

 

[Tatya]

Sorry guys - I wimped out and went with the gravel I already had. (I'm spending way too much money at the moment!)

Tanks looking cool though. Its now under going its fishless cycle

 

[pete]

Chicken shoulda gone with the sand lol

I use sand in most of my tanks now and believe that plants grow better in this than gravel

Also as a seperator you could of used glass strips siliconed to the bottow of the tank in the desired shape and then just filled the substrate just above the level of the strips

Regarding trapped pockets of bacteria ive had no probs with this and i fill most of my tanks at least 2/3 inches deep in the stuff 8)

 

[Great Lakes]

What do you use for sand Pete? And where do you get it?