What type of substrate is in your freshwater tank?

[flyhockey1037]

also, if there is any particular reason for having what u have for a substrate tell us and also any special care or info that goes along with it. if u choose other tell us that too.

 

[flyhockey1037]

and if u would rather have a different substrate can u tell us the one u currently have and the one u would like to have and why?

 

[cory]

I chose other, only because my natural gravel substrate runs the gambit on size. The larger gravel starts on one end and the pebbles get smaller as you move along to the far end.



I'm using Eco-complete(black) and black sand for my new aqauarium. Four and a half feet, will be Eco-complete, with the last foot and a half, sand(tiny sand-like pebbles). I'm hoping to try for a few live plants this go around.

 

[smb]

I use gravel because I usually only keep cichlids and the way they dig I don't want to have to worry about it getting into my filters.

I have just last month set up a community tank and only have a red tail black shark in it so far. I should have done sand in that but was lazy. I regret it now. Nothing looks better than sand, imo.

 

[KnuckleHead]

I have a combination of pea size and larger gravel at both ends of my 55. In the middle is where my sand is. I like this combo due to its color and size contrast. The gravel has a larger surface area to harbor bio-bugs and the sand is great for my bottom dwellers that like a finer substrate. Top that off with a harbour blue background, nice selections of driftwood, rocks and plants and youll have one georgeous setup. I biased, this is how mine is done.

 

[juanveldez]

right now I have gravel but I am going to be putting some sand in there as well

 

[Inchworm]

I put small gravel, but I have seen smaller. What I use in all my tanks is called #3 gravel. It is natural gravel and sells for 30 cents a pound or $12 for a 50 pound bag. (US)

It takes a lot of washing to get it ready to use, but it works well for rooting the plants and the fish (even the cory cats) do well with it.

Once I tried to use a colored gravel and, while it was very pretty, little flakes of paint came off when I vacumed the tank. Now I stick to the real thing.

 

[Nik]

I use small grain gravel in all of my tanks but one - which has a sand substrate.

Small gravel is my preference as it keeps a natural look and is easy to hoover. Sand creates increased maintenance although seems to favour plant growth.

 

[graemesmith]

Fresh water tank (you are looking at it end on)

Small gravel (1/4") all over and banked at edges and to hide pipework

plus

A cave made of granite stones (foreground - round lumps) from the beach boiled in bleach then boiled again in FW then air dried for MONTHS (get that - MONTHS!!)! Then rinsed in tank water before introduction at cycle in. The texture is great for algae growing and the plecos love them. Little tough on the ph which runs at 7.4 but is constant.

plus

one bought in "carved" stone (the layerd stone) from the lfs to give holes to swim through.

plus

two pockets of sand (on left) - Carribbean white sand - sold here washed as sandbox sand for kids. Washed again and coarse filtered to get rid of the really fine dust in it. The sand quickly beds in and forms a skin of crust on the top which means you can vacuum it without raising a cloud.

 

[teknikz]

ive got small gravel in my large n small tanks but sand in my medium cichlid tank....i love watchin my cichlids suck up big mouthfuls of sand n then spit it back out

 

[kev]

I use small gravel. It came with the tank (second hand) its kind of light brown but it has loads of multi coloured bit in that don't look to bad but I wanted a natural looking tank. I decided not to bin the gravel as it had been running in the tank and I guessed would contain a health supply of bacteria.

 

[SpEeDhOrN]

sand looks gr8 but i have trouble cleaning the fish waste from mine as it just mixes around when you try

 

[Lithril]

Small gravel at mo, but think I'll used sand in my next tank - prefer the look of sand. Mind you I've got enough problems keeping the air line sunk in gravel don't think I'll have a hope in hell with sand - may have to buy some weights for it - Yay more money to spend

 

[Kossy]

I have a gravel (small) and a bit of sand. This is due to some of my fish prefering one or the other.