Why gravel?

[lovebuzz]

I just noticed that so many people use either gravel, sand, or nothing. I'm thinking of using rocks instead, to cover the whole bottom of my tank for a different look. Is there anything sand an gravel gives me that my rocks won't? I think the only problem I'll get is vacuuming inbetween the rocks, so there I'll just use gravel as some filler. What do you think, and what I'm I losing or gaining by using rocks? Because I can't think of much, but a different look, which is nice.

 

[Teelie]

Depends on the fish you keep. For bottom dwellers it's almost mandatory you use sand, for other fish they aren't so picky. What kind of rocks are you going to use? Smooth ones or ones that are still rough?

 

[clutterydrawer]

it would provide less surface area for the growth of beneficial bacteria, but i dunno if this would, in practise, cause difficulties or not.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Gravel and sand are also pleasing to our eyes, moreso than rocks. It might give it a natural look (the rocks) but even when some of us try to make our tanks look natural, we just get natural-looking gravel or sand.

 

[lovebuzz]

Hmmm...never though about that stuff. I'll try it out. I'll be using smooth rocks. Would bottom feeders really care if I used the rocks instead? I mean they're going to be the smoothest of rocks I can get. So I don't think the bottom feeders would have problems with it. Whatever, I'll see. Thanks.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Not exactly sure. In their natural habitats, these fish sift through the mud for their food. They'd be able to get to the food in your tank, alright, but the other fish might find it first (in which case you'd feed after lights out).

And how do you plan on getting plants in, if at all? Alive or fake...

 

[Sorrell]

I have a tank with river rocks as the "substrate" and I think it's pretty, however there are no bottom feeders in there. Syphoning between the rocks is pretty easy, they move around withoust a problem and I have silk plants stuck in between.

 

[willywonka099]

Well I think a good look for you would be a light sand with alot of rocks with maybe some ..... plants actually coming through the fixture ??? that would be awsome ... send us pix on how it turns out

 

[Dwarfs]

It's also easier for food to get between rocks, and harder to get it out

 

[lovebuzz]

It's also easier for food to get between rocks, and harder to get it out

I guess so...but I'll still try it...and hopefully not fail miserably.

 

[sanguinarydragon]

i think thats an awsome idea, i think i might try it out on my next tank

 

[Teelie]

I have rock, then gravel, then sand in one of my tanks. The rock is on the right, gravel in the middle and sand on the right. The rocks do tend to trap a lot of waste and stuff but it's not too bad.

 

[clutterydrawer]

i think it might work nicely with ottos or another small plec instead of whiskered bottom feeders, they would have lots of nice smooth rocks to slurp on

 

[Inchworm]

Hi richardpereira

If you keep large fish, it might not matter what kind of substrate you have in your tank, but with small bottom dwellers, such as cory cats and loaches, it's quite important.

Any fish that has barbels could suffer damage if the substrate is rough or too large for them to move around. Barbels are the sensory organs that they use to find their food. Their barbels are almost like fingers that probe into the substrate seeking odd bits and pieces. If the individual pieces of substrate are too large for them to move, they run the risk of injury and possibly death due to starvation.

 

[lovebuzz]

Well that's never good

Well I guess I'll try it in a tank without bottom feeders, just to see how it looks. I think plants coming out between the rocks would look cool nd some sory of carpet covering the rocks would look just plain weird.