Sand or gravel for Cichlids? I will be coming back to your blog for more soon. This is easily avoided though, if you are keeping your tank well maintained. One of the first purchases most aquarists will make for a new aquarium, be it freshwater, saltwater, reef, discus, goldfish, cichlid or any other – is the gravel and substrate.It could be sand, crushed coral, Fluorite, neon pink pebbles, glass marbles or countless other materials but it all tends to be the very first thing to go into an empty aquariums. Sand: With sand substrate the waste just sits right there on top. These days we’re not limited to rainbow-hued bags of pea-sized gravel. Unlike sand straight from the river, however, these bags of substrate have been processed and cleaned. Also you can sometimes find a more quality color that in the end is going to look better in your tank. Posted by. The gravel won’t clog the filters or get sucked out when using a vacuum hose. I am very partial to the sandy-bottomed look myself. The choice of sand or gravel as a substrate is completely your decision, but if you like the look of sand and your cichlids of choice prefer sand, then don't be afraid to give it a chance! This may be a bigger problem with porous types of gravel, but using a UV-sterilizing filter may help prevent these algae outbreaks and other problems with waterborne parasites. There is no formal way of categorizing sand other than by the size of the particles. I know they would love a sandy bottom as well. The ideal substrate for planted … Having adequate filtration and wide water circulation in your tank will help prevent these zones from developing. You can create nearly any effect you want in your tank by choosing the right substrate. I've mixed sand and gravel or used both seperately.With sand less debris will accumulate in the unseen portion of your substrate.Plants can be grown in both or either.The trick to sand is to use aquarium or pool filter sand that will not "compact" so much to restrict plant roots. Many plants work great in gravel, and you can find many that do very well in sand also. The recommendation is 2 inches of gravel for tanks up to 55 gallons, and 3 to 4 inches for larger aquariums. Aquarium gravel, or substrate, makes the tank more attractive, and it comes in a variety of colors and sizes, from tiny pebbles and sand to large river rocks.However, it also serves several important purposes beyond decoration, though there are some situations in … Plus, they come in a plethora of colors to choose from. There weren’t many commercial options for substrate in the 1980s, so it’s probably no surprise my 8-year-old self gravitated towards the bags of sparkling blue and green gravel. When you are buying the substrate from pet stores and local fish shops, you should expect to pay more. It is easier to maintain a gravel tank than an aquarium with sand. You would rinse the sand over and over again until it looks clear and usable to you. Sand comes in a variety of shades and colors and may be extremely fine or nearly as coarse as gravel. And I mean a lot. Can you use sand in a tropical freshwater fish tank? To get a tank setup with gravel is pretty easy. The main characteristics of the sand substrate for the aquarium: Sand fraction (grain size). Some sand is rougher than others, like the pool filter sand that is commonly used, so keep that in mind when placing fish like the corys who might be sensitive to that. In the aquarium any cloudiness will be a lot more noticeable, so make sure it’s clean looking. Sand vs. Gravel. Even if you don’t opt for a plant-specific medium, it’s easier to maintain a planted gravel tank over a sandy-bottomed one. The presence of this bacteria helps boost the nitrogen cycle and converts toxic waste products into a safer form. Many freshwater species prefer sand—especially dwarf species and shrimp. You should also do raking. With sand, you want to have 1 inch of sand for tanks with small burrowing fish and 2 inches for larger burrowing fish. It certainly looks nice and it... Aquarium Gravel Summary. Although if you have plants like java ferns and anubias, it would be best to have wood to attach them to, or to have a handful of gravel or two mixed in with your sand. To prevent a possible washout of nutrients and as an anchoring device for the plants, regular gravel or sand should be used as a top layer. The material you choose impacts your aquarium set-up and whether your community of fish, invertebrates, and/or plants thrives or struggles. The top … Freshwater aquariums can also use sand as the substrate. Blasting sand is something commonly used with many aquarium hobbyist. Aquarium Gravel and River Rocks. Gravel requires a deeper cleaning typically with a gravel vacuum.eval(ez_write_tag([[336,280],'fishtankwizard_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_4',107,'0','0'])); There are several factors to consider, such as how easy each are to setup, to clean, which species you are planning on keeping, and what equipment you need . If you have bottom feeders and scavengers this will give them more opportunity to help you clean. If you’re planning on a planted tank then sand may be something to avoid. In the case of sand substrate, most aquarium owners believe that it is the most suitable choice for their cichlids. While preparing to setup my new fish tank I had to decide between sand or gravel for my aquarium substrate. Here are the most common types of aquarium gravel and the benefits and drawbacks to each type: Gravel is popular with freshwater aquarists for a few reasons. Gravel works best for most aquariums, no matter what size. Archived. You can get away with a 50lb bag for extremely cheap.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'fishtankwizard_com-banner-1','ezslot_0',119,'0','0'])); The benefit from buying from pet stores or your local fish shop is you can find substrate that has beneficial additives for your water and plants. Sand is used in many industries, from construction to manufacturing. Contained within this moisture are billions of broad-spectrum marine bacteria but also carefully selected strains of marine bacteria to help begin the formation of your aquarium’s biological filter. This will help reduce the sand from being picked up and damaging the impeller.eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'fishtankwizard_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_2',111,'0','0'])); You could also use a mechanical filter in a sand setup to safely decloud the water. You need to be very cautious when stirring up any of the sand during a water change. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. It may also take a few days and a few rounds of water changes before your tank is clear after you add sand to it. There are really no limits to what you can do with a graveled freshwater aquarium. tashelby. But they would be happiest in a nice soft sand bed to hunt in. I love researching everything about fish tanks. I hope to share with you all the things I learn and the stuff that fascinates me. You can set your filter intakes quite low because the gravel is too heavy to get sucked into the filter. If you have a shallow sand bank like only an inch, this is less of a concern. FishTankWizard.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn commission by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Close. Plants can be planted in sand or gravel and do very well. This creates dead zones in your tank; areas where all the oxygen has been depleted. If you get too close to the substrate then the lightweight sand particles can get sucked out of your tank. Plecos that stay small in this article, chances are most my readers have had at least one of these guys, am I right? The grain size of the sand I use allows oxygen to get to the entire sand bed, even with inches of sand. Sand doesn’t work with undergravel filters either. Unlike natural sand, aquarium sand is uniform in size and shape and doesn’t have any sharp edges which could injure aquatic organisms. They may be contaminated with toxins or heavy metals and can poison your tank. Ordinary aquarium gravel is probably the most used substrate around. Aquaclay Ground 3 litre. It could be pretty unsightly to see all that junk at all times in your tank. In contrast, gravel may permit the algae to grow throughout your substrate, where it can be challenging to treat. I remember setting up my first aquarium as a child. You can also carefully vacuum the debris up with a hose. 2) Most Sand. This is desirable since they break down waste products and help maintain a healthy ecosystem in your tank. The lower level should be as high as the plant roots, generally 1-2 inches. I have switched many tanks over to sand. When you buy via the links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Just make sure the gravel has no sharp edges and is no smaller than the size of a pea. I've used several kinds and each require a different kind of care. Important: When raking the sand make sure you do it after you have cleaned the bottom, so you don’t chance burying waste. Tankarium is a site where fish keepers and aquarists of all levels can find the most accurate and informative articles about aquariums and tropical maintenance, all in one handy location! However, sand is more prone to clouding your water, it could damage filters, and there is a chance of toxic air chambers forming in the sand. Cichlids for example can really beat up your substrate and cloud things up significantly. Gravel is typically made from rocks such as quartz or sandstone that have been crushed, smoothed and rounded into shape. Artificial aquarium gravel may be coated in a brightly-colored dye or paint and sealed to prevent the color from chipping away. But if you're getting small fish, sand is easier to plant small plants in and move around if you want to give your fish a change of scene. As far as I know sand does not irritate gills. Of course it depends on your setup, fish, the type of sand etc. I wrote about Plecos that stay small in this article, chances are most my readers have had at least one of these guys, am I right? Since one of the main challenges with sand is keeping the cloudiness down in your water, you have to go through a lengthy process before-hand to help offset this.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'fishtankwizard_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_8',108,'0','0'])); You need to wash out and rinse your sand a lot before putting it into your tank. This has some advantages since you can clearly see how dirty your tank is getting, and it will be hard to ignore. If you have an earthy natural tone, or dark gravel; that is a sharp look also. Sand. Aquarists wanting to aquascape will need to rethink their substrate: sand or gravel are only suitable for decorative purposes, when no plants are to be put in. Hence, gravel is unlikely to clog the filters. I wrote up a review and some filter recommendations here to help you avoid the filters that will give you the biggest problems. Sand substrate is always an option to go with for an aquarium. The small diameter of the sand grains prevents water from flowing through your substrate. Let's talk about substrate. The extra fine particles feel much softer compared to other substrates. In this video we look at caring for sand vs. gravel. Here’s everything to consider when choosing between aquarium sand vs gravel! Substrate does not need to be changed on a regular schedule, but should be swapped out when it … So that’s when I decided to use only large stones as far is gravel those. There are different types of gravel that you can choose from, and a wide range of colors if you opt for regular aquarium gravel. Sand really is a fantastic substrate for goldfish in my opinion.. The sand will clog the system and potentially create dangerous air pockets that could fill up with toxic gas that could poison your fish. Generally, gravel ranges from just above 2mm to ¼ inch in diameter, which is about the size of a dried pea. If you plan on switching to sand, then just scoop out as much gravel as possible (if you have live plants, leave two small hands-full of gravel) Remove the amount of water from the tank that the sand is going to replace. Sand substrate looks very good, gives goldfish foraging possibilities and … If you’re still not sure which is the better option for your freshwater aquarium, then here’s my advice: Jen has more than 30 years experience as a biologist, aquarist, and fishkeeper. With sand a regular siphon hose is sufficient. Pretty much every saltwater or reef tank is going to have sand, so it goes without saying that most marine species would prefer the sand. Please only use gravel and sand that has been thoroughly treated and sterilized. Generally most bottom dwellers enjoy sand. And the price is comparable between these two at specialty stores. My fish population … With sand it is a lot different. Live sand is the same type of sand as dry sand except it comes packaged wet. A few of the burrowing species prefer sand, but most do fine on gravel if they have rocks and things to hide under. Instead so-called soils are used for strong and effective plant growth. So cleaning more closely resembles maintenance of a freshwater substrate (using a gravel … It was nothing fancier than a bowl with feeder goldfish and African dwarf frogs. When it comes to cleaning your tank, water changes etc. They may cause the water to become too cloudy by disturbing the sand, which could potentially harm your filtration system. Sand is a much finer and softer version of gravel. Many people have had sand ruin their filters, often times going through several filters quickly. This actually lends towards a cleaner looking tank, since all the waste isn’t sitting on top of the bottom floor in plain view. If you are running a hang on the back filter (HOB), turn it off while doing a water change and let the sand settle before turning it back on.