Tropical Fish Forum

Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => Fish Tanks and Equipment => Topic started by: Trekfan on May 25, 2017, 07:27:46 PM

Title: Gravel / choice of substrate?
Post by: Trekfan on May 25, 2017, 07:27:46 PM
I've noticed in the gallery that black gravel is very popular,can I ask what everyone is using?
Title: Re: Gravel / choice of substrate?
Post by: Sue on May 25, 2017, 07:51:51 PM
I use sand.
In the 180 litre I have B & D Trading Aquarium Sand, while the betta's tank has Unipac silica sand.


I used to have fine gravel until a Bolivian ram got a piece stuck in her throat. After that I changed all my tanks to sand.


Sand is best for fish like cories and dwarf cichlids (rams, apistogrammas) which like to sift the substrate for food, and the sand comes out of their gills. Other bottom dwelling fish are better on sand as well, particularly the species like kuhli loaches and stiphodons which bury themselves.
Title: Re: Gravel / choice of substrate?
Post by: Trekfan on May 25, 2017, 09:19:17 PM
In the past I always used gravel,is sand easy to clean?
Title: Re: Gravel / choice of substrate?
Post by: Sue on May 25, 2017, 09:31:12 PM
Unlike gravel, you don't get bits of uneaten food and fish poo between the particles, they stay on top of the sand. All you do is hold the end of the siphon tube about half an inch above the sand and make little swirling motions. This lifts the mess off the sand to where the siphon tube can suck it up. Yes, I do also hoover up a bit of sand but as I use buckets rather than a hose I just wash it and put it back in the tank.

I find it easier to use just the tubing part of the siphon, I don't have that wide cylinder attached, but everyone else uses the whole thing.
Title: Re: Gravel / choice of substrate?
Post by: Littlefish on May 25, 2017, 10:06:02 PM
I have sand in most of my tanks, mainly because most of my tanks have cories in them.
My dwarf puffer tank and tiger barb tank both have gravel, but I'm planning to change them to sand as I do find the sand easier to clean.
I tend to clean the sand the way that Sue has described, with just the hose part of the syphon, but I do have to be careful with some of my more inquisitive fish as they can sometimes get very close to the hose.
I've used various brands of sand, but mainly Unipac and Sansibar brands.
Title: Re: Gravel / choice of substrate?
Post by: Sue on May 26, 2017, 09:50:51 AM
I do have to be careful with some of my more inquisitive fish as they can sometimes get very close to the hose.

I sucked up a rasbora on Wednesday  :-[ Luckily I saw it disappearing up the tube so stopped siphoning with the bucket about quarter full and put it back in the tank before continuing.
I was quite surprised when i realised it was a rasbora as they usually keep well away from the siphon tube. I was expecting it to be one of the very nosey ricefish.


This can happen whether you have gravel or sand in the tank if the fish gets too near the end of the tube.
Title: Re: Gravel / choice of substrate?
Post by: fcmf on May 26, 2017, 06:37:47 PM
I use sand and always have done since going tropical. Mine is beige-coloured sand (Unipac Tana sand) but, in retrospect, I probably ought to have opted for black sand as that is usually recommended for the type of fish I have and might emphasise their colours more too.

I used gravel in my goldfish-keeping days. However, one instance too many occurred of gravel getting stuck in the fishes' throats, regardless of size of gravel tried. I converted to sand for one of my fish but this caused the fish to ingest the sand, leaving a large marking/pouch on the side of the fish where the sand was and causing the fish to do very thick, sand-filled poo. Subsequently, I converted to a bare-bottomed tank.

Cories' barbels are said to do better with sand than gravel; however, I know of one member of this forum (RichardW) who has had no problems with cories on gravel substrate.
Title: Re: Gravel / choice of substrate?
Post by: Cod_only_knows on May 26, 2017, 06:49:35 PM
If you want to grow plants there are some cracking (though sometimes expensive) aquarium soils. I have Colombo florabase in my tank, it's quite attractive and the plants love it. JBL Manado is supposed to be pretty good, as is the Carribsea Eco complete. The soils often buffer pH and help to cycle nutrients efficiently.