# sand vs gravel



## exnavyguy (Jul 28, 2010)

hi my name is chris i have tanks ranging from 29g to 2.5g, my ? for anybody to answer, i want to do something diff with my newest tank, i want to use aquarium sand. what r the benifits for using sand compared to gravel or rocks. what is the best way to set it up. just to add it will be a freshwater tank. thanks


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## A.J. (Jun 22, 2010)

Well, I've just got back into the hobby myself this month but I chose to use sand in my tank. I think it looks better, and cleaning it is really easy, when I do my water changes I just fan the bottom to pick up the lose waste/food, dip it into the sand and lift up it pulls all the bad stuff out and the sand will just drop back down to the bottom.

But I'm still learning, a lot has changed since my first fish keeping days as a kid *old dude But having gravel as a kid and sand now, if I get any more tanks I'm sticking with sand.


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## TylerT (Jul 11, 2010)

I was wondering the same thing,I really want to go with eco-complete but sand is all the lfs have and i hate ordering things takes for ever.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

I have sand in all my tanks except for 2 one is barebottom and one has gravel. I use pool filter sand and it looks natural and my cories love it.


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## TylerT (Jul 11, 2010)

could you mix sand and gravel?


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

You can if you like the looks of it. I don't.


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## TylerT (Jul 11, 2010)

what about rooted plants? sand is kinda loose would it still be ok?


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## A.J. (Jun 22, 2010)

I just picked up some live plants, the elodea is suppose to be able to grow in sand. But I'm not a live plant expert .. I just grabbed a few of those and a moss ball for my aquarium.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Ive grown several plants in sand, no matter which way you go you will need to give plants the nutrients they need. Stem plants need liquid ferts and plants like swords and vals are heavy root feeders and I would suggest putting root tabs in the sand where the plant is planted.


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## exnavyguy (Jul 28, 2010)

thanks to all who responded to my post very good info i deff gonna go with sand now the real ? is what sand do i buy pocket freindly and something my fish will like


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## A.J. (Jun 22, 2010)

I'm using pool filter sand I got from home depot. It's very wallet friendly.


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

I use play sand from home depot. Be sure not to get the very rare silica free tropical play sand. that is calcium carbonate based and not good for fw aquariums.

What I do is use peat moss (3/4 cubic yard bale from home depot for ~$12 or so), play sand, and pc select ( a red/gray baked clay for infields).

I put 1" of peac moss, fill with water to the top of the mass, then level the peat and clead the sides.

the 1" play sand and repeat

The the pc select (or aquarium gravel).


I then plant the plants where I like them.

the add water to the top of the tank poured over a dish.

I then let it set for a week.

And add 1 male platty or 1 neon tetra or whatever.

then wait a week with no food being added.

Then add 2 female plattys of like 4-5 neons or whatever.

and start feeding a single flake per day.

Also that is for a 10g so you probably could scale up.

my .02


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## Bulleyhead (Jul 16, 2010)

ok well in my 30 gallon i have gravel, my 10 gallon has sand, and my 55 has 1/2 sand 1/2 gravel...the rock cave side of my 55 has sand and the fake plants, and ceramic ornament side has gravel, i think it gives the fish choices on where they want to be, liek my pike cichlid loves the dig in the sand so he has a blast on the cave side, whereas my oscar and jack dempsey love the plants so they hand out on the gravel side and have both made resting nests in the gravel...

this shows the whole tank


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