Hi! I've been debating this, whether to use black sand or white sand, for a long time now, and decided I would just ask you all. I really like black sand because it seems like it would make my awesome shells and fish stand out more. Then I thought, is it going to be more difficult to clean? It seems like it would be easy to see and remove waste from the surface of white sand, but black sand, it seems like it would blend in better, making it harder to remove. What do you think? Thanks!
Black or white sand?
- Thread starter ppetropulo
- Start date
You've more or less answered your own question. I agree that with black sand, you don't notice the accumulating waste nearly as much as with white sand, so the tendency then is to not do as good a job, nor as often, to clean it up/vac it. And while it does make certain fish coloration pop, in a lot of cases black sand has the effect of darkening the true natural colors of many fish ( in sync with their surroundings - a genetic defense mechanism against predation - like chameleons, you know).
With white sand, the natural colors, lighter pastel colors as well as darker coloration, stand out a lot more, and more naturally, imo. And the plant colors really pop too.
Have a look at a couple of set-ups of my planted discus tank, using white PFS, to get a visual insight into the effect of white sand:
http://s1105.photobucket.com/albums/h357/discuspaul/3RedSnakeSkins
http://s1105.photobucket.com/albums/h357/discuspaul/Sept2011
Hope this helps.
With white sand, the natural colors, lighter pastel colors as well as darker coloration, stand out a lot more, and more naturally, imo. And the plant colors really pop too.
Have a look at a couple of set-ups of my planted discus tank, using white PFS, to get a visual insight into the effect of white sand:
http://s1105.photobucket.com/albums/h357/discuspaul/3RedSnakeSkins
http://s1105.photobucket.com/albums/h357/discuspaul/Sept2011
Hope this helps.
I like dark sand, brings out the color of the fishes better. White sand bleaches the color of most fish. Your sand (no matter what color) should not be so dirty that you can see the "dirt".
Some fish would look better in white sand (Black Mollies, ect).
If you want, you can mix it and have black/white sand.
Some fish would look better in white sand (Black Mollies, ect).
If you want, you can mix it and have black/white sand.
Thanks everyone! I really like your pictures discuspaul, beautiful fish and beautiful tank!! I really appreciate the opinions, but I think I've decided on white sand. I looked at a lot of pictures (not just discuspaul's) of white sand, and quite a few of black sand, and decided the black sand gives the tank a dark, almost kind of merky look. Not because its floating or anything, its kind of, dirty looking.
Here's an example of both:
http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSh7T7DDgEbSOMxGG244QEG6hrPTmfRY9LhHWkdKFafZzGPXtTY
http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQcwKx8HN3NjqsKjy-0X05V-ZYC9lr0ggVf-BBJWpGFGWBz9Xn4
I don't know if you see it, but I see a definite difference. Thanks for your help everyone!
Now I have to ask though, what's the best way to switch from gravel to sand? I'm changing it out in a 20 gallon aquarium.
Here's an example of both:
http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSh7T7DDgEbSOMxGG244QEG6hrPTmfRY9LhHWkdKFafZzGPXtTY
http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQcwKx8HN3NjqsKjy-0X05V-ZYC9lr0ggVf-BBJWpGFGWBz9Xn4
I don't know if you see it, but I see a definite difference. Thanks for your help everyone!
Now I have to ask though, what's the best way to switch from gravel to sand? I'm changing it out in a 20 gallon aquarium.
Well black sand doesn't make it look more merky it just makes the tank darker. Reason being is white surfaces reflect light and black surfaces absorb it. So a white sand bottom tank will look allot brighter. I personally feel it depends what your gonna have in there. Poop and un-eaten food is easily seen on black sand making it easy to clean. I never had problems with it in the past with my old tank. I like both looks but do lean more to black sand.
Doesn't fish poop get filtered by tank filters?? Shouldn't any tank have enough flow to swirl poop to get vac-ed by filter?? I have natrual and black sand, and I never see poop.
