What are the advantages/disadvantages of sand and gravel, I imagine that sand might be harder to clean and more prone to being disturbed and discolouring the water but its better for Corydoras?
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Sand vs. Gravel
- Thread starter Samba264
- Start date
Sand is easier to clean, the muck and mulm stays on top. With gravel, it all seeps between the rocks and is a horror to clean, especially if you disturb the gravel.
Sand turns black in spots when plants or dead animals are trapped in it. But mixing it and siphoning the water will clean that. My plants love sand far better than gravel, much more natural too.
Sand is better for all bottom dwellers, more smooth and safer for the ones without scales.
Sand turns black in spots when plants or dead animals are trapped in it. But mixing it and siphoning the water will clean that. My plants love sand far better than gravel, much more natural too.
Sand is better for all bottom dwellers, more smooth and safer for the ones without scales.
I just set up a new tank with pool filter sand, and I must say it really makes me want to tear up my other tanks that use gravel and chuck it n replace with sand... Sand is SO much easier to clean... Sand shows poop easier, but unlike gravel the poop and food doesnt get lost into the cracks of the gravel requiring you to stir the debris all up to suck it up... At $6 for 50lbs of pool filter sand its cheaper too... Looks cooler.
I think there are pretty much the same amount of advantages to disadvantages for both. I have small gravel/pebbles in my tank with the corys and they seem to love it. The gravel kind of captures the food for them so my rainbows don't get to it all. Cleaning it isn't hard at all either. IMO its up to you, which look do you like better?
Sand (specifically PFS) is cheap and easy to clean. We use it in most of our FW tanks. The one downside that I've seen is diatom blooms from the increased silicates.
sand it is, my partners family has a pool so free filter sand
Sand. It's beautiful, natural, soft for bottom dwellers, extremely easy to clean, and plants love it. I stopped using gravel ages ago except in small amounts just to add textural appeal to certain setups. Sand is the way to go in almost every situation.
