75 gal oscar tank. I will be using python to clean it. Im trying to go for the natural look. I really need help picking a substrate. Sand or Gravel
75g Sand or gravel?
- Thread starter fsurookie911
- Start date
I went with a very fine sand once, and while it was ok, it was just a bit too fine. Everytime I went to clean it would kick up and make the water cloudy.
So this time, for my 125g, I went with the most coarse sand I could find, I think it may be sand blasting sand. (my LFS sells it in 100lb bags) and so far I love it. It's fine enough to promote Cichlid digging, but heavy enough not to stir up when moving stuff, cleaning, etc. I would def. recommend it, and it looks much more natrual.
So this time, for my 125g, I went with the most coarse sand I could find, I think it may be sand blasting sand. (my LFS sells it in 100lb bags) and so far I love it. It's fine enough to promote Cichlid digging, but heavy enough not to stir up when moving stuff, cleaning, etc. I would def. recommend it, and it looks much more natrual.
I've had gravel in all my tanks except the one I have now.
I tried pool filter sand in my current tank and won't use anything else from now on....I love it. It cleans up nice and my loaches love it! It's coarse enough to stay put but fine enough to work with......I've never had any "dust" from it either. I can stir the entire tank up and it settles within 30min. You can sort of see it in my avatar.
I tried pool filter sand in my current tank and won't use anything else from now on....I love it. It cleans up nice and my loaches love it! It's coarse enough to stay put but fine enough to work with......I've never had any "dust" from it either. I can stir the entire tank up and it settles within 30min. You can sort of see it in my avatar.
I personally like play sand. It can be messy to introduce, but once it settles I have had no issues with it. I am not crazy about PFS as it is too dark in my opinion. I like a whitish sand. Plus, the grain size was bigger then what I was looking for.
The PFS I use in most of my tanks is a light coloured silica sand, it was 12.99 for a 50 lb bag. Very little rinsing required, does not cloud up at all. No issues with it when I use the python, and have never found any in my filters. I just set up a new 90 gal using Tahitian Black Moon Sand, now that was a pain in the butt to rinse. Alway wanted to try it as I liked the looks, but was way too expensive, I found some for 17.50 for a 20 lb bag instead of the 34.99 they regularly wanted. It does not cloud up either.
Depending on species of fish for the tank, sand is better than some of the gravels out there or other substrates if they are mouth brooders. The sand will not damage the eggs.
Depending on species of fish for the tank, sand is better than some of the gravels out there or other substrates if they are mouth brooders. The sand will not damage the eggs.
He mentioned that it was for an oscar tank.
I would use gravel. Sand would be too messy with an oscar.