Sand Or Gravel

[Halcyon]

I'm hoping to get some discussion going on the benefits and failing points of these two substrates.  I've searched around the forum a few times using the google search, and nothing's come up but a concern about deadspots in sand.  Who uses what in their tanks and why?

The reason I want to talk about this is because I have a 55 planted freshwater in my collection with gravel.  A small part of the community is food for the main inhabitants: A rope fish and a Typhlonectes Natans, or rubber eel.  I keep 2 farlowella cats, a hillstream loach, a kuhli, and a golden kuhli, too.  Anyway, the two main guys make a mess when eating guppies and ghost shrimp. frozen brine shrimp and shrimp pellets make a mess, too.  It gets deep into the gravel.  I was told that sand would be much easier to keep clean; I would just have to vacuum off the top.  Plus, it looks better, I think.  Would converting be a good idea?  Anybody have any experience doing this?  

[fruitylicious]

There is alot of good discussion on this topic!! here is a thread about sand that you will surely find interesting.

http://www.petfish.net/forum/index.php?board=6;action=display;threadid=25587

[fruitylicious]

And in this thread you could see some suggestions for replacing the gravel of course you would be using sand but you would do mostly the same thing.

http://www.petfish.net/forum/index.php?board=6;action=display;threadid=27151

It has been my opinion that gravel is easier to keep but sand looks better.

[Firestar]

I changed my substate a week ago, and I should warn you, it's not fun!!!  My tank is only 5 gallons, but it took me 3 hours, lots of containers (to hold the old water), lots of kitchen implements (one for large scoops, one for corners, etc), lots of latex gloves, lots of water on the floor, lots of colorful language (due to the water on the floor), and a few scratches on the inside of my tank.  

And the stuff in the gravel was nasty!!!  There was enough bacteria colonized down there to feed a small nation, and there was tons of poo (who knew a betta could poo that much???) and there was even a dead ant!

I would die trying to change the substrate in a 55 gallon.  Can you even reach the bottom of the tank?

But, on the upside, I replaced my gravel with some cool black sand (Geosystems by Hagen) and it looks really spiffy.  My cory seems to like it, and even my betta enjoys digging around in the sand, trying to get the cory's food.

[Halcyon]

Thanks for the great info, guys!  As far as your personal experiences, go, do you guys find it easier or more dificult to keep clean, and what sort of medium do you use to clean it.  Also, is there anything to worry about as far as the bacteria colonies?  Will they be able to establish themselves in a sand bed like they would the gravel?  Will it affect my water conditions in any way?

[SerVo]

I've been checking into sand.  Yes, bacterial colonies still establish themselves.  Most sands won't affect water chemistry unless you use regular playsand (may leak silicates, mainly important for saltwater) or a reef type sand (like argonite or something like that).  Other sands are free game.

For cleaning I hear just some stirring and let the filter get it.  Sounds easier to me.  

[Morgrid]

I can't handle sand, I tried it and used it for a while and I no longer have it in any tanks. I either have bare bottom tanks or use fine gravel. Sand is much harder to clean and grow plants in, in my opinion. It also shows the waste and has problems with compacting. Unless you have a particular species of fish that needs sand I would say use gravel.

[fruitylicious]

I agree with morgrid. I have sand in my 120 and i don't like it. It looks good but it is really hard for me to clean. it shows all the fish poop and everytime i move stuff the sand gets stirred up. I do believe this would be different if I had gotten a heavier sand. i got play sand and its not very heavy sand. I prefer gravel.

[Halcyon]

In what aspects is it more dificult to clean?

[Dominic]

I've got aragonite sand in my 29-gallon marine tank.   It can be tougher to clean because you can't vacuum the sand like you do gravel.  If you try you won't have any sand in your tank anymore, it is just too light.  I actually love sand for the look but it is harder to clean and keep clean.  You have to rely more on a strong current for pushing the waste to your filter system and also an efficient clean up crew and a sand sifting animal to stir the sand to not trap deadly gas build up.