What sort of substrate should i get?

What substrate is easiest to clean? (if there is one)

 

Hello,

I'm really fond of my large river rock. There are photos in my profile if you care to take a look. I have found the river rock to be easier to clean than regular aquarium gravel.

Many folks use sand. However, you may have to clean a bit more often and the sand must be stirred to remove gas pockets that may be harmful to your fish. The fish waste and detritus remains on top of the sand and doesn't sink down into it like with gravel.

You'll probably get various opinions on what substrate to use. Kind of your call here

Ken

 

With 13 tanks up and running....I actually have 4 differant typoes of substrates I use.......what size tank???? And do u have an idea what you are going to put in there???....That's how Ive decided what and where to use it......I have sand in 4 tanks...I love cleaning it ...by far the easiest.....I have pea gravel in 2 of my larger tanks.....I go from 1 extreme to the other....those are easy also(except I use a much larger vacuum for those tanks......that's why I would see what I'm adding to the tank first....lol...or at least have an idea....good luck!!!!!

 

I find sand to be far easier to clean than gravel.

 

I find sand to be far easier to clean than gravel.

planningto have sand substrate on incoming 90-gallon this week.
how do you exactly clean sand substrate? use gravel vac?
have a heavy bio-load on my tank - the whole 55 gallon fishes are moving to the 90-gallon except the angel fishes.

 

planningto have sand substrate on incoming 90-gallon this week.
how do you exactly clean sand substrate? use gravel vac?
have a heavy bio-load on my tank - the whole 55 gallon fishes are moving to the 90-gallon except the angel fishes.

Waste collects in certain areas with sand, so just place the vac over the waste, but not touching the sand, and it gets sucked up. So you won't have to vac the entire thing, just spot cleaning.

Truthfully, I never have to vac. Even in the 90, which has 3 goldfish, 2 plecos and 40 other fish, there is never any visible waste - the filtration systems pick it all up.

 

Waste collects in certain areas with sand, so just place the vac over the waste, but not touching the sand, and it gets sucked up. So you won't have to vac the entire thing, just spot cleaning.

Truthfully, I never have to vac. Even in the 90, which has 3 goldfish, 2 plecos and 40 other fish, there is never any visible waste - the filtration systems pick it all up.

appreciate your input on sand substrate cleaning.

the "poo" of the Jack Dempsey / parrots are big enough; cannot be picked up by the 2-fluval 305 that I have.

 

appreciate your input on sand substrate cleaning.

the "poo" of the Jack Dempsey / parrots are big enough; cannot be picked up by the 2-fluval 305 that I have.

How do you have them set up? I have one pushing water across the front and the other back across the back, making a circular flow in the tank. I also have one of the pickups about an inch off the sand - the other is in the middle.

 

How do you have them set up? I have one pushing water across the front and the other back across the back, making a circular flow in the tank. I also have one of the pickups about an inch off the sand - the other is in the middle.

so the filter output/s is on the side of the aquarium (shorter side) ?
I already have the pickups about an inch off the gravel - the other is in the middle.

 

Yes, there is a horizontal spray bar across the side glass and a vertical one on the opposite side.

 

Good afternoon,

The link below will give you some tips and a demonstration video:


Ken

 

Jaysee / Ken -

Thank you all!!

Happy New year!!

 

Thanks everyone!
So many decisions to make!

 

Sand. And my other choice would be sand.

 

bought the 50lb bag of Pool Filter Sand for my 90gallon tank.
I was told by the pool supplier person that the sand is silica based & not good for living organisms i.e. fish.

Please help!!

 

ALL sand is silica sand. It's what sand it. He's saying that to absolve himself of any liability. They sell pool filter sand made by a company that makes pool filter sand for use in pool filters. Using products beyond there intended use is not inherently bad. There's just no reason why a pool filter sand company would take the time and money to certify their sand as aquarium safe....since they sell pool filter sand and not aquarium sand.

You'll need another bag though.

 

I found river rocks at the dollar store O-o
Would those be safe?

 

ALL sand is silica sand. It's what sand it. He's saying that to absolve himself of any liability. They sell pool filter sand made by a company that makes pool filter sand for use in pool filters. Using products beyond there intended use is not inherently bad. There's just no reason why a pool filter sand company would take the time and money to certify their sand as aquarium safe....since they sell pool filter sand and not aquarium sand.

You'll need another bag though.

that's all I need - re-assurance.x
thought about the extra bag - even just for reserve.