Gravel versus sand

[Flying fox 6523]

I'm wondering how many hobbyist use sand or gravel for plants  
in my 75 gal I'm using black diamond blasting sand & it keeps the 
Mulm from going to the roots of the plant's I have, I use easy green 
& root tabs but it doesn't seem like the plants are getting enough.

I've been watching videos on this topic & I hear gravel is better for 
plant's than sand & I thought I'd ask some of you for your thoughts 
I have pea gravel & I have river rocks, which 1 is better for plant's ?
I also have albino Cory catfish in the tank to consider as well so.

The plant's I have are java ferns, Amazon Swords, bacopa, jungle val
Tiger lotus, Taiwan lilies, Octopus plant, Water Wisteria, that's it.

When I started this tank I put the few plant's I had in 2 liter soda 
bottles (top cut off) & layered the substrate in each bottle from 
lava rock being at the bottom to river rock being next to pea
gravel being the top I put holes around the bottle at the bottom 
& they grew fine & once they grew out of the bottles I took them 
out & planted them in the sand & they haven't grown since then.

So with what videos I have watched over the past 6 mons &
wondering if putting my plants in sand was a bad idea I'd like 
to hear what your thoughts are & what your doing with yours.

Thank You for your response you've been a big help. ❤

Edited February 23, 2023 by Flying fox 6523
missed a word

[Theplatymaster]

i think just go with standard pea gravel.

[Flying fox 6523]

👍 That's about what I am thinking being they did good in the
soda bottles, how much pea gravel will I need for a 75 gal ?
thank you ❤

[Theplatymaster]

On 2/23/2023 at 12:56 PM, Flying fox 6523 said:

how much pea gravel will I need for a 75 gal ?
thank you ❤

you will want enough for around 2-3in for optimal plant growth.

[Guppysnail]

I use cheap big box gravel and under gravel filters. I currently keep 4 types of corydora on it and kept others in the past. All breed prolifically. Any plant that can survive my liquid rock tap does very well. 

[Flying fox 6523]

Hum ? 2-3in, well I may have to get more than what I have 
I was wondering if I was to put like a layer of river rock on 
the bottom THEN the rest with pea gravel would work.

[nabokovfan87]

On 2/23/2023 at 9:48 AM, Flying fox 6523 said:

I also have albino Cory catfish in the tank to consider as well so.

If you use bigger gravel I recommend a feeding dish.

I used to run sand. BDBS is extremely fine.  Caribsea crystal river is a lot larger if you want to use sand.

I switched to seachem flourite and it compacts well for corydoras. The black flourite is pretty decent stuff. It's a balance between sand and planted soils that seems good.

Sand only I recommend plants that send runners or attach to hardscape:

This is the fluorite black.

It's probably 2-3x larger particles than the sand. Probably 3-4x smaller than gravel.  Caribsea lists the particle size on their website. Fluorite should be somewhere.

Edited February 23, 2023 by nabokovfan87

[Theplatymaster]

On 2/23/2023 at 1:07 PM, Flying fox 6523 said:

Hum ? 2-3in, well I may have to get more than what I have 

1-2in should work aswell.

[Lennie]

I've personally tried sand, dirted bottom with clay based plant substrate with roottabs, and lava rock bottom+ aquasoil on top.

75 gallon is big, but I cannot recommend enough how aquasoil makes everything easier. If you have a chance to consider aquasoil, I would highly recommend using some at least on the background for heavy root feeders. MD almost always uses it in his tanks, you can see how he utilise it in different setups. 

It was really a big relief to not worry about root feeders and their nutrition intake, and you can just use a roottab easily whenever you feel like it.

Here is a comparison video in case you haven't seen it before.

 

Edit: Sorry. I thought you are planning a new setup, I misread. Hope you find a way to utilize what you have on your hand. It is not a mistake btw, it just can be harder to reach success in my opinion, I'm having issues with my other tanks too to utilise them better. Hope others may help better!

 

Edited February 23, 2023 by Lennie

[Flying fox 6523]

Wow, 😱 Thank you for the videos I will be watching them.

[Flying fox 6523]

On 2/23/2023 at 1:05 PM, Guppysnail said:

I use cheap big box gravel and under gravel filters. I currently keep 4 types of corydora on it and kept others in the past. All breed prolifically. Any plant that can survive my liquid rock tap does very well. 

Thank You for the photos & the help ❤
I can be at ease knowing I can use pea gravel 
in my aquarium with Cory's, that's a relief 👍

[nabokovfan87]

On 2/23/2023 at 10:07 AM, Flying fox 6523 said:

Hum ? 2-3in, well I may have to get more than what I have 

There are usually substrate calculators. You'd want around 2.5-3.5" thick for most situations with plants. I shoot for 4".

For a 75g I plan 3 bags of fluorite black.

[knee]

Pool filter sand is a better option IMO because it's bigger than BDBS. My 40 breeder has PFS with aquasoil and root tabs as a first layer. My plants are doing really good with the exception of a few, but that's more of a lighting issue than the substrate. 

 

ACE hardware has PFS that's a really nice natural color. You can also find PFS in pool supply stores.

[nabokovfan87]

On 2/23/2023 at 10:10 AM, Lennie said:

Edit: Sorry. I thought you are planning a new setup, I misread. Hope you find a way to utilize what you have on your hand. It is not a mistake btw, it just can be harder to reach success in my opinion, I'm having issues with my other tanks too to utilise them better. Hope others may help better!

Just my personal preference and my experience with it. Id recommend changing off the BDBS. So yeah, depending on what is chosen, removing that and not reusing it.

On 2/23/2023 at 10:20 AM, knee said:

Pool filter sand is a better option IMO because it's bigger than BDBS. My 40 breeder has PFS with aquasoil and root tabs as a first layer. My plants are doing really good with the exception of a few, but that's more of a lighting issue than the substrate. 

What is the substrate in your red tank?

Photo please!!!

[Lennie]

On 2/23/2023 at 9:22 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

Just my personal preference and my experience with it. Id recommend changing off the BDBS. So yeah, depending on what is chosen, removing that and not reusing it.

I'm not familiar with some products available there as they don't exist here. So I  cannot comment on that one personally. It just feels super hard to remove all substrate and setup everything new in a running tank to me 😄 

Also aquarium soils can leach lots of stuff when they are new. I'm not sure how safe it would be to put when they already have fish. Besides leaching stuff, huge water changes every 2-3 days may be stressing as well. So aquarium soil seems to be out of the plan I guess

Edited February 23, 2023 by Lennie

[JettsPapa]

I have either Black Diamond sandblasting sand or pool filter sand in all ten tanks (and all ten are planted).  Last year I found Father Fish videos, so I started putting a layer of dry cow manure below the sand.

There are different grades of the sandblasting sand.  The one I use has grains comparable in size to pool filter sand, though it does need a good amount of rinsing.

[Flying fox 6523]

On 2/23/2023 at 1:20 PM, knee said:

Pool filter sand is a better option IMO because it's bigger than BDBS. My 40 breeder has PFS with aquasoil and root tabs as a first layer. My plants are doing really good with the exception of a few, but that's more of a lighting issue than the substrate. 

 

ACE hardware has PFS that's a really nice natural color. You can also find PFS in pool supply stores.

Thank You for your help & response, but I already have gravel 
that I  bought for my stock tank a few years ago till I just torn
it down a few wks ago & I can use it instead of buying more stuff.

On 2/23/2023 at 1:39 PM, JettsPapa said:

I have either Black Diamond sandblasting sand or pool filter sand in all ten tanks (and all ten are planted).  Last year I found Father Fish videos, so I started putting a layer of dry cow manure below the sand.

There are different grades of the sandblasting sand.  The one I use has grains comparable in size to pool filter sand, though it does need a good amount of rinsing.

😱 OH My, layer of dry cow manure, no thank you ha ha ha 
Glad to hear you're plant's are going good with that set up 👍

[knee]

On 2/23/2023 at 10:22 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

What is the substrate in your red tank?

Photo please!!!

That’s pure aquasoil but a mixture of ADA Amazonia, tropica and controsoil. It’s really old but it still holds the shape. I recently topped it with a few cups of fine controsoil to add some height. 
 

Here’s what it looks like up close 

Here’s what the PFS from ace hardware looks like 

The color is really similar to ADA’s decorative Colorado sand which is really expensive. The ace hardware PFS is $15-$20 for a 50lb bag. 
 

ADA Colorado sand is $40-$50 for a 17lb bag 

 

[Flying fox 6523]

On 2/23/2023 at 1:31 PM, Lennie said:

I'm not familiar with some products available there as they don't exist here. So I  cannot comment on that one personally. It just feels super hard to remove all substrate and setup everything new in a running tank to me 😄 

Also aquarium soils can leach lots of stuff when they are new. I'm not sure how safe it would be to put when they already have fish. Besides leaching stuff, huge water changes every 2-3 days may be stressing as well. So aquarium soil seems to be out of the plan I guess

"feels super hard to remove all substrate and setup everything new in a running tank"
I don't mind redoing a tank myself, it's rather relaxing, but that's just me, & what else is 
there when there's nothing better to do than to redo a 75 gal aquarium on a rainy day?
Thank You for your response, 👍

[Flying fox 6523]

On 2/23/2023 at 1:33 PM, Pepere said:

Of course you can have areas of gravel and areas of sand…

 

Cories and loaches seem to like spending time on the sand beach, and the majority of my plants are in the gravel area that has mesh bags of aqua soil underneath…

"my plants are in the gravel area that has mesh bags of aqua soil underneath…"
That looks really good, with as many plant's I have in my aquarium I'm not sure 
if that would work but I can take a stab at it, Thank you for your response. ❤

On 2/23/2023 at 1:22 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

Just my personal preference and my experience with it. Id recommend changing off the BDBS. So yeah, depending on what is chosen, removing that and not reusing it.

What is the substrate in your red tank?

Photo please!!!

 

On 2/23/2023 at 1:19 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

There are usually substrate calculators. You'd want around 2.5-3.5" thick for most situations with plants. I shoot for 4".

For a 75g I plan 3 bags of fluorite black.

 

[Flying fox 6523]

On 2/23/2023 at 1:55 PM, knee said:

That’s pure aquasoil but a mixture of ADA Amazonia, tropica and controsoil. It’s really old but it still holds the shape. I recently topped it with a few cups of fine controsoil to add some height. 
 

Here’s what it looks like up close 

Here’s what the PFS from ace hardware looks like 

The color is really similar to ADA’s decorative Colorado sand which is really expensive. The ace hardware PFS is $15-$20 for a 50lb bag. 
 

ADA Colorado sand is $40-$50 for a 17lb bag 

 

PFS <Is that pool filter sand? Thank you 
"Colorado sand is $40-$50 for a 17lb bag"
no thank you I'll pass on the expensive stuff.

[Scaperoot]

We currently have a tank with diamond blasting sand, one with pool filter sand, two with eco complete, and one with aqua soil. The one that has thrived the most, incredibly, is the one with the pool filter sand. I set it up with various stem plants, as well as Anubias and Buce. The only reason Kant that didn’t do well was Hygrophila Pinnatifida. Everything else is thriving. The tank with black diamond sand is doing well, except for the back wall of Ambulia, but I think it’s the strong flow that’s hurting those plants. Otherwise, crypts and other stem plants are doing well. 
   I have a hate/hate relationship with the Eco complete. My hands are too big to properly set up stem plants in there, so I often ended up snapping stems in my efforts to plant. My wife helps me get those in now lol. I also don’t like the look once the mulm really settles. My favorite look is the black sand with the green contrast from plants and other colors from the fish. I’m not sure why the white cloud island tank with pool filter sand is doing so well in comparison to the rest. Might be because it’s the one I set up for my wife and planned the longest. I have root tabs in both sand substrates, and I dose easy green. I’m going to be rescaping two of the tanks, and can’t decide whether to go with the black diamond or pool filter. Not sure my wife wants me to copy hers lol. 

…third and fourth pics are eco complete. 

Edited February 23, 2023 by Scaperoot
Spelling

[Flying fox 6523]

On 2/23/2023 at 1:08 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

If you use bigger gravel I recommend a feeding dish.

I used to run sand. BDBS is extremely fine.  Caribsea crystal river is a lot larger if you want to use sand.

I switched to seachem flourite and it compacts well for corydoras. The black flourite is pretty decent stuff. It's a balance between sand and planted soils that seems good.

Sand only I recommend plants that send runners or attach to hardscape:

This is the fluorite black.

It's probably 2-3x larger particles than the sand. Probably 3-4x smaller than gravel.  Caribsea lists the particle size on their website. Fluorite should be somewhere.

Sorry it's taken me so long to respond back but thank you for the response 
I think my best bet will be on pea gravel versus sand, Will be pea gravel 
being the results I had when I had the plant's in the soda bottles & the 
way they grew cause they were getting more nutrients that way.

[NOLANANO]

On 2/23/2023 at 11:48 AM, Flying fox 6523 said:

1) I've been watching videos on this topic & I hear gravel is better for 
plant's than sand & I thought I'd ask some of you for your thoughts 
I have pea gravel & I have river rocks, which 1 is better for plant's ?
I also have albino Cory catfish in the tank to consider as well so.

The plant's I have are java ferns, Amazon Swords, bacopa, jungle val
Tiger lotus, Taiwan lilies, Octopus plant, Water Wisteria, that's it.

 

I have BD sand and I also have a majority of the plants you have and mine grow great. The trick is to layer. You put gravel or aquasoil or a combo of both beneath the sand. This helps the sand not compact as much and gives the roots an easier place to grow once they break through the sand layer.  Hope this help!

[Flying fox 6523]

On 2/23/2023 at 2:38 PM, Scaperoot said:

We currently have a tank with diamond blasting sand, one with pool filter sand, two with eco complete, and one with aqua soil. The one that has thrived the most, incredibly, is the one with the pool filter sand. I set it up with various stem plants, as well as Anubias and Buce. The only reason Kant that didn’t do well was Hygrophila Pinnatifida. Everything else is thriving. The tank with black diamond sand is doing well, except for the back wall of Ambulia, but I think it’s the strong flow that’s hurting those plants. Otherwise, crypts and other stem plants are doing well. 
   I have a hate/hate relationship with the Eco complete. My hands are too big to properly set up stem plants in there, so I often ended up snapping stems in my efforts to plant. My wife helps me get those in now lol. I also don’t like the look nice the mulm really settles. My favorite look is the black sand with the green contrast from plants and other colors from the fish. I’m not sure why the white cloud island tank with pool filter sand is doing so well in comparison to the rest. Might be because it’s the one I set up for my wife and planned the longest. I have root tabs in both sand substrates, and I dose easy green. I’m going to be rescaping two of the tanks, and can’t decide whether to go with the black diamond or pool filter. Not sure my wife wants me to copy hers lol. 

…third and fourth pics are eco complete. 

Nice tanks, so your running "sand" instead of gravel &
getting good results, Hum ? wonder why I'm not ?
I have easy green going & root tabs water changes.

Well I'm sure glad your having good success. ❤
thank you for the response.

On 2/23/2023 at 2:44 PM, NOLANANO said:

I have BD sand and I also have a majority of the plants you have and mine grow great. The trick is to layer. You put gravel or aquasoil or a combo of both beneath the sand. This helps the sand not compact as much and gives the roots an easier place to grow once they break through the sand layer.  Hope this help!

Funny you mention that cause I was just thinking about that myself 
that the sand isn't letting the waste feed the plant's cause it's on top 
that's why they were doing so good in the soda bottles, THANK YOU. ❤