Gravel versus sand

[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. ❤

[NOLANANO]

I am glad I could help! Another tip is to use filter bags for the gravel or auquasoil beneath the sand so that the gravel doesn't surface during maintenance. Thats completely optional of course.

[Mmiller2001]

Honestly, unless you want to push the absolute limits of a planted tank (CO2 ect) pick what's most appealing to you. Ace Hardware has nice looking pool filter sand options for 12 bucks for 50 pounds. Choose smaller pebble size if you go that route.

This was pool filter sand . I was just learning here.

Eco Complete here.

Aqua Soil here

Non of these tanks receive root tabs. They are completely unnecessary. However, the health of the plants are all about the same.

Edited February 23 by Mmiller2001

[knee]

On 2/23/2023 at 11:17 AM, Flying fox 6523 said:

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.

Yes Pool Filter Sand. 

 

Goodluck with the setup! 🙂

[nabokovfan87]

On 2/23/2023 at 10:31 AM, 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 😄 

Might be called coal slag there. You can look it up, but it's basically what they use for sandblasting and it's recycled. So whatever was blasted is added to the bag. Batches vary based on how much is recycled.

On 2/23/2023 at 11:53 AM, NOLANANO said:

I am glad I could help! Another tip is to use filter bags for the gravel or auquasoil beneath the sand so that the gravel doesn't surface during maintenance. Thats completely optional of course.

Great tip!

On 2/23/2023 at 11:01 AM, Flying fox 6523 said:

"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, 👍

100%

I actually enjoy starting over on a tank. It's like getting to redo everything.

[nabokovfan87]

On 2/23/2023 at 10:33 AM, Pepere said:

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 aquasoil underneath…

I love this. I'm definitely going to have an island style setup in the new one. Open section for the little corydoras to vroom around. Beautiful setup.

[Flying fox 6523]

On 2/23/2023 at 2:53 PM, NOLANANO said:

I am glad I could help! Another tip is to use filter bags for the gravel or auquasoil beneath the sand so that the gravel doesn't surface during maintenance. Thats completely optional of course.

I have netted bags my cement rings came in that I can use 
speaking of cement rings, where in a canister filter with
no baskets just sponge's would the rigs go?🤔

On 2/23/2023 at 4:41 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

Might be called coal slag there. You can look it up, but it's basically what they use for sandblasting and it's recycled. So whatever was blasted is added to the bag. Batches vary based on how much is recycled.

Great tip!

100%

I actually enjoy starting over on a tank. It's like getting to redo everything.

starting over on a tank changes the mood swings that people gets 
that feel lost & stressed it relaxes the mind as well as the body.

[nabokovfan87]

On 2/23/2023 at 2:08 PM, Flying fox 6523 said:

I have netted bags my cement rings came in that I can use 
speaking of cement rings, where in a canister filter with
no baskets just sponge's would the rigs go?🤔

I can answer the question, I just don't understand what you're asking.

Bags of soil substrate leeches particles into the water column for certain plants.  That's why some people use it.  Especially in shrimping for PH reduction.

 

[Pepere]

On 2/23/2023 at 4:46 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

I love this. I'm definitely going to have an island style setup in the new one. Open section for the little corydoras to vroom around. Beautiful setup.

And with the sand area being roughly 1/4 of the tank at most, I dont have to do anything to keep the sand clean.  No mulm removal efforts are needed.  The cories keep it clean with no input from me.

[Flying fox 6523]

On 2/23/2023 at 5:13 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

I can answer the question, I just don't understand what you're asking.

Bags of soil substrate leeches particles into the water column for certain plants.  That's why some people use it.  Especially in shrimping for PH reduction.

 

I have 6 bags of cement rings & just haven't used them 
"I just don't understand what you're asking"
I have a small 8 inch tall X 4 inch round canister filter on the tank 
& would like to add some of the cement rings to it, where would 
I put it when there's no baskets or compartments to put any.

Top, bottom, middle ?
 

 

[nabokovfan87]

On 2/23/2023 at 2:51 PM, Flying fox 6523 said:

I have 6 bags of cement rings & just haven't used them 
"I just don't understand what you're asking"
I have a small 8 inch tall X 4 inch round canister filter on the tank 
& would like to add some of the cement rings to it, where would 
I put it when there's no baskets or compartments to put any.

Top, bottom, middle ?

I would need to know which filter, flow path, etc. 

If you let me know the filter then I can get you a setup diagram

 

[Flying fox 6523]

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!

"You put gravel beneath the sand" yea that's what I was thinking of doing 
being that's how I put them in the soda bottles when I 1st started the tank 
last year.

[Flying fox 6523]

On 2/23/2023 at 6:05 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

I would need to know which filter, flow path, etc. 

If you let me know the filter then I can get you a setup diagram

 

The pump is at the bottom can't tell you what size motor But it's
suppose to be rated for a 75 gal tank, it came with sponge's &
nothing else filter wise, it's not a name brand, 8-12 inches tall X
4-6 inches round.

On 2/23/2023 at 3:21 PM, knee said:

Yes Pool Filter Sand. 

 

Goodluck with the setup! 🙂

Good luck with the setup. Thank You for your help 

Edited February 24 by Flying fox 6523

[nabokovfan87]

On 2/23/2023 at 8:07 PM, Flying fox 6523 said:

The pump is at the bottom can't tell you what size motor But it's
suppose to be rated for a 75 gal tank, it came with a sponge's &
nothing else filter wise it's not a name brand, 8-12 inches tall X
4-6 inches round.

You can use something like lighting grid to replicate the spacers show on this filter. I believe the flow with the pump on the bottom is going to be top to bottom but without photos or a model number or manufacturing info I can't properly claim that.

Hopefully this helps.

Bag the ceramic media you wish to use to make it easier to maintain.  Make sure there is a spacer on the bottom so that fines or ceramics is held away from the pump and the pump is able to intake water properly.

 

[Flying fox 6523]

On 2/23/2023 at 11:12 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

You can use something like lighting grid to replicate the spacers show on this filter. I believe the flow with the pump on the bottom is going to be top to bottom but without photos or a model number or manufacturing info I can't properly claim that.

Hopefully this helps.

Bag the ceramic media you wish to use to make it easier to maintain.  Make sure there is a spacer on the bottom so that fines or ceramics is held away from the pump and the pump is able to intake water properly.

 

Thank You for the video good info.

[Andy's Fish Den]

On 2/23/2023 at 5:51 PM, Flying fox 6523 said:

I have 6 bags of cement rings & just haven't used them 
"I just don't understand what you're asking"
I have a small 8 inch tall X 4 inch round canister filter on the tank 
& would like to add some of the cement rings to it, where would 
I put it when there's no baskets or compartments to put any.

Top, bottom, middle ?
 

 

I would put the bio rings as the last stage after the water has passed through the sponges and any carbon or anything. Otherwise, the pores in the rings will get clogged

[Flying fox 6523]

On 2/24/2023 at 6:56 AM, Andy&#x27;s Fish Den said:

I would put the bio rings as the last stage after the water has passed through the sponges and any carbon or anything. Otherwise, the pores in the rings will get clogged

"put the bio rings as the last stage" Thank You for that info 

[Andy's Fish Den]

On 2/24/2023 at 7:49 AM, Flying fox 6523 said:

"put the bio rings as the last stage" Thank You for that info 

yes

[Rube_Goldfish]

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 aquasoil underneath…

I did something similar. I used cheap hardware store lava rock as a retaining wall to divide the sandy area from the gravelly area. I then covered up the lava rocks with the sand and gravel, so it's a sort of "fuzzy border" between the two, which I think is more natural looking. I also irregularly planted the border with dwarf sagittaria.

[Flying fox 6523]

On 2/24/2023 at 10:54 AM, Rube_Goldfish said:

I did something similar. I used cheap hardware store lava rock as a retaining wall to divide the sandy area from the gravelly area. I then covered up the lava rocks with the sand and gravel, so it's a sort of "fuzzy border" between the two, which I think is more natural looking. I also irregularly planted the border with dwarf sagittaria.

"I covered up the lava rocks with sand and gravel," Yea, I'm thinking that will give 
the plant's more nutrients to the roots by layering the rocks from large to small gravel.👍

[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.

Thank You for the info, I'm looking at layering rocks-gravel from large rocks to small gravel 

[Flying fox 6523]

On 2/24/2023 at 6:56 AM, Andy&#x27;s Fish Den said:

I would put the bio rings as the last stage after the water has passed through the sponges and any carbon or anything. Otherwise, the pores in the rings will get clogged

I can do that Thank you ❤

[Tanked]

The substrate is only one component for happy healthy plants. I prefer gravel primarily because I use UGF filters.  it is also easier to clean.  The sand is easily disturbed, and debris remains on the surface.  Having said that, I have also grown plants in lava rock intended for the gas grill, and PFS.  I think the downside to gravel is: until they develop a strong root system, some plants are easier to uproot in gravel.

[Flying fox 6523]

On 2/25/2023 at 11:05 AM, Tanked said:

The substrate is only one component for happy healthy plants. I prefer gravel primarily because I use UGF filters.  it is also easier to clean.  The sand is easily disturbed, and debris remains on the surface.  Having said that, I have also grown plants in lava rock intended for the gas grill, and PFS.  I think the downside to gravel is: until they develop a strong root system, some plants are easier to uproot in gravel.

I think I have to agree with gravel is easier to clean cause it doesn't get 
sucked up as easy as sand does & the mulm can get to the roots better.