# Sand vs Gravel



## Tototoro (Jul 30, 2013)

So....I'm kind of torn between which to get for my new Betta fish's habitat.....I like the look of sand but I fear that when it comes to cleaning, its going to be pretty difficult. Could someone list me the pros and cons to each so that I can make an informed decision? I'm getting excited. Going to pick up my betta fish next week!


Also, another question while I'm making a post and I don't want to make multiple threads.....when I go about prepping the water for him, do I have to treat the water then let it sit for about 24 hours before slowly acclimatising him or is it okay if I add water treatment then add him right away? 

Thanks in advance all!


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## LebronTheBetta (Apr 23, 2012)

Sand - Beautiful. I have it in both of my tanks. It's fairly easy to clean. As long as you get a good brand. CaribSea SuperNaturals is what I use for my 20G... It's fine grained, and it doesn't cloud my water at all... It also never altered my parameters.  Just be sure to clean it very well at first, rinse, rinse, rinse! Fish poop and other wastes also don't go under the sand, it stays on top. Very hard to see, if you choose a nice complimentary color. 
For cleaning, just hover the siphon over the waste thingy and the siphon will suck it right up.  Just don't get too close. Also, if you will get a filter, turn the filter off until the water change is done.

Gravel - I used it in the past. Natural looking, as long as you keep the algae under control. Food and waste fall in between the slits. It'll take longer for the water change to complete. I recommend Top Fin. 

After you add the conditioner, the water is ready. Aging the water with the conditioner in is just a waste of time.


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## 10asartin (Mar 28, 2013)

SAND! I love it, it looks so natural and is just as easy to clean as gravel. Just take your vacuum to it and it will be fine.

You can acclimate your betta right after you treat the water unless the directions say otherwise.


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## Tototoro (Jul 30, 2013)

Thats wonderful. Thanks you two! I'll opt for the sand. My major concern was that it would cloud the water, should I just throw it into a sieve and rinse rinse rinse rinse until the water runs clear? How should I prep this sand. I was also worried that when I hoover the sand it would get hoovered up but I guess if the waste stays on top then it shouldn't be an issue! Thats great!


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## TurtleBarb (May 9, 2013)

In the past, I've found that leaning the gravel vac at an angle will help reduce the amount of sand sucked up.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=235865&highlight=sand

Try this link.


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## Tototoro (Jul 30, 2013)

Once again thank you! Is there a thread on how to prep the sand before putting it into the aquarium?


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## LebronTheBetta (Apr 23, 2012)

Nope. But it's simple.

Just rinse away the floating particles.  You can put it in a bucket and put in a hose and let it run. You can wait for 10 minutes then it should be okay. You can use play sand or pool-filter sand, too.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

It's in that link. With Tahitian Moon sand, I rinsed one bag and didn't rinse the second bag with the same results. TMS includes either one or two packages of clarifier.


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## Lolly (Aug 1, 2013)

Both are great they both look very nice depending on what kind you buy and how well you will maintain it.but we know that you wont let your betta fishys tank turn in to murky alga cover mess so go ahead and try the sand because lots of people suggest it and if you don't like it you can switch to gravel


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

I forgot to add: My only experience has been with CaribSea Tahitian Moon Sand; others, especially those not specifically for aquarium use, should be treated as Lebron said. Sorry.


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## Tototoro (Jul 30, 2013)

I'll go with the CaribSea Sand. Some variation of it anyways. While we're on the topic......I'm planning on getting some fake plants.....I remember in the past I had a tough time keeping the plants from floating up. Any tips on how to keep them anchored to the sand? Thanks again in advance


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## babystarz (Aug 3, 2012)

I use Quikrete Fine Grain sand. It's completely inert silica and does not need to be washed before hand. It also has such fine particles that they settle instantly. You just have to be careful adding water to the tank because you'll create a sandstorm if you pour too fast. Best part: it's $4 for a 50 pound bag at Home Depot or Lowes. It looks like white beach sand. I've been using it for my planted tanks for over a year with no negative effects.

You can buy plant weights, just make sure you know what they're made of so you don't have metal corroding in your tank.


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## TurtleBarb (May 9, 2013)

I use river stones as weights. If the plant already has a base, you can use aquarium silicone to glue a rock to it. If you don't want the plant to be any taller than it already is, glue a rock to the side of the base, rather than setting the base on top of the rock and gluing it stacked. If the plant doesn't have a base, here's what I do: I get a river stone, wrap it in fishing line several times, knot the line securely to the rock, and then spread a thin layer of aquarium cement along the knot and fishing line on one side so it doesn't slip off. I cut the excess line after the glue dries. You can try just wrapping the rock without gluing, but it may slip loose over time.


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## TurtleBarb (May 9, 2013)

Here's a pic of what I mean. If you want to re-use the rock, tie a little bead on it like I did. Then you can thread string through the bead and tie plants to it as many times as you want. I use these rocks in a bare-bottom tank, so I used a tiny clear bead. If you're going to bury the anchor rock in gravel, you might as well use a bigger bead. It's easier to run string through a bigger bead.


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## TurtleBarb (May 9, 2013)

Sorry, my instructions were confusing. If you don't tie a bead on, you will of course need to NOT cut the thread ends after the glue dries. If you cut the threads off, you won't have anything to tie to the plant!


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

It's easier to put plastic plants in sand. They will stay anchored better than in gravel.

Live plants are helpful to water quality and also help cycle the tank. But if you get fake plants, make sure the edges are smooth (run a piece of hose over them).


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## Tototoro (Jul 30, 2013)

http://www.caribsea.com/itempage_marinesubstrate_oceandirect.htm

I just bought this sand......before I throw it in the tank, I'm a bit afraid its the wrong type . Any reassurance please! Thanks in advance.


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## LebronTheBetta (Apr 23, 2012)

That's for salt water tanks... You should return it.

Your fish won't really tolerate that, they'll feel sick.


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## Tototoro (Jul 30, 2013)

LebronTheBetta said:


> That's for salt water tanks... You should return it.
> 
> Your fish won't really tolerate that, they'll feel sick.



I was afraid of that. Yea, I just noticed that when I got home and figured I'd better ask before I started setting up. I just wasn't sure if it'd be okay since it doesn't actually include any salt etc.


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## LebronTheBetta (Apr 23, 2012)

Oh okay, good. :]

I went to the link, and it says it has a small film of ocean water.. It has bacteria, but as said before, ocean water.


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## Tototoro (Jul 30, 2013)

LebronTheBetta said:


> Oh okay, good. :]
> 
> I went to the link, and it says it has a small film of ocean water.. It has bacteria, but as said before, ocean water.


Thanks for your help =). I'm just in the midst of getting everything ready and setting everything up before I even get a betta fish. Figured it'd be my best bet to ask the pros before I actually get him and put him in! Doing all my research before i jump into it!!


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## TurtleBarb (May 9, 2013)

It's always nice to hear when someone researches ahead of time.


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## JamieL (Jun 4, 2013)

babystarz said:


> I use Quikrete Fine Grain sand. It's completely inert silica and does not need to be washed before hand. It also has such fine particles that they settle instantly. You just have to be careful adding water to the tank because you'll create a sandstorm if you pour too fast. Best part: it's $4 for a 50 pound bag at Home Depot or Lowes. It looks like white beach sand. I've been using it for my planted tanks for over a year with no negative effects


I think I'll look into this sand. I want to switch my 10 gallon tank over to sand because I just got panda cories. Do you have any cories or similar fish in with this kind?

Has anyone used petcos freshwater sand? It comes in black and white, I didn't look at it in the store, but one of the reviews on the website said its not really a fine sand but more like tiny pebbles.


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## JamieL (Jun 4, 2013)

Anyone here used this caribsea instant aquarium??

http://www.caribsea.com/itempage_freshwatersubstrate_instantaquarium.htm


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

I used this and am very, very happy. It's for both freshwater and saltwater.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+9805+21432&pcatid=21432


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## JamieL (Jun 4, 2013)

Thanks! Do you have any cories by any chance? I'm only switching because I just got a few cories and I know they do better on sand. If you remember, I divided my ten gallon for the two boys. It just did not work out. I gave it time, I made the divider opaque, I put plants in the way...they never chilled out. Maybe they would have if I gave it more time, but the CT started tail biting and it was getting worse and worse. Then I saw the VTs tail was raggedy, and I don't have anything in the tank he could have injured it on...enough was enough. I put the vt in a 5 gallon, and I added 4 panda cories to captain hooks 10 gallon. They're SO much happier. I was a little worried about him going after the cories but it seems like he actually enjoys their company. It was the best thing I did.

Anyway, I've been searching around and some people say TMS is too sharp for cories?? I wonder if other caribsea sands would be better, I kind of like the look of white also. I wonder if people aren't being overly crazy about one sand vs another in that regard though, I'm sure the TMS is probably just fine.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

I have it in with Pygmy Cories with no problems. There's also this:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+9805+21412&pcatid=21412


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## JamieL (Jun 4, 2013)

I contacted caribsea this morning to get their opinion on the best sand of theirs for cories, this is what I got. They answered me fast, too


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## babystarz (Aug 3, 2012)

JamieL said:


> I think I'll look into this sand. I want to switch my 10 gallon tank over to sand because I just got panda cories. Do you have any cories or similar fish in with this kind?
> 
> Has anyone used petcos freshwater sand? It comes in black and white, I didn't look at it in the store, but one of the reviews on the website said its not really a fine sand but more like tiny pebbles.


I do not have cories, but if the size and shape of the grains is a concern, I can assure you this is the softest, most uniform sand I've found, with the tiniest sand grains. They look like grains of sugar.

Most sand advertised as "fine grain" isn't very fine at all I've found, especially when it's specifically sold for fish. It's best to check out sand in person so you can judge it for yourself, if at all possible. Especially if you're paying a lot for it.


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## LebronTheBetta (Apr 23, 2012)

Why don't you just get CaribSea SuperNaturals? It's finely grained, and only for freshwater aquariums.

The link that Russell linked to, that was for saltwater.


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## JamieL (Jun 4, 2013)

LebronTheBetta said:


> Why don't you just get CaribSea SuperNaturals? It's finely grained, and only for freshwater aquariums.
> 
> The link that Russell linked to, that was for saltwater.


That's probably what I'll end up doing, in one of the colors the caribsea rep recommended. I don't really mind paying $20 for sand to know for sure it'll be safe for them.


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## Tototoro (Jul 30, 2013)

Finally picked up some sand! Returned my initial CaribSea purchase and picked up the TopFin sand. Would've liked to stick with CaribSea but the only bag size they had of it was 20lbs and with my 3 gallon tank, it was a bit too much and unnecessary. Opted for two tubs of this instead.......chose a white and black and figured it would look pretty good after I mixed it =). 

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12211399


I swear by the end of all this, the people at the pet store will know me by my first and last name. I've gone into there so many times just picking up odd bits and pieces.....still have to get a fish....hahaha.....just want to be fully prepared before I do it!


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Tahitian Moon Sand, to quote the description is "Fine-grade substrate ideal for saltwater _and_ freshwater aquariums." (Emphasis mine) It always pays to read the description.


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## JamieL (Jun 4, 2013)

I was in petco buying food and I just grabbed a couple bags of their brand since it was there. It came in black or white, I just got the white one because I don't want my tank to look dark. Looks good enough to me...it's sand, alright. Haha.

But if I change my substrate am I going to kill a bunch of my BB? I mean, I'm going to change it regardless for the cories, but I guess I'll just keep a close watch on the levels


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## JamieL (Jun 4, 2013)

Update update: I stopped into my other local petco and they had supernaturals, so I exchanged the petco sand and for $1 more I got 20 lbs of supernaturals vs 15lbs of petco sand, which looked a lot coarser.


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## kalliburr (Aug 8, 2013)

I've never used sand before, so maybe this is a stupid question, but how do you clean it properly once it's in your tank? Do you even need to? I intend to use MTS to burrow in the sand and help move it around and whatnot, but do I need to do anything else? I had gravel in my old goldfish tank, and that thing got so dirty all the time (because biOrbs are kinda crap) that I just dumped everything, rinsed it all off, and put everything back in with fresh water.


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## JamieL (Jun 4, 2013)

From what I can see after a day of sand is that the waste sits right on top, so it's easy to spot and just suck up with a turkey baster. And I think you just have to stir it up a little with a chopstick or something every so often.

I only used one 10 lb bag in the tank, it's not deep but I've read that keeping the sand on the shallow side helps prevent gas pockets from building up. I have the second bag but I don't know if I'm going to add it or not


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## JamieL (Jun 4, 2013)

Full pic


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## kalliburr (Aug 8, 2013)

Thanks, JamieL. I've looked up some youtube videos on how to put sand in the tank and how to clean it, so I'm feeling much more confident now. Thanks! Also, good to know it can be done with a turkey baster and you don't HAVE to have a fancy siphon thingy like I keep seeing online.


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## snowflake311 (Jun 19, 2013)

Sand keeps a tank cleaner I think. Poo and food can not get down in side it as easy. 

I like plants substrate or sand I will never use the big gravle rocks again yuck. 

For a tank with no plants sand all the way. Planted tanks use a plant substrate.


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## JamieL (Jun 4, 2013)

Now I want to change all my tanks to sand!  what a waste of money in gravel. I just wish I had an easier way to clean it, I am using a turkey baster to pick up poops, but there are so many tiny ones, I guess from the cories, and its hard to suck them up without taking a bunch of sand with it.


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## babystarz (Aug 3, 2012)

kalliburr said:


> I've never used sand before, so maybe this is a stupid question, but how do you clean it properly once it's in your tank? Do you even need to? I intend to use MTS to burrow in the sand and help move it around and whatnot, but do I need to do anything else? I had gravel in my old goldfish tank, and that thing got so dirty all the time (because biOrbs are kinda crap) that I just dumped everything, rinsed it all off, and put everything back in with fresh water.


Ideally the snails and bb and plants will do the vast majority of the cleaning. I siphon near the sand during my rare water changes, but otherwise I let nature do its thing. In a well-balanced tank the eco-system is as closed as possible without intervention. Granted, I have natural dirt under a sand cap and a crazy amount of plants, I definitely had to work up to this point.

Sorry for taking forever to respond, I just bought a new house and I've been super busy.


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