# Sand vs. Gravel



## linda521dawn (Aug 12, 2014)

I know that sand if more of a natural habitat for my africans but Is gravel ok? I have day care kids and they love watching my fish move rocks.


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## hisplaceresort1 (Mar 10, 2014)

I have gravel, and my mbuna love moving it around... there are a lot of fans of sand out there, though. many folks on this forum who have had gravel and went to sand say they like sand better. For me though, considering that you will be vacuuming all the time or trying to make enough current to make the waste collect in one spot or another... or getting sand into the impellers of your pumps... or how I've read that poisonous gases(!) can build up under sand... I just thought gravel was the way to go for me...  but I've not read here that it was harmful in any way.


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## linda521dawn (Aug 12, 2014)

Thank You, I am happy I can keep it. I enjoy watching them move the rocks as much as the kids do!


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## sumthinfishy (Jan 26, 2013)

all the dangers of sand that were mentioned can be avoided, but im going to only address the op's question at this time. grave will work. however, africans love to dig. digging in the gravel can cause injuries to the lips and face because of sharp edges.usually these injuries are minor and nothing to worry about, but with any injury u run the risk of infection.


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## JP_92 (Aug 2, 2013)

I just switched from gravel to pool filter sand 2 months ago. Sand all the way, never lookin back!


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## hisplaceresort1 (Mar 10, 2014)

yup... linda521dawn, most people with an opinion really do seem to prefer sand to gravel... I might try sand on my next tank just to see...


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## chopsteeks (Jul 23, 2013)

hisplaceresort1 said:


> I have gravel, and my mbuna love moving it around... there are a lot of fans of sand out there, though. many folks on this forum who have had gravel and went to sand say they like sand better. For me though, considering that you will be vacuuming all the time or trying to make enough current to make the waste collect in one spot or another... or getting sand into the impellers of your pumps... or how I've read that poisonous gases(!) can build up under sand... I just thought gravel was the way to go for me...  but I've not read here that it was harmful in any way.


poisonous gas can build up with gravel too. So it important to release this build-up by stirring both gravel and sand. I likewise switched to sand, cleaning is actually easier. 20-30 minutes before cleaning, I turn off the filters, give the sand a good stir. The debris will settle on the top, likewise releasing gas build-up. After 20-30 minutes I vacuum the debris.


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## Chester B (Dec 28, 2012)

I have both. I would have a slight lean toward sand merely for the way it looks.


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## pfoster74 (May 13, 2012)

i have both as well i find gravel easier to clean. fish seem happy either way. they build mounds in gravel or sand. assuming you keep african cichlids.


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## dalto (Aug 20, 2006)

I used to use gravel but now I do sand in all my tanks.

I find it *much* easier to clean. I spent twice as long trying to clean the gravel in the 10g tank with gravel than the 75g tank with sand.


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## Colt0208 (Aug 19, 2014)

we use pool filter sand here in our tanks... LOVE it and will never go back to gravel...


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## linda521dawn (Aug 12, 2014)

you guys are convincing me  I will research it well before the change though if I decide


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Wait until the kids see the Africans spit sand, much better than rocks.


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## kd5exp (Mar 21, 2014)

I tried the sand in my 55 gal and with a gravel filter it doesn't work. I had sink holes and sand blowing out the tubes. I know gravel filters are old school but I have always used them and they have done good by me. I also have and external filter with UV on this and they work great together. The sand is too fine and gets sucked up through the filter. If you get corse sand you have gravel anyway. I find getting the right combo of fish, plecos, bottom feeders and others keeps my tank very clear with a little cleaning.


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## joescaper1 (Feb 14, 2013)

I, too, tried sand once; the most beautiful black lava sand I could find. After 5 minutes it looked like ****, The sand was spit by fish and blown by wet/dry return, all over the rockwork and anything that wasn't black, stuck out like a sore thumb. Within a month it was dried and stored in empty coffee containers, replaced by UG filter run by power heads and # 3 pea gravel (I can't see ignoring the largest biomass in the system).

Joe


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## linda521dawn (Aug 12, 2014)

I think for now i may stick with gravel. My luck, if things can go wrong they usually do!


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## workharddieproud (Nov 7, 2013)

file:///C:/Users/IBM/Documents/photo.JPG


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## workharddieproud (Nov 7, 2013)

workharddieproud said:


> file:///C:/Users/IBM/Documents/photo.JPG


Previous post obviously did not work,


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## workharddieproud (Nov 7, 2013)

http://imgur.com/JZlZfYl

. This is what I switched to from sand, natural round stone, They are larger pieces of round stones of different sizes and shapes and colors. It looks like they are pilled up but they're not, they just cover the bottom leaving open places so food and debris does not get trapped, to easily vac up. And no sharp edges.


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## linda521dawn (Aug 12, 2014)

I love those rocks, that is beautiful!! can i see a tank pic by chance?


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## workharddieproud (Nov 7, 2013)

I posted a video on YouTube the other day, and posted the link on this forum. Look for, "My YouTube Tank Video" I took it with my 3Gs phone, so not the best video. Looks better in person of course.


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## workharddieproud (Nov 7, 2013)




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## linda521dawn (Aug 12, 2014)

LOVE IT! Beautiful tank


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## pfoster74 (May 13, 2012)

linda521dawn said:


> I think for now i may stick with gravel. My luck, if things can go wrong they usually do!


yeah the gravel will be the least of your problems coming up :thumb:


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