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08-26-2008, 12:04 AM
| #1 (permalink) |
| Teenie Weenie Fish  Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: mesa, az
Posts: 58
|  Sand VS. Gravel Hi! I'm new to the group but am so glad I found this website! I have a quick question regarding sand vs. gravel for substrate. I was recently in a pet store and saw them using sand in a koi tank. It looked absolutely beautiful. I read that sand might not be the best for goldfish. I'm going to get a bigger tank for my goldfish and am considering sand. I just want to make sure it's safe. Also, how do you vaccuum sand? It seems it would all get sucked up? If you don't vaccuum it then do you do some kind of sifting and then suck the water near the surface of the sand? Also, I may replace the gravel in my community tank which has become so insanely overcrowded with babies that I've had to remove everything they can hide in so that nature can take its course... survival of the strongest. HOW SAD! I just don't know what else to do since I don't have anyone I can give fish to! Anyway, I imagine the process of switching could be a headache!! OKay, I've rambled enough for now! Thanks in advance for any help/advice you can give! |
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08-26-2008, 04:14 AM
| #3 (permalink) |
| Teenie Weenie Fish  Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 14
|  Hello! While i'm not much help myself, im sure someone will be along to help you shortly. The people here are great. So i'm sure they will be by to correct me if im wrong. To clean sand you actually have to over an inch or 2 above the sand so you do not suck it up! "Unfortunately, goldfish are one of the few fish that don't do well with sand substrates. They will sift through it with their mouth, irritating their gills and clouding up the tank." This i got from a Moderator at tims tropical site. There is good news though. There are other substrates that are more 'coarse' than sand but still look amazing. I have Crushed Corel in my Cichlid tank and it looks pretty sweet. It is more coarse than sand so it doesnt cloud up the tank as easily. I haven't heard anything about it being bad for goldfish, but i could be wrong. Hope i helped at least a little. |
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08-26-2008, 07:21 AM
| #4 (permalink) |
| Super Fish  Join Date: May 2005 Location: South Carolina
Posts: 4,222
| I have a tank of each. With the messier fish I like to use gravel just because I can make sure it stays very clean. With that said sand is pretty easy to clean with the less messy fish  Like Steven85 said just hover over it when you do your water changes. Most of the poo sits on the surface, but about every other month or so I like to take all the decor out of the tank and stir up the sand to help remove anything that might have gotten covered and to filter the sand a bit.
__________________ 30G ~ Equipment: Emporer 400, Hydor 1, All Glass 100W Heater Inhabitants: 7 Pristella Tetras, 4 Assorted Danios & 2 Cardinal Tetras & Blue Crayfish (M) 44G ~ Equipment: Rena Filstar XP3 & 200W Heater Inhabitants: 2 Koi Angels, Marigold Platy, Betta (F) & Blue Crayfish (F) 90G ~ Equipment: Tidepool & 300W Titanium Heater Inhabitants: 4 Texas Cichlids & Royal Pleco-L027C Other Pets ~ 2 Horses (Sassy-Sunny), 2 Rats (Duncan-Bongo) Dog (Chance), & Cat (Jersey) |
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08-26-2008, 11:53 PM
| #7 (permalink) |
| Super Fish  Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Ft. Campbell, Ky
Posts: 1,413
| I also have sand and gravel tanks. Im 100% for setting up a sand tank...but I also agree that goldfish are not the way to go. As you probably know, they are fat bastards, and are always sucking up the gravel in search of food. They can spit the gravel out...but the sand is a bit tougher. So, I say just buy another tank!!!
__________________ Thanks for all the support everyone! I'll be around as much as possible, and I'll see yall when I get home.  ^^^Subtract 3 Months! (we hope)^^^  |
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08-27-2008, 11:20 PM
| #9 (permalink) |
| Super Fish Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Ft. Campbell, Ky
Posts: 1,413
| Dark substrates always do. The bowfronts are very nice!
__________________ Thanks for all the support everyone! I'll be around as much as possible, and I'll see yall when I get home. ^^^Subtract 3 Months! (we hope)^^^ |
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08-27-2008, 11:25 PM
| #10 (permalink) | |
| Super Fish Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Corpus Christi, Texas
Posts: 1,281
| Quote:
__________________  http://www.nanfa.org/ 90G 1 Oscars, 1 pleco, 2 striped raphael catfish 24G 1pr convicts breeding fry for feeders, 1 blue paradise, 1 pleco, 2 bumblebee catfish 30G tall 1pr Convicts..breeding fry for feeders 10G NATIVE soon to have a pr of blackstripe topwater minnows, pr of rainbow darters 10G NATIVE soon to have trio of pygmy banded sunfish 90G setting up for NA Native flora and fauna | |
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| Tags |
| goldfish, gravel, sand |
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