substrate what do you prefer?

[murkywaters]

What do you prefer as a substrate and why?







I love the look of my river rock but HATE how dirty it gets.  So I'm going with sand.  it's a really neat look and seems to stay cleaner easier to vacuum and I LOVE watching the fish dig right now I just have play sand but I want to try a white sand next one. 

[guppyguy]

My preferred substrate for is Eco Complete. All my tanks are planted and this a plant substrate. Why do I like it so much. Its affordable, come in liquid amazon and already has bacteria culture in it. For instantly cycled tank as long as you add water from another previously cycled tank. It does not need to be rinsed, and its small grain size slightly bigger than sand but not nearly as big as basic aquarium gravel is perfect. The all the natural look of it is very appealing.

[gabor129]

My favorite is Flourite by Seachem, like the consistency, it is great for plants, fish can dig in it, MTS love it! It comes in three different color now so that has improved the look greatly!!! I have three tanks with mostly fluorite, and one with black caribsea sand! I much prefer Floutite to sand!

[Deleted]

It depends on what fishes I'm keeping and they're behaviour. When I kept Gymnogeophagus then I prefer fine sand as they sift through it looking for food. Many of the Rift Lake cichlids like sandy substrate and will move tons of it to create caves or to share up a territory they chose. If I need to buffer the water then crushed coral substrate is what I'd use. I'm flexible but I found sand to be the overall winner for many of the fishes I've kept an/or prefer to keep.

[Deleted]

For cichlids I used a pool filter sand with about 10% crushed coral (arragonite) I liked the look, it kept the poop at bay and the fish could filter it easily. Most importantly to me adding just a bit of the CC kept the pumps from blowing the stuff into drifts.
Some filters sands can be very abrasive however so you want to get a feel for it.

Like JG said it all depends on your intent for the tank.
For planted tanks you need something which is not inert.

[Admin]

I agree with what others are saying... it really depends what you are going to be doing your tank. My favourite substrate personally is ADA Aqua Soil Amazonia, its amazing for planted tanks, but it would not be smart to use it for a cichlid tank.

[guppyguy]

I have just set up a tank with same ADA aqua soil and just waiting to see the results. But Ryan and many others I have read speak highly of it. So i am looking forward to seeing how the plants grow.

[lesfromlakeshore]

I have lots of corydoras catfish so I use pool filter sand and they enjoy digging around in it..