Introduction
When you start to set up a freshwater aquarium you need to decide what type of substrate to use. You have your choice of sand or gravel. Here are some pros and cons of each one.
Why Substrate
You want to know why Aquarist call it substrate and not the bottom, carpet, floor or some other thing. Substrate is defined as a substance that is acted on in a biochemical way. In this case the sand or gravel you put at the bottom of your aquarium is acted on by bacteria you grow in your aquarium to keep ammonia and nitrite out.
Hence the name substrate.
Sand - Pros and Cons
If you are thinking about using sand here are some pros and cons about using it:
Pros
It is probably the cheapest substrate you can buy especially if it is silicon sand. Now calcium sand can be a little pricey but it will buffer the aquarium water. So if you get fish that like a high pH, calcium sand may be what you will want.If you get bottom feeders or have fish that like to bury themselves in the sand, such as sting-rays, then this is the substrate you may want to obtain.Sand will also make your aquarium look more natural.If you are going to use live plants you may find them easier to root in this type of substrate.
Cons
It may get in the filter and damage it, plus it is more difficult to clean since you may remove sand in the process of cleaning.You should not use it in an acrylic aquarium since acrylic can be easily scratched by the grains of sand.
Gravel Pros and Cons
If you are going to use gravel here are some pros and cons:
Pros
The debris in gravel is a lot easier to clean when using a siphon.Your fish will not kick up the gravel like they can with sand.You can choose from a wide variety of different types of gravel.
Cons
If you do not use smooth gravel you could damage the underside of bottom dwelling fish.Plants can be easily uprooted from the gravel, so they are more difficult to maintain and grow.
Conclusion
As you can see both types of substrate have equal number of pros and cons, so essentially the choice of which one to use is up to you.
J.W. Chase is an amateur Aquarist who has successfully been keeping aquariums for over 35 years. Over 75% of people who start aquariums fail in the first month for lack of knowledge. If you want more information on how to keep an aquarium, go to his web site and download a free eBook on "15 Tips On Building And Maintaining An Aquarium" at http://www.squidoo.com/homefreshwateraquariums.
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