As an aquarist, we often find ourselves very confused about whether to use sand or gravel at the bottom of our tank. I have personally used both, not just one at a time, but also a mixture of them. This debate mainly revolves around two factors: the types of plants and fish you own. Having used both, it’s pretty easy for me to provide a clear distinction of when to use what.

Let’s face it.

Confusion

First of all, you and I may have heard many times that sand or gravel doesn’t matter that much. Yes, the statement is correct, but it’s not complete. The fact is, if you do not have any live plants or if you have artificial plants, then it doesn’t really matter what you use.

The differentiations below will help you find your best pick.

Sand

If you have a freshwater aquarium, it’s quite reliable and budget-friendly to use sand, irrespective of the types of plants and fish you own.

So let’s delve into considering these two factors.

Sand can be great for aesthetic purposes and it also mimics the natural look and feel of many aquatic habitats.

There are many types of sands like river sand (0.5mm to 2mm), live sands, black diamond blast sands, and plant sands. Which is the best one?

To choose between these types of sands, I’ll rank black diamond blast sands without any doubt and plant sands last. But here are the key factors to consider:

Black Diamond Blast Sands

It offers much more cleanliness than any other sand because these sands were mainly intended for industrial purposes. Therefore, if you use it for your fish tank, it’ll give good results in terms of balancing the water quality. There are two needs as an aquarist: what’s best for the fish and what looks great for us. In this case, this sand is amazing in its looks, creating aesthetic vibes in your tank. It has a texture that can provide stability similar to gravel without any clumping. Many of us face the problem of clogging, and here is the best part – it falls apart.

Key Note: I would recommend it for larger fishkeepers, for example, those who keep Oscars, as it will give the best results as it is digestible for them and they stand out more against a darker substrate.

Plant Sands

These sands are better for helping your plants grow healthy by ensuring enough nutrients and beneficial bacteria to increase. They have a porous structure that allows water to infiltrate or flow through, which is the best part, I think.

Although there are live sands which can also be great if you want a higher pH level and offer a variety of colors.

Benefits of Sands

• Provides a natural look and enhances the appearance of fish and plants.
• Some fish species, like cichlids, enjoy playing in sand.
• Suitable for some bottom-dwelling fish species.
• Different types of sand (e.g., playsand, river sand, pool filter sand) offer various coloration options and grain sizes.

Difficulties with Sands

Despite the benefits of sand, it offers some difficulties like:

• Majority of the sands are nitrogenous, which is not good for your tank if you don’t stir it. Will you stir it weekly? I won’t. One option can be keeping snails as they will naturally stir it by their movement.
• The major problem I used to face is when I have to change the water, you siphon and you can’t get rid of sand sucking out of it, which is irritating in my view.
• There are certain types of plants whose roots are weak enough to be crushed by sands.
• Not all sands are digestible for your fish.
• To use a filter, you have to be careful it will not blow the sand away

And the list goes on.

Gravels

No matter what, I will always be biased towards gravel and also recommend that you have these instead of sand.

Benefits of Gravels

• Provides stability for plant roots and prevents them from being uprooted.
• Offers good aeration and water circulation, beneficial for plant roots.
• Comes in various sizes and colors, offering aesthetic options.
• Easier to vacuum with standard techniques.
• May not require as much maintenance as sand.

Difficulties with Gravels

• Less natural appearance compared to sand.
• Can be more difficult to plant delicate-rooted species.
• Debris may accumulate between gravel particles.

Which One Is Best?

If you have read all of these, you can figure out which one is best for you. And also, without any biasness, I can tell you it depends on the person. You need to experience what’s best for you; you can have variations that may differ from the views of others.

If I had to choose one, I would choose gravel with an under gravel filter, my all-time favorite from the very beginning of this hobby. In my experience, finer gravel is nice. When you clean the tank with the siphon, you don’t suck down a bunch of sand.

You can choose both sand and gravel at the same time, but it doesn’t make any sense. The sand will sink down to the bottom, and the benefits of its appearance will hold no value.

But it truly depends on your tank inhabitants. Some creatures don’t do well with gravel/sand. The more you experience practically, the more the fish will react, which is best for you. Although these are all experienced information that I haven’t felt gone negative.