5/21/2023 0 Comments Sand for goldfish aquarium![]() ![]() It entirely consists of coarsely-crushed coral. It will be messy and horrible.This product for your aquarium is technically not gravel. If you have a serious digger, write off soil. ![]() So ensure your cap is solid and deep enough that the Goldfish won't wreak havoc if they reach soil. It's not how a dirted tank should run, but my plants get the benefits of the soil for their roots and they love the ease of rooting in that lush, soft substrate.īeing bottom feeders, and total pigs, Goldfish will easily pop a cap. I have another dirted goldfish tank with a sand cap, to which I add osmocote and clear up all waste. Sand works as a cap, but no where near as well as gravel. I won't deny it's a total pain and something I only do in one of my tanks as I couldn't bare the thought of giving up dirted tanks! It isn't something I would ever consider for all my tanks though, it's just too much work and to be honest, I don't think it's really worth that pain! I've got dirted Goldfish tanks and with a good, solid cap you can clean and keep everything running smoothly. With waste producers such as Goldfish, the lack of cleaning can cause issues. Letting poop and waste fall through the cracks in the gravel, to rot away and add nutrition to the soil beneath. I use John Innes No.3, which I cycle before use (something else to consider! Many will leach ammonia for a good few weeks).ĭirt works best when you leave it be. I do not, however, think it is a good choice for Goldfish.Įnsure your chosen dirt is aquarium friendly. Regularly rub your fingers through the sand to release and trapped gas before pockets can form or tie a chopstick to the end of the siphon and swirl during water changes. 1.5-2" maximum should avoid this happening, thinner is better. Instead, swirl the siphon (I use plain PVC tubing, no vacuum) an inch or so above the sand and it will suck up the debris sitting on top.ĭeep sand can cause anaerobic pockets to form, which when burst can release toxic fumes which can be detrimental to the fish. ![]() To clean sand, you don't need to dig in with a vacuum like you would with gravel. Any decor is likely to have areas where waste builds up, so regular vacuuming (or using a turkey baster to suck up gunk) is necessary. If you adjust the filter flow, you may be able to set the current so it blows poop into the intake. One of the major perks with sand is that there are no gaps for debris to collect beneath the surface, so everything sits on top where it can be easily vacuumed away or sucked up by the filter intake. I've not seen this happen often, but some play sand has been known to cause a bit of chaos. ![]() We don't want anything too fine - really dusty sand will be tricky to clean, cloud water and get into filters. The last thing we want is a beautiful substrate and no fish as they've been poisoned. This isn't common, but is something to keep your eye on nonetheless.Ĭhoose aquarium safe sand. However, there is a very small risk that fish will swallow the sand and become impacted if the sand does not pass. There's no choking risk, as fish will spit it out, swallow it and poop it out or pass it through their gills (I love watching it fall from their gills through the water!). Beautiful plants mean nothing if they are in a tank of sick fish is things go awry with dirty gravel. Do not forget that it still needs to be kept clean. It allows roots to grow happily and easily between the stones, and the muck that accumulates becomes fantastic fertiliser. You'll be surprised how quickly debris builds up in there, twice weekly vacuums are a good habit to be in, more would be better.įine gravel is good planting medium. If you are to use gravel, keep it super clean. Dirty gravel can cause spikes in parameters and potentially major issues. Poop, food, plant debris and all sorts of yuck gathers in between the gravel so ensuring it is thoroughly vacuumed means less muck will accumulate. In those nooks and crannies live all kinds of grobblies (please excuse my technical language!). The main problem with gravel is those little nooks and crannies between the stones. Not a problem really, but you're bound to end up replacing it as it begins to look old and worn.Ĭlean your gravel thoroughly and often. This may not be a health hazard (unless your gravel is not aquarium friendly), but your gravel will quickly lose its colour and become unsightly. Other gravels may contain many things we don't want our fish near, heavy metals being a major factor.Ĭhoose something that doesn't have a courier which will come off with time. Given the correct size and adequate cleaning, it's still a good option in my opinion.Įnsure the gravel is too small to become lodged in the mouth of your Goldfish. "Don't use gravel" is a common thing I hear with Goldfish. ![]()
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