Suggestions for aquarium substrate

[Vikkram]

Dear Monster fishkeepers,

Today I have built a 240 gallon aquarium (96 L x 24 H x 24 W) I really need suggestions from you on selecting the substrate. I am not going to have a planted tank. Its just a Freshwater fish aquarium (for silver dollars, tinfoil barbs, blood parrot, Oscars, etc). But I would like to know, is there any substrate which acts as a natural filter? Substrate that will break down fish poop and dirts. Kindly suggest me.

Note: I will add canister filter to this tank. But still I would like to know is there any kind of substrate which will do filtration or which will convert bad to good. (Fish poop to some good nutrients)

Please suggest me!

 

[Etan]

Nothing will magically filter poop. All substrate will host a bit of beneficial bacteria though.

 

[duanes]

Any substrate (gravel, sand, etc) will quickly acquire a population of beneficial bacteria that help break down ammonia (especially in Aerobic areas).
But as said above, "no" substrate will filter unless you use one of those ancient under gravel type. And even then, (maybe even more so) you will need to vacuum regularly. The under gravel type suck detritus into the substrate which breaks down into noxious substances like hydrogen sulfide, so unless rigorously cleaned "often". Probably one of the reasons they fell out of favor.
I had the under gravel type in the late 50s or early 60s, and when vacuuming I'd end up disturbing pockets of rotten egg smelling bubbles.

 

[skjl47]

Nothing will magically filter poop

All substrate will host a bit of beneficial bacteria

Hello; Are you aware of the terms "beneficial bacteria" and a "cycled tank"?

 

[Vikkram]

Hi Etan / duanes / skjl47,

Thank you so much for your comments. Can you kindly suggest me the best kind of substrate that fish will love. I am not going to have planted tank.

Kindly suggest me whether I should go with sand / gravel (size?) / aqua clay kind of things. I really wish to give my best that fishes will love. So please suggest me some good option for choosing the natural substrate.

Note: I just went hours back to my LFS near my home (India), the sand looks like some crystal granules - color coated. (Kindly advice me some chemical free substrate that won't affect the fish or change water parameters. Suggest me some natural substrate)

 

[Vikkram]

Hello; Are you aware of the terms "beneficial bacteria" and a "cycled tank"?

Hi Etan / duanes / skjl47,

Thank you so much for your comments. Can you kindly suggest me the best kind of substrate that fish will love. I am not going to have planted tank.

Kindly suggest me whether I should go with sand / gravel (size?) / aqua clay kind of things. I really wish to give my best that fishes will love. So please suggest me some good option for choosing the natural substrate.

Note: I just went hours back to my LFS near my home (India), the sand looks like some crystal granules - color coated. (Kindly advice me some chemical free substrate that won't affect the fish or change water parameters. Suggest me some natural substrate)

 

[skjl47]

Hello; substrate has elements of personal choice. Some like finer sands. I do not. I like gravel of about 2mm to 5mm or so in size.
If you do use fine sand keep in mind hat it may work best if only about 2 cm deep. Also the finer sands can and do get into the impellers of pumps and can wear them out.

Again is your tank "cycled"? This is a much more urgent thing than picking a substrate. Tanks can be run without substrate and a substrate can be added later.

 

[duanes]

I use pool filter sand, its heavy enough to "not" get sucked into filters and ruin them (like play sand can do). I also toss in some pea gravel here and there, nature is hardly ever totally uniform.
And sand allows detritus to sit on top, in plain view.
I like that, because it makes it easy to see what needs to be cleaned out.
I also place return water flow so detritus collects in a certain area in a front corner to make vacuuming out even easier (especially in large tanks).
And for "show" tanks, IMO it looks natural.
Here are a couple shots I took of Riverine substrate in Colombia in the Rio Magdalena system, a few months back.

 

[Etan]

Hello; Are you aware of the terms "beneficial bacteria" and a "cycled tank"?

I don't understand why you quoted me and repeated exactly what I said?

 

[Vikkram]

I don't understand why you quoted me and repeated exactly what I said?

Hi Etan,

Sorry, I am new to Monsterfishkeepers. I might have pasted the same by mistake thanks.