i am currently waiting for the 120 gallon tank i just ordered to arrive in houston. i want to use sand instead of gravel this time around. how much sand would be necessary? is less better... or more?
are there any benefits using sand as opposed to gravel?
i was planning to use a second marineland emperor 400 filter in addition to the one currently in use on my 60 gallon. will this be sufficient? it will more than likely be replaced in the long run as i have actually found a hobby i enjoy, and cannot stop buying aquaria related swag.
and please feel free to add any other advice on setting up a new tank...
thanks:)

as to quantity, it will be on the owners preference. same is true
with the sand or gravel. the only disadvantage of sand is the possibility
of being sucked in the intake line if not properly distanced.

there are a lots of discussion about this topic in the "tank" forum.
please try to scroll or surf some topics over there

the debate between sand and gravel is one that i wont get into here. personally i use sand in all my tanks except for one. i find it easier to clean and more asthetically appealing to the eye. as for how much sand to use that is up to your discretion. i use about 2 inches in the bottom of my tanks. the main benefit ot sand is that all the dirt stays on top so it is easier to see and remove.

as for your filtration i would recommend that you steer away from a hob filter and go to a canister instead. eheim and fluval make a quality filters in various sizes to meet your filtration needs. you should look to something that is rated for a tank twice the size you have(your tank is going to be 120 gallons so therefore look for something that is rated for 240 gallons). in the long run it is less expensive to get what you need from the start rather than upgrading all the time.


just my opinion

thanks necromancer,
sorry paul, not trying to clog up the boards

necromancer4 wrote:


your not kidding

Sand every time with me. Anyone who's ever had gravel will know that it that gets filthy very quickly. This does not happen with sand. The only disadvantage if you can call it that is dirt is more obvious when using sand because it sits on top and doesn't get buried like with gravel

OFL wrote:


doesnt sound like a disadvantage to me

i would buy a canister filter or a wet dry filter

LG0815 wrote:


I would avoid wet dry filters when keeping Oscars, unless you're using a wet dry sump filter. The problem with some of the commercially available wet dry filters such as the Eheim 2329 if they are really made for marine tanks where fish are not anywhere near as dirty as Oscars. As soon as the media starts becoming clogged, the whole mechanism slows up and the filter takes longer and longer to fill and then empty. I had two of them running on my tank and in the end I got so fed up with it I'd change them for two Eheim 2028 canister filters. When I go to the trouble of installing two canister filters, I don't want to have to be cleaning them every two weeks, you would have to do that with some of the wet dry canister filters.

Thor84 wrote:


It is if you've got a large plec. The tank will be filthy before you put the water back in after a water change. I have had a few plecs over the years and you end up with what can only be described as long brown shoelaces covering the bottom of the tank, that would stand out a mile on white sand and look terrible.

srry but i should have clearifyed it i ment wet dry sump

crap (literally i guess). i have a sailfin/ leapord pleco, very small at the moment. do these get as large as the common plecos?