# what color substrate do you prefer



## Kntry (Dec 26, 2013)

I love Black Diamond blasting sand. It's cheap, natural looking and beautiful. I like the slight shine it has. It's easy to plant in.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

Darker is generally better for many fish. They will show off their colors better. 
I also like a mixed color substrate such as Safe-T-Sorb. It is soft tans and greys that looks really natural. 
I have used black ones, too, that I like: Eco Complete, Soil Master Select Charcoal (not available any more) and Tahitian Moon Sand. They do show the dirt more, though. 
I have also used pool filter sand. The local variety is off white with black specks. Coral sand is a similar off white. The whole tank looks better against a darker substrate- green and red leaves stand out, fish color up better. 
I prefer the blended colors, though.


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## rick dale (Feb 26, 2014)

*substrate*

Thanks kntry , great looking tank. I think I am going with the black diamond.

Bump: Thanks Diana


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## Dantrasy (Sep 9, 2013)

Colour shouldn't really mater. In time it'll all be covered up.


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## foster (Sep 23, 2012)

I like a little darker substrate. I use Carb-Sea Peace River. Very fine gravel
About one step larger than sand.. Great for planting. It holds the plant stems in well.


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## Nuthatch (Jun 18, 2014)

I've started my tank with Floramax, Original color. I post a picture if I wasnt' too tech-challenged to get it from my phone to my laptop...maybe when my 17 year old gets home! LOL


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## Linwood (Jun 19, 2014)

I did one with ecco complete red and yellow/brown gravel. Liked it. Wanted something different and used black diamond blasting sand. Beautiful, worked very well.

However.... as a planted tank ages the black (or white) will show all the organic "stuff", brown diatoms, mostly brown poop, decaying this and that. In a moderately planted tank it's hard to vacuum.

I'm in that area now where I'm thinking I would have been better with browns, like my first. It doesn't show "stuff" that accumulates. AS it gets more heavily planted and the bottom less visible, I may go back to liking black better again.

Someone once told me about boats "remember that brass is green, and teak is grey", pointing out the "normal" not "pristine" colors. 

Well, in that sense, fish tank bottoms are always brown. :confused1:


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## Raymond S. (Dec 29, 2012)

Dantrasy said:


> Colour shouldn't really mater. In time it'll all be covered up.


+1
No actually I don't vacuum the fertilizer off the bottom of my tank.
Just a little of it do I suck up/w the siphon as I change the water each week.


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## Clayman (Jan 7, 2015)

I just want it to look natural. That being said, I've used Ecco complete, floramax, pool filter sand, Carib sea super naturals, and gravel. It's all personal preference and what works best for you. I do want to try black diamond blasting sand in the future.


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## caffeinetherapy (Sep 20, 2014)

I've used both black and white/ivory substrate, and slightly prefer black. It really does make everything pop more.


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## Vancat2 (Jun 23, 2010)

this tank uses Fluorite Black (gravel, not sand)


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## Kalyke (Dec 1, 2014)

I would go for the comfort of the fish, more than the aesthetic beauty of the "garden". I have a few who like to pick up substrate and blow it out of their gills. Black diamond looks nice but is coal slag and to my understanding, fish do not live in coal mines. Stuff like painted rock is also out. I would go with natural sand or natural pond silt. Silt is my vote since most of my fish live in ponds, lakes, rivers or ditches naturally.


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## Knotyoureality (Aug 3, 2012)

Depends on the tank, the light levels, how heavily it'll be planted (or how much substrate is *supposed* to be visible), what plants are used and how the tank is stocked. 


My gold BN pleco looks washed out on a pale substrate but pops against a dark one. The tank gets a lot of sunlight as well--and the dark substrate does a better job of keeping the over-grown, dim jungle look I want than white sand would. Could have gone with the something like red fluorite or a mix of materials--but the snails and shrimp stand out better in the open feeding area when it's a solid color. 

Meanwhile, my 37g has white sand as it helps bounce light around a tank that tends to struggle with light levels in the lower levels, has sterbai cory who are happiest with a nice fine sand, and offers good contrast for viewing my dappled BN pleco and a variety of burrowing snails.


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