Who Gives A Fish Forums

My natuflake quartz color sand has been looking pretty meh lately - the top layer always seems to have a brownish tint, almost like it's dirty, despite my weekly vacuums. Flipping the sand over is the only way to get it looking decent again, so I'm thinking of making a change.

For those who've had both black and white quartz substrate, which one looked sharper to you? I've got large driftwood and a bunch of green plants, plus a community of tetras and Corys.

Other than the obvious - poop being more visible on white sand - what are the pros and cons of each in your experience? Just looking for personal opinions.

I've found that using a gravel cleaner during water changes makes a huge difference - just push it into the gravel and it'll mix everything up, getting rid of the gunk that's accumulating on top.

Avoid using sharp or pointy gravel if you've got bottom dwellers like Corys, trust me on that one.

If you're looking for a change, I'd recommend checking out natuflake brown gravel - it's a game-changer.

Every substrate develops a duller appearance over time due to the formation of biofilm on each grain, which attracts algae and microscopic particles. When you bring lower grains to the surface, they appear noticeably brighter. I've observed the same with river rocks - after months, they seem like a different type of rock when turned over.

Detritus can be visible on any solid-colour substrate. That's why I prefer mix-tone substrates like dark grey play sand with black, grey, white, and brown grains. With these, I never notice any detritus.

Regarding your question about white sand versus dark, I think it's worth noting that fish don't appreciate white sand. It's unnatural, and some may be stressed by it. They won't display their full colouration either. None of the aquarium fish we keep occur over a white substrate in the wild. While darker is generally better, it doesn't necessarily mean black. I use dark grey play sand or a similar fine gravel, and I've found it's better for the fish. When I moved a tank of characins and cories to a darker substrate, the difference in their colouration was very noticeable - and not just initially, but long-term as well. The panda cories changed from a light buff colour to a much darker one that remained so.

It's no surprise that reliable sources often recommend "dark substrate" in aquascaping guidelines. It really does make a difference to the fish.