What Gravel To Use On A 5FT?

[Mulisha]

Cheers buddy

I think i might use the white gravel as i think it will be fine for the tank

Thanks for everyones help

[endless]

never use black gravel with discus... They will darken or if they are pigeon bloods start peppering. Stick with light colored gravel or white pool sand. I know cause i used to have midnight black gravel and all my discus were really dark. Once i changed to white gravel all their colors started showing

[duck]

never use black gravel with discus... They will darken or if they are pigeon bloods start peppering.

Is this a fact or just what happen to you?
I have also heard that too much lighting does the same.
I have black gravel and find it to be excellent.

[Mulisha]

Hmm we need other peoples inputs that have black gravel and noticed colour loss or peppering ?

I have heard that intense lighting does make peppering show on the fish more.

Also what colour should i paint the back of my tank for the colours of my fish to stand out the most Light Blue, Dark Blue, White, Black etc?

Thanks everyone for your replys...

[duck]

What meant to say is that i have heard lighting can cause peppering,But in my tanks i haven't noticed an increase,I think it's got to do more with the fish more than anything else and what is appealing to your eye's

[Mulisha]

Yeah if u provide some hiding spots so your fish can get out of direct light i think..

[G-1000]

Hi Guys,

In my experience I have found that lights that are left on too long increase peppering, but not lights that are too bright. I say this because I had a 3 foot with a timer and an octagonal without a timer. 1 PB in each amoungst others, both had black gravel and the tank without the timer had more obvious peppering (due to exposure time - since the lights were the same wattage).

G

[Mulisha]

Cheers G

Thanks mate

[oscar]

I recently had discus in a tank with dark gravel. There were pigeon, blue diamond, and yellow melon (all juvenile). The pigeon and melons started peppering, and the blue diamond's bodies were quite dark. Then i changed to pool sand and there was an immediate difference in the BD's and pover time the others have reduced peppering.

I'm caught in the same position as you Mulisha. I've got a new 8 footer arriving tomorrow and i have buckets and buckets of coffs harbour and dark gravels lying around. It'd be nice to get away without the cost of new gravel.

The white pool sand really brightens the whole tank environment up too.

Personally i think dark gravel looks really good, but so does the brilliant white of pool filter sand. Also the fine particles keep food handy for discus and Cory's to graze. The only problems with pool filter sand are that the waste stays on top so it needs to be vac'd all the time (but this also means that it doesn't go down in to the gravel and rot) and if your tank gets sunlight (as one of mine does at this time of year) the algae looks awful and can mat the top layer of sand together.

I guess you've got to weight up your priorities...there is no right or wrong way to go. I really can't make up my mind whether to go white or dark either...tomorrow is crunch day.

Cheers.

[Mulisha]

Hey this might sound very dumb or could be a alright idea what about mixing them both together 50/50?

Just do a experment mix half a bucket of coffs and then the sand see what happens might look alright

I'll take some pics of my tank set up now with the white gravel in there looks good IMO ..