Gravel, crushed coral or any sand?

[Fire Dragon]

Here a simple question: for the bottom of the aquarium, what are you using? Gravel, crushed coral or any other sand? A melting pot of gravel and sand? etc.... :?:

[ILLUSN]

i use gravel or sand. crushed coral will send your ph up too high (been there tried that)

[Merrilyn]

Discus like a fine gravel or sand. If you watch discus feeding, they like to blow into the sand and pick up any small particles of food they may have disturbed. It's not an ideal medium for plants, but you can overcome that by keeping your plants in pots of good soil, and burying them under the sand.

[anti-generic]

look for a good silica based pool filter sand. much much cheaper than stuff you get at an LFS and next to zero affect on water parameters

[Fire Dragon]

Thank you :)
So a mix of sand and gravel should be ok? Sand looks better than gravel (just my opinion). Meanwhile, can I use any sand from any hardware shop or must I use a particular sand?
Thanks again, that's great to get answers, cause at my very beginner level, you've got a ton of (sometimes stupid) questions :? 8-)

[scuba123cliff]

There is no such thing as a stupid question only a lack of answers if they are not asked.If you never ask you never know.

Cliff

[Fire Dragon]

Thanks Cliff :)

[ILLUSN]

if you use sand from a hardware store make sure its silics (quartz) based, alot of sand comes from beaches and will leach carbonates and salt into your water.