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hello im just starting a new 20 gallon is undergravel filter and a regular filter the tankwill consist of livebearers and cory cats... and I want to breed the livebearers.. i am wondering whoch substrate I should use I would like to use both but i fear the undergravel filter will suck them up since natural instincts tells them to go to the ground for protection

plz answer quickly for I need to know fast thank you

The first thing to toss the undergravel filter. They're peices of junk. They get clogged in the first 3 months and just trap detrius which can turn toxic. As far as the substrate. Go with one or the other. If you use both the sand will eventually end up on the bottom and then become compacted which is bad. For the cories the sand would probably be the best since they can move it around easier and find food easier. Its basically up to you. Also if you do decide to use the undergravel filter you would have to go with gravel.

well, if u want to get into breedingu should have a tank set-up for the females to drop the babies, i would use sand, b/c gravel can be dangerous for fry, if u aren't going to have that tank set-up for breeding, i dont think that sand will work with an UGF, so

in my betta breeding tank i have sand and gravel its alot of sand, to a little gravel, i also have leaves on the bottom for the natural look, and for young to hide when theyr older (also lowers ph) but, if u r gunna use a ugf, either go with realy small gravel, or gravel, it all depends on the little holes i guess ( the "small gravel im refering to is pool filter sand sold at walmart, looks great)

I really like sand and wish I had it all my tanks I find it easy to keep clean and the plants do very well in it which helps give the babies some where to hide.

when I do my tanks some where in the sand I make a kind of dip and all the rubbish collects there and when you do a water change you can just suck it out easy as!

occasionally I will stir things up and make sure nothing is going black but because (as much as I dislike them) i have malaysian trumpet snails they do a VERY good job of keeping the sand clean and "working"

GFG

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switchbladeclownloach

Go for a fine natural coloured 2-3mm gravel.

As for underground filters I have been using them comtinually for at least 25+ years and never a problem.

The only reason I pulled the last one down was the tank cracked I think it had been set up for at least 7 years.

I would not run one if I think it would harm any of my fish considering what I have in the tank.

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Keith

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