Help With My Tank Layout?

[Akasha72]

no, if you wash your new sand really really well before hand and have it ready in containers all you need do is move your fish into another container - with a lid I wouldn't wish on anyone what's just happened to me (favourite fish jumped from an uncovered tank and I didn't see and now she's dead) then scoop out your old substrate - I find a net is the easiest way - dump it into containers then put your new substrate straight in. Do a decent sized water change to clear things up a bit and then set the filters going. Things should be clear enough for the fish to go back within the day. 
 
Tank might be a bit cloudy for a few days whilst things settle down and it's worth keeping a close eye on the water stats too for a good week just to be sure you've not started a mini cycle but it's all do-able 

 

[Hadexicon]

no, if you wash your new sand really really well before hand and have it ready in containers all you need do is move your fish into another container - with a lid I wouldn't wish on anyone what's just happened to me (favourite fish jumped from an uncovered tank and I didn't see and now she's dead) then scoop out your old substrate - I find a net is the easiest way - dump it into containers then put your new substrate straight in. Do a decent sized water change to clear things up a bit and then set the filters going. Things should be clear enough for the fish to go back within the day. 
 
Tank might be a bit cloudy for a few days whilst things settle down and it's worth keeping a close eye on the water stats too for a good week just to be sure you've not started a mini cycle but it's all do-able 

Update on the sand, the play sand here is only available in 200 lb bags and cots 56 dollars and nowhere to find pool sand, any suggestions? Shall I just travel to a bigger town to get my needed items?

 

[Vethian]

wow??!!  home depot or lowes will sell 50 pound bags for 3-4 bucks.  thats 200 pounds for 16 bucks at most.  way too much.  google your town and pool supplier.  pool suppliers should have the pool sand.

 

[Hadexicon]

wow??!!  home depot or lowes will sell 50 pound bags for 3-4 bucks.  thats 200 pounds for 16 bucks at most.  way too much.  google your town and pool supplier.  pool suppliers should have the pool sand.

I'm don't have any pool supply stores here, too small of a town

 

[squidneh]

I got my pool filter sand at walmart, if that helps. If there is one near you but they don't carry it, you can ask them to ship it to the store, which they will do for free. It was 8 dollars for a 50 pound bag, which gave me a little more than an inch over my 75 gallon

 

[Hadexicon]

I got my pool filter sand at walmart, if that helps. If there is one near you but they don't carry it, you can ask them to ship it to the store, which they will do for free. It was 8 dollars for a 50 pound bag, which gave me a little more than an inch over my 75 gallon

Thanks squid they had it I have it in my tank, I cured some drift wood and I'm setting up the tank, my live plant, it's in a black pot should I tank it out?

 

[squidneh]

No problem.  As for the pot, most people use the clay ones.  Any pot that has paint etc could leach toxins into the water over time.  You can find these at walmart as well or any sort of home depot-ish store

 

[Hadexicon]

Hey here is the finished product

http/postimg.org/gallery/hwxdvfwo/

 

[Akasha72]

looks a millions times better already
 
Are you happy with it?

 

[Hadexicon]

looks a millions times better already
 
Are you happy with it?

Not completely happy, I think it's just that cichlids aren't my type of fish, is there anything you see that you would change?

looks a millions times better already
 
Are you happy with it?

Not completely happy, I think it's just that cichlids aren't my type of fish, is there anything you see that you would change?
That double post was strange o-o

 

[Akasha72]

your tank, your choice of lay out, fish, plants etc. 

 

[Hadexicon]

your tank, your choice of lay out, fish, plants etc.

Sounds good to me then

 

[Akasha72]

what I mean is ...somethings you have to choose for yourself. I try not to get involved in stocking ideas because it's something we all have to decide upon for ourselves

 

[DanTheFishMan11]

I'm sorry to be "that guy" but can I ask what size the tank is and future plans for the Oscar?

 

[Baccus]

I know oscars can (and often will) play merry hell with live plants, but I am wondering if you put in bulk numbers of plants all at once, if that might curb an oscars natural destructive tendancies. Also try to use plants that apparently taste horrid, like Java fern or tough leaves like already suggested Anubis.
I know on places like Ebay you can often get good bulk deals on some of the more common plants for tanks and not have to pay the inflated prices of shops. And the bonus is the plants are delivered to your door.
If you do decide to get some live plants make sure they are true aquatic plants, many shops (and some private sellers) sell common garden plants as aquarium plants which are almost certain to fail terribly in a tank.