Help With Substrate In Mbuna Tank.

[fishlover500]

I have medium size pieces of lava rock for my substrate in my mbuna aqaurium.

I also have a siphon to clean the gravel in my other tanks. Although my siphon doesn't fit around the lava rock.

How should I clean the lava rock? Even if i did get a siphon that was bigger it still wouldn't work well.


Also I know that that lake malawi mbuna cichlids are high waste fish. So how often should I clean the substrate?

My guess is once a month right now but when it's fully stocked twice a month?

I was also thinking about sand for the tank. How would I clean sand? Are there any other substrates that would work well?

Crushed Coral maybe?

 

[kj23502]

That's why it's best to stack the rock in the middle of the tank. So you can clean the edges easier. For sand just hold the siphon hose right above the sand and it'll pick up the junk. It takes pratice and for awhile you'll probably get a bit of sand sucked up too. It drives me crazy when I suck up my sand. I siphon the bottom twice a month and I only have half the fish that could be in there.

 

[fishlover500]

No, I didn't stack it, I used it as substrate. Then i had bigger lava rock that i stacked. The little stuff covering the bottom of the tank is the problem.

I might tank it out and go with sand anyways.

 

[kj23502]

I used the Eco complete Cichlid Substrate.

 

[fishlover500]

Price range to cover a 48" by 16" bottom?

 

[kj23502]

I don't know where you live or how they price. But if I remember right I used 3 20lb bags for my 60"x18" tank.

I would think 2 should be good for ya.

 

[fishlover500]

I bought sand meant for like sandbox's and stuff. I took out half of the lava rock pieces and put sand in that half. I am just trying it out.

Sorry, I didn't listen. I thought Hmmm, I could listen to kj and pay $50 or go buy sand for $5.

Well I hope it works

 

[kj23502]

That's alright. There are a fair amount of people that go the cheap way and others that go the other way b/c of the look/buffering capacity. It all comes down to personal taste and what you're willing to spend.