New Member & Newbie To The Hobby

[Wills]

Great to hear your interested in Cichlids First thing you need to know is its basically split in half between new worlds and old worlds - generally African Cichlids are Old World and Americans are New Worlds. Its the New Worlds you want to look at But a few of what are called Riverine Africans are suitable like Kribensis but there are only a hand full of them.
 
Depending on what you want to keep in the way of bottom dwellers and schoolers etc. But some easy going ones to look at would be any of the dwarfs, Apistogrammas, Laetacara, Checkerboards, Cupids, Nannacara. Or going a little larger a group of Guianacaras are always nice as Blondie said Keyholes are a nice mid sized one. Or you could go for a group of single males which will reduce the issues with breeding aggression with things like Firemouths, Blue Acaras, Eliioti, Threadfin Acara, Sajica, Cutteri, maybe a Jack Dempsey but depends on what you want to keep. 
 
I would always go for sand - well washed sand is not an issue really, I have used play sand before but now I think I would always go for fish specific sand no reasons but you cant always guarantee that non aquatic stuff wont have "stuff" added to it between recomending it and someone buying it....
 
Wills

 

[webbo87]

Morning Wills, may sound silly but is there any specific bottom dwellers who wouldnt mind gravel to sand as much as say the corys ? At the moment im swaying towards the sand a lot just been a newbie to the hobby i dont want any problems with water or the filter because of the sand to start with haha

 

[Mamashack]

You could always add a floss layer to your filter, once the sand has settled, to polish the water - have never needed to do it so someone else might be better able to advise on that.

 

[kad191]

I've got a fluval 306, so far no problem

 

[eaglesaquarium]

The problems with sand are generally being circulated by people who have never used it.  If it is properly washed (to remove the stuff that would float around in the water column) you remove the stuff that would get up into the filter.
 
Wills offered a good word of caution with play sand.  Its not necessarily as "clean" (meaning no unwanted additives) as the aquarium specific stuff.
 
 
I've got sand in both my tanks.  I love it, and so do my cories - which is why I love it.    You do need to be more thorough in your vacuuming though.  The detritus will sit on the top and be unsightly, if you don't suck it up.  With gravel it will sink into the gravel and be out of sight.  But that doesn't mean its gone.  You'll still need to suck it out, but it will be harder to see and ensure that you got it.
 
 
 
Gravel and sand each have their advantages and disadvantages.

 

[webbo87]

As a newbie which would you punt for gravel (if so what size grain is best) or sand ? Really cant make up mind !!

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I'd go sand, newbie or not.

 

[cpwebsite]

I'd go with standard size gravel as I find it to be lower work. However, sand doesn't take much more work and looks a lot better in my opinion. If I had known when I was starting my aquarium, I would have definitely gone with sand.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I'd go with standard size gravel as I find it to be lower work. However, sand doesn't take much more work and looks a lot better in my opinion. If I had known when I was starting my aquarium, I would have definitely gone with sand.

 
I'm confused, which one you are actually suggesting.

 

[cpwebsite]

I'd go with standard size gravel as I find it to be lower work. However, sand doesn't take much more work and looks a lot better in my opinion. If I had known when I was starting my aquarium, I would have definitely gone with sand.

 
I'm confused, which one you are actually suggesting.

 
Lol sorry for the confusion. I would go with sand, because yes it's a little bit extra effort, but when you get the final look it looks so much nicer .

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Thanks for clearing it up. Much more helpful that way.