Play Sand Versus "special African Cichlid Sand"

[Lisa67]

I had planned to use play sand in my tank (no fish yet, still cycling) but when I went to the pet store tonight I saw that they sell sand especially for African cichlids. The claim is that it keeps the PH up, improves fish color, etc. I had not been worried about my PH because it has been >8 since I started testing it 6 weeks ago... but over the past few days it has dropped to around 7. I have been assured by some on this forum that the drop is a normal part of the cycling process.. STILL when I saw this sand I couldn't stop myself from buying 2 bags at $28 each. I knew I needed 3 bags so I ran to Home Depot and picked up play sand ($3.99)... Now that I'm home I'm wondering if I was crazy to spend this money. I have very hard water and the PH will probally come back up on it's own (hopefully). Is there any benefit to my $56 sand? I can still return it. Or I can return one bag and mix one bag with the 50lbs of play sand.

 

[clay]

well sometimes it all based on what you want. play sand can sometimes look better in an aquarium. but the specialty sand could keep your ph in check but i dont see how it could make your fishes color change unless the color of the sand is just ivory white. what brand is it.

 

[Tauempire]

I have always just used coral sand looks good works for PH.

 

[kiriyama]

I have used the Caribsea african cichlid sand, it claims to buffer the pH and also have beneficial bacteria, i.e. no cycling required, I just like it because of the black and white speckles though, just aesthetics...... it does get a positive write up from some folks

 

[§tudz]

The coral sand is better used IF you have one of two things:
- Wild Malawi's/Tanganyika's etc
- Soft water, and your PH is not stable

I have normal play sand in my Malawi tank and also in my Tanganyika tanks too. My water maintains its PH, which is around 7.4 so I don't need to buffer my water.
If you are keeping wilds I have been advised by a member of the North Wales Aquarists Society who specialises in Malawi's that coral sand is the best thing to use, unless your water is naturally hard.

My Malawi's are only young, only picked them up last week
But I have had Neolamprologus brichardi in a tank with 'normal' tap water (Unbuffered) and play sand, with a large selection of river stones, and they are quite happy and spawning like rabbits (but not as furry)

As said above sometimes its down to your aesthetic tastes, but on one last note, substrate colour CAN and will effect some fishes colour. Dark substrates tend to make fish feel more settled and their colours darken where as with lighter substrate some fish do tend to become paler. This is possibly a defensive thing as its harder to see a pale fish on light substrate and harder to see a darker fish on dark substrate.

Hope this helps, and $28 a bag, is you clean the substrate and suck some out of the tank, that's just like putting your money down the drain IMO

I have play sand in nearly all my tanks, the only tanks that dont have sand or no substrate are my rainbow snakehead tanks, which had dark gravel, which was purchased because I liked the look of it.