What Sand/base For Cichlids?

[bullit]

I use coral sand in mine. cheers

 

[calversbuyuk]

CJH- there's nothing wrong with using sand but for me I would most likely have to use additives to keep my water stable and the pH up. Quite a few keepers use sand and have to use additives every water change. I chose to use Aragonite and not add anything. You are lucky that you have good water for them out of the tap.
 
 
calvers- that's quite a bit more than I paid here in the states so I don't blame you. I didn't see a link to the test kit but you want one that tests for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH at least. And yes it is the same pool filter sand.

Im going to have a look for a full kit cheers
 

 
That is exactly what I use and no, the sand does not get sucked up the filter. i washed it down in a bucket, drained it, put it in my tank before I even put water in it, put my decor in, then took a 2 qt pail and poured my water onto the top of my decor so it wasn't dumped directly onto the sand as not to stir it up. When I got the tank 3/4 way full, switched on the filter and continued to fill the tank.
 

Ah ok nice, do you have an internal or external filter and does it sit near the sand?
Allright thanks ill do that if I buy it cheers. Wonder how much ill need for a 4 foot tank with a depth of 40cm any ideas?
 

I use coral sand in mine. cheers

Thanks, had a look and its not cheap... im on a tight budget at the moment, looking to buy a new external filter as well so a bit tight

 

[bullit]

Ive just always managed to get it through swaps etc. You might be able to able find some used local to you. cheers

 

[calversbuyuk]

Ohhh ill have a look and see at some point but thinking I might buy some pool filter sand and see how that goes. Is it best to be fine or not fine as in the grains of sand?

 

[calversbuyuk]

Ok so today I have taken the ship out, sucked a lot of the poo and cr*p out and flattened out all the sand.
I managed to get my external filter going again it was blocked up in the tubes so that's why it didn't work, I have now placed the wavemaker on the left side of the tank and my 2 filters (internal and external both now working ones black and ones blue as you can just see) on the right side of the tank WITHOUT the spray bars both facing towards the wavemaker, this will hopefully make the current meet in the middle, go down to the bottom and along the tanks but the current would be a lot slower
I have also placed my slate rocks under both filters/pipe so that its harder for it to suck up the sand if that makes sense, you can see this on the photos.
Pictures arnt great as the sand is still settling but you get the idea. I have also put the wavemaker on 24/7 now so ill see how it goes over the next few days ------- pics

 

[snazy]

the spray bars both facing towards the wavemaker, this will hopefully make the current meet in the middle, go down to the bottom and along the tanks but the current would be a lot slower
 

 
Not sure what you want to achieve, but this will basically kill the flow altogether.
You need the flow to circulate from one side to the other, hitting the glass at the opposite side, which causes it to bounce backwards and travel back along the substrate in the direction of the outlets. That means all outlets pointing in one direction, the intakes either at both sides, or the same side of the outlets.
This way you'll have cleaner tank. If you want less flow, then don't use the wavemaker or reduce the filter flow if you can.
 
If the filters have spraybars, then best is along the backside of the tank, facing the front glass, causing a bit of surface movement.

 

[calversbuyuk]

Ok so should I use both spray bars?
 
So what do you suggest doing have the filters and wavemaker facing the same direction?
 
I did originally have the spray bars on facing the front glass and the wave maker next to the filter facing the left side of the tank which didn't really work as there was mounds of sand everywhere

 

[snazy]

Yes, all outputs should be facing the same way. Otherwise it's counterproductive.

 

[calversbuyuk]

Yes, all outputs should be facing the same way. Otherwise it's counterproductive.

Oh riht ok ill try and change it around then cheers

 

[CJH0825]

 

CJH- there's nothing wrong with using sand but for me I would most likely have to use additives to keep my water stable and the pH up. Quite a few keepers use sand and have to use additives every water change. I chose to use Aragonite and not add anything. You are lucky that you have good water for them out of the tap.
 
 
calvers- that's quite a bit more than I paid here in the states so I don't blame you. I didn't see a link to the test kit but you want one that tests for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH at least. And yes it is the same pool filter sand.

Im going to have a look for a full kit cheers

 

 
That is exactly what I use and no, the sand does not get sucked up the filter. i washed it down in a bucket, drained it, put it in my tank before I even put water in it, put my decor in, then took a 2 qt pail and poured my water onto the top of my decor so it wasn't dumped directly onto the sand as not to stir it up. When I got the tank 3/4 way full, switched on the filter and continued to fill the tank.
 

Ah ok nice, do you have an internal or external filter and does it sit near the sand?
Allright thanks ill do that if I buy it cheers. Wonder how much ill need for a 4 foot tank with a depth of 40cm any ideas?
 

I use coral sand in mine. cheers

Thanks, had a look and its not cheap... im on a tight budget at the moment, looking to buy a new external filter as well so a bit tight

 

I have 4 internal filters running ( Whisper 3070fs, AquaClear 50 and 2 corner filters ). The intake for my whisper and aquaclear sits apprx 3 inches from the bottom of the tank. My 2 corner filters have a small base that snaps on the bottom that came with them and the base sits on top of the sand. Nothing ever gets sucked up though the filters. The pool filter sand usually comes in 50 lbs bags and I got it for 14$. I didn't even use a quarter of the bag. I put regular rock substrate down then put 2 inches of pool filter sand on the top. My Kribensis tank ( 20 gallon in my signature ) I used only pool filter sand and put 3 inches in. In that tank I have a Whisper ex20 and a corner filter running and have never had any issues with it.

 

[calversbuyuk]

 

 


CJH- there's nothing wrong with using sand but for me I would most likely have to use additives to keep my water stable and the pH up. Quite a few keepers use sand and have to use additives every water change. I chose to use Aragonite and not add anything. You are lucky that you have good water for them out of the tap.
 
 
calvers- that's quite a bit more than I paid here in the states so I don't blame you. I didn't see a link to the test kit but you want one that tests for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH at least. And yes it is the same pool filter sand.

Im going to have a look for a full kit cheers

 

 
That is exactly what I use and no, the sand does not get sucked up the filter. i washed it down in a bucket, drained it, put it in my tank before I even put water in it, put my decor in, then took a 2 qt pail and poured my water onto the top of my decor so it wasn't dumped directly onto the sand as not to stir it up. When I got the tank 3/4 way full, switched on the filter and continued to fill the tank.
 

Ah ok nice, do you have an internal or external filter and does it sit near the sand?
Allright thanks ill do that if I buy it cheers. Wonder how much ill need for a 4 foot tank with a depth of 40cm any ideas?
 

I use coral sand in mine. cheers

Thanks, had a look and its not cheap... im on a tight budget at the moment, looking to buy a new external filter as well so a bit tight

 

I have 4 internal filters running ( Whisper 3070fs, AquaClear 50 and 2 corner filters ). The intake for my whisper and aquaclear sits apprx 3 inches from the bottom of the tank. My 2 corner filters have a small base that snaps on the bottom that came with them and the base sits on top of the sand. Nothing ever gets sucked up though the filters. The pool filter sand usually comes in 50 lbs bags and I got it for 14$. I didn't even use a quarter of the bag. I put regular rock substrate down then put 2 inches of pool filter sand on the top. My Kribensis tank ( 20 gallon in my signature ) I used only pool filter sand and put 3 inches in. In that tank I have a Whisper ex20 and a corner filter running and have never had any issues with it.
 


Perfect just what i need a confirmation on it! Thank you will most likely be buying some shortly can i ask why you have 4 filters? how big is the tank

 

[CJH0825]

 

 


 


CJH- there's nothing wrong with using sand but for me I would most likely have to use additives to keep my water stable and the pH up. Quite a few keepers use sand and have to use additives every water change. I chose to use Aragonite and not add anything. You are lucky that you have good water for them out of the tap.
 
 
calvers- that's quite a bit more than I paid here in the states so I don't blame you. I didn't see a link to the test kit but you want one that tests for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH at least. And yes it is the same pool filter sand.

Im going to have a look for a full kit cheers

 

 
That is exactly what I use and no, the sand does not get sucked up the filter. i washed it down in a bucket, drained it, put it in my tank before I even put water in it, put my decor in, then took a 2 qt pail and poured my water onto the top of my decor so it wasn't dumped directly onto the sand as not to stir it up. When I got the tank 3/4 way full, switched on the filter and continued to fill the tank.
 

Ah ok nice, do you have an internal or external filter and does it sit near the sand?
Allright thanks ill do that if I buy it cheers. Wonder how much ill need for a 4 foot tank with a depth of 40cm any ideas?
 

I use coral sand in mine. cheers

Thanks, had a look and its not cheap... im on a tight budget at the moment, looking to buy a new external filter as well so a bit tight

 

I have 4 internal filters running ( Whisper 3070fs, AquaClear 50 and 2 corner filters ). The intake for my whisper and aquaclear sits apprx 3 inches from the bottom of the tank. My 2 corner filters have a small base that snaps on the bottom that came with them and the base sits on top of the sand. Nothing ever gets sucked up though the filters. The pool filter sand usually comes in 50 lbs bags and I got it for 14$. I didn't even use a quarter of the bag. I put regular rock substrate down then put 2 inches of pool filter sand on the top. My Kribensis tank ( 20 gallon in my signature ) I used only pool filter sand and put 3 inches in. In that tank I have a Whisper ex20 and a corner filter running and have never had any issues with it.
 


Perfect just what i need a confirmation on it! Thank you will most likely be buying some shortly

can i ask why you have 4 filters? how big is the tank
 


It's a 55 gallon tank. the corner filters only keep the water circulated on the bottom level. Anything that the regular filters don't pick up, the corner filters will.

 

[calversbuyuk]

Ohh nice must have a clean tank then!!

 

[CJH0825]

It's not too shabby! I do 50% water changes on it every 3 days and usually on Saturdays i do a 75% water change when I do the vacuum.

 

[calversbuyuk]

WOW oh my I couldn't find time to do that!!!!
 
I do a 20% change every 2 weeks!!!