fweed
Members
I know lots of people perfer sand ov er gravel in an african cichlid tank. I wanna know what is the disadvantage of using gravel if there is one. I wanna know for my tank I am setting up tomm.
Lively
Members
gravel is messier (imho) in the long run and if you want to breed and leave fry in the tank for any amount of time, the fry can get stuck. also, sand mimics the natural environment better than gravel, so a lot of people choose it for that reason.
I've used both, like sand best - but I do mix some gravel and med. sized riverstones in with my sand so it looks more like a river bed.
I've used both, like sand best - but I do mix some gravel and med. sized riverstones in with my sand so it looks more like a river bed.
George
CCA Charter Member and person in charge of the we
I don't keep much in the way of Africans. I did though and I would use Aragonite. It buffers the water and will keep it from getting too acid. The Aragonite doesn't do much if you keep the Ph up where it should be because it is the acid in the water that reacts with the Aragonite.
In case Aragonite is unfamiliar, it is a white/gray gravel often use in salwater tanks.
I like sand for most of my tanks but I only have SA and CA fish. For my big guys who like to push it around I use cheap stone from Home Depot/lowe's.
I must say though that rather than get "stuck" in the gravel, I have seen baby fish successfully "hide" in the gravel.
It really depends on what you are keeping and what you like.
George
In case Aragonite is unfamiliar, it is a white/gray gravel often use in salwater tanks.
I like sand for most of my tanks but I only have SA and CA fish. For my big guys who like to push it around I use cheap stone from Home Depot/lowe's.
I must say though that rather than get "stuck" in the gravel, I have seen baby fish successfully "hide" in the gravel.
It really depends on what you are keeping and what you like.
George
dogofwar
CCA Members
I keep a thin layer of mixed sand from Home Depot in most of my tanks. Barely enough to cover the bottom. I find it much easier to keep tanks clean this way.
danger_chicken
Swim Fishy Swim!
sand is easier to keep clean IMO. A little current along the bottom and it blows the poo up into the water column until it's sucked up by the filter.
Lively
Members
Not personal experience on the fry thing - I should have qualified that 
I prefer marine sand over playsand, that's what I have but it is so much more expensive that I settled for playsand.
I prefer marine sand over playsand, that's what I have but it is so much more expensive that I settled for playsand.
George
CCA Charter Member and person in charge of the we
I really can't disagree with you Matt. Clean is nice, but much of the fun of having fish is watching them do what they do. Some of mine have been real diggers and landscape rearrangers. They aren't much fun if you don't give them anything to dig in or rearrange.
No offence to the rift lakers, but if you can't watch them rearrange the gravel they get even MORE boring.
George the trouble maker
Lively
Members
*laughing at George, the trouble maker* but - I have to agree! Mine have provided me with hours of entertainment spitting rocks and sand all over the tank - usually when I've just rearranged and put things back where I like them...
fweed
Members
Yeah I think I am going to go with sand as I do have in all of my other tanks. Just had some left over gravel and thought it would save me some money. But I love watching my guys move the sand all over.
Sonny Disposition
Active Member
Just be careful not to put rocks on top of the substrate. Put the rocks on the bottom of the tank, then add the substrate. Cichlids will often dig under rocks, which might cause them to fall and break the glass.
I like sand too! It looks good and fish can move it around and it has lots more surface area than gravel for a similar volume, so it will sustain a much larger "good Bacteria" culture than gravel. But sand is not all the same. Play sand is rounded edges and great for corys. Cichlids are big and really are probably not affected by sand that has sharp edges, I really do not think cichlids have a problem with any kind of gravel and have not noted problems with cichlids over any kind of substrate.
The real gripe I have with play sand is that it siphons out when you are siphoning out the debris, mulm, fish waste, whatever you call it. But I do like the somewhat more expensive black sand.. See the thread Where can I buy black sand cheap? for a thorough discussion on sand and its negatives and positives and where you can get it.
You can siphon out the junk without siphoning out the black sand.
The real gripe I have with play sand is that it siphons out when you are siphoning out the debris, mulm, fish waste, whatever you call it. But I do like the somewhat more expensive black sand.. See the thread Where can I buy black sand cheap? for a thorough discussion on sand and its negatives and positives and where you can get it.
You can siphon out the junk without siphoning out the black sand.