Cichlid sand.

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fishfool58

Aquarium Advice FINatic
Joined
Jul 10, 2012
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Location
North Carolina
Is there Cichlid Sand, that is all black, or with a tiny amount of white? Less white than what's in the Sahara Sand mix? (weird question I know.. I just feel the black makes the tank look bigger & my fish pop out more) Thanks all.
 
Hey convict I'm in Liverpool.UK :) and its about £100 for 25 kg here man...Andrew McFadden said your tank is Amazing :) I love convict cichlids,great personalities,great parents,great looking :)
 
& is it Cichlid sand? The only ones I saw were sahara sand.. & I knew they had more types.. Is it by caribsea?
 
fishfool58 said:
& is it Cichlid sand? The only ones I saw were sahara sand.. & I knew they had more types.. Is it by caribsea?

Cichlid sand is different then the tahitian moon sand. The Cichlid sand has crushed coral and other stuff to help buffer the pH.

I don't use Cichlid sand.
 
Convict2161 said:
Cichlid sand is different then the tahitian moon sand. The Cichlid sand has crushed coral and other stuff to help buffer the pH.

I don't use Cichlid sand.

My ph is neutral coming out of tap.. So I need the help of it's buffer.. That & I don't have a lot of lace rock yet.. & I don't wanna used chemicals to go about buffering it..
 
Andrew McFadden said:
Most people float a bag or put crushed coral in their filter to buffer it. Don't use the chemicals

Well in my current 75gal, I have moonlight white sand, mixed with a 15lb bag of aragonite.. & the pH is only 7.6-7.8..
 
fishfool58 said:
Well in my current 75gal, I have moonlight white sand, mixed with a 15lb bag of aragonite.. & the pH is only 7.6-7.8..

Just put crushed coral in the filter I think that's what Dino does. I have really hard water coming from my well so I don't need to use it.
 
Convict2161 said:
Yea I do the same. I have a media bag filled with crushed coral stuffed in my AC110.

Lol, I don't have any extra room in my filter(biowheel330) & I have like 15lbs scattered
In the back section of my tank, where the koralia is facing.. Cause it doesn't blow around as easy as the sand.. Just one bag of crushed coral keeps your pH up even with you driftwood?

Edit: actually I may have just came up with a way to make room, my ceramic rings can sit in the bottom of my filter.. Instead of the basket I got them in.. Then I could put more aragonite there in media bags..
 
My pH has been consistent 8.2 from the start. I change the crushed coral out once a month.

I did however use buffer in the beginning no sure if that helped even after probably a thousand water changes lol.

But it stays where it should be, even with all the driftwood.
 
Andrew McFadden said:
What all do you have in the filter?
Imo you maybe able to swap something because the crushed coral will build bacteria on it

I have ceramic rings in the basket, then my carbon& polishing pad.. & idk, I have 15 lbs of aragonite.. Is it not as good as crushed coral? Thought it was the same..
 
Us English must be a little different from use American's :) are water is hard naturally,yet I still use crushed corral sand and ocean rock to make sure my PH is high ? But I'm must admit I'm a novice with keeping African Cichlids :) yet I've always kept fish...If use boss fish keepers help me on my journey,I'd be most appreciated :) Love this site,and all who help each other,it's Amazing :)
 
Dean jones said:
Us English must be a little different from use American's :) are water is hard naturally,yet I still use crushed corral sand and ocean rock to make sure my PH is high ? But I'm must admit I'm a novice with keeping African Cichlids :) yet I've always kept fish...If use boss fish keepers help me on my journey,I'd be most appreciated :) Love this site,and all who help each other,it's Amazing :)

This is my first African Cichlid tank.. & I'm getting another tank.. But I'm having a hard time keeping my pH up in my first one, I have 40lbs of caribsea moonlight sand, & 15-20 lbs of crushed aragonite.. I only have about 7-8 lbs of lace rock.. & my pH still is between 7.6-7.8.. So I wanted to look into Cichlid sand..
 
The "Cichlid Sand" is just aragonite mixed with black sand. As mentioned just go with some black sand and put some arag or crushed coral in the filter. Other cheaper alternatives for black sand are estes, spectraquartz, and 3m colorquartz. They can be found in pool supply or industrial supply places, just takes some calling around. Not sure what's available overseas.
 
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