Would you say this crushed coral is too big/sharp for mbuna?

[Daven]

I bought 45lbs on amazon to mix in with my pool filter sand to help buffer the water a bit. But i wasnt expecting it to be this large, and it seems like it could be sharp. It is Caribsea crushed coral and argonite. Thoughts?

 

[ImACoolguy]

Not sure but if your just using it as a buffer get a big bag of it and shove it in the filter. Same purpose but never touches the fish.


Caleb

 

[Daven]

Not sure but if your just using it as a buffer get a big bag of it and shove it in the filter. Same purpose but never touches the fish.


Caleb

I thought about doing that, but i doubt it would have the same bio-capacity as bioballs and etc and i wasnt sure if such a small amount would make the difference. I run two AC110s

 

[coralbandit]

Tank size?

 

[Daven]

Tank size?

75 gallon 48x18 footprint

 

[Tbox]

I had a bag similar to that and used all the shell pieces. A couple pounds mixed with this offwhite substrate.

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[Daven]

I had a bag similar to that and used all the shell pieces. A couple pounds mixed with this offwhite substrate.

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Do they still dig around in it, and has it caused any damage? My Acei specifically like to dive in and sift through the sand at night time and i wouldnt want to mess with it too much. But i thought the buffering could help things. The crushed coral would need flow around it to make a difference, right? I couldnt just bury it underneath the sand? Im not worried about aesthetics.

 

[Tbox]

From my experience Mbuna have mouths built like a pit bull doggy. They are smart ill tempered digging machines. Pitbulls are big softies. Some just have terrible owners. The CC will be fine with them. It will also help harden the water mixed in with sand.


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[Daven]

From my experience Mbuna have mouths built like a pit bull doggy. They are smart ill tempered digging machines. Pitbulls are big softies. Some just have terrible owners. The CC will be fine with them. It will also help harden the water mixed in with sand.


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I think im going to try a mix with mostly PFS in there and see if it helps any. Ill keep a bit aside to put in filter bags that i ordered so i also have some for in there as well. Hopefully it turns out ok and buffers it a bit

 

[Tbox]

IMO, always incorporate natural hardening or softening agents into your scape depending on the fish you keep.
Yeah, mess around with mix ideas. Try some different grit sizes and colors. Mixem up in a small sample bowl with water before going all in.

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[Daven]

IMO, always incorporate natural hardening are softening agents into your scape depending on the fish you keep.
Yeah, mess around with mix ideas. Try some different grit sizes and colors. Mixem up in a small sample bowl with water before going all in.

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Yeah ill do a quick mix beforehand. I think there will be more sand then CC anyways, so it shouldnt be too bad for them. Maybe it wont buffer as much as all CC, but it should at least help. My waters not horrid for them as it is (seems to test 7.5ish with my liquid kit but most say 7.8 from the tap here), but if i can make it a bit better for them then im definitely up for that.

 

[Daven]

Ok so this seems to be around the mixtures that id be working with. This is with it evenly mixed in a tupperware container. I wish it would have at least been a smoother substrate. Thoughts?

 

[Tbox]

I like the look of crushed coral mix. It is ultimately up to what you're visualizing for the tank.
Looks like a darker gray playground sand? You could add a couple more types, like white pool filter sand to play off the CC weathering.
The substrate in the pic I posted is a "African cichlid mix" with additional CC.
You can see how 1 Mbuna can totally redecorate a 29g after a pwc.
They don't just use their mouths to move substrate, they'll do powerful tail whips to clear an area too.

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[Tbox]

I found the bag.

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[Daven]

I like the look of crushed coral mix. It is ultimately up to what you're visualizing for the tank.
Looks like a darker gray playground sand? You could add a couple more types, like white pool filter sand to play off the CC weathering.
The substrate in the pic I posted is a "African cichlid mix" with additional CC.
You can see how 1 Mbuna can totally redecorate a 29g after a pwc.
They don't just use their mouths to move substrate, they'll do powerful tail whips to clear an area too.

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It is actually alot lighter than it looks in the container. Ill post a pic of my tank as well as it is the white PFS (Pic is before algea blended it together again ). Im not too worried about looks, but i dont know if i want the sharp edges for them to cut themselves on. Its unfortunate as it doesnt look quite like the picture online showed.

 

[Tbox]

It is much whiter than the previous pic, or my eyes are googly.
The Epalzeorhynchos frenatum "rainbow shark" will probably be abused when the Mbuna mature.
What's the entire stock in there?
Looking good! I can see you're steadfast with details


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[Daven]

I actually already rehomed him. In there now I have 1 male ob cobalt blue, 1 male rusty, 1m1f ice blue Greshaki, 1m3f yellow lab, 4 acei (haven't sexed yet but no issues), and 6 real small maingano that will likely be kept 1m3/4f later.


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[TMRC Exotics]

Also realize he was rehomed, but just for the record, I've grown out a rainbow shark with mbuna with no trouble. He is 5 inches now and has plenty bark to be with electric yellows and acei. He was maybe 2 inches when purchased. These guys are tough.

 

[Daven]

Also realize he was rehomed, but just for the record, I've grown out a rainbow shark with mbuna with no trouble. He is 5 inches now and has plenty bark to be with electric yellows and acei. He was maybe 2 inches when purchased. These guys are tough.

I actually rehomed him because i started seeing torn dorsal fins on a couple of my other fish, and he was hard to get food to. He stood his ground well but spent most of his time in his spot, and the mbuna just wouldnt stop trying to nudge their way in lol I thought about trying a smaller one to grow up with them instead of coming in already 4" or so, but it was easier and less troublesome to just keep the same kind of fish Beautiful fish though. Part of me hopes i get to start a more suitable tank for a rainbow or even bala shark in the future. But i better stop thinking that way while i still can lol

 

[Tbox]

Any modifications to the sub yet?

You my friend, will have a boat load of fry one day. Any yet?

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