Think I screwed up....again. HELP!

[greyboysix]

OK, so I'm now set on small/dwarf cichlids for my tank. When I went to the LFS today, the guy said that the best substrate for the tank would be crushed coral, and sold me a 40 lb bag of Caribsea Geo-marine crushed coral. Ok, I asked, it says marine on it, but I'm running a freshwater tank, is it still OK? He said that yeah, it definitely was 'cause it would keep the water buffered just the way Cichlids like it. Now, when I get home, stupidly, I start washing the substrate so that I can put it in the tank. THEN I get the bright idea to check on-line and see if I can find anything about using crushed coral in a freshwater tank. Everywhere I look, it says no. Did I get snookered? Is he right? Am I supposed to add this to another substrate? HELP!

 

[JDogg]

OK, so I'm now set on small/dwarf cichlids for my tank. When I went to the LFS today, the guy said that the best substrate for the tank would be crushed coral, and sold me a 40 lb bag of Caribsea Geo-marine crushed coral. Ok, I asked, it says marine on it, but I'm running a freshwater tank, is it still OK? He said that yeah, it definitely was 'cause it would keep the water buffered just the way Cichlids like it. Now, when I get home, stupidly, I start washing the substrate so that I can put it in the tank. THEN I get the bright idea to check on-line and see if I can find anything about using crushed coral in a freshwater tank. Everywhere I look, it says no. Did I get snookered? Is he right? Am I supposed to add this to another substrate? HELP!

crushed coral will be fine if you want Rift Lake Cichlids, but not good, if you are going with South American ones

what species of cichlids were you planing on?

 

[greyboysix]

What species of Cichlids

I was going to go with some Yellow Labs (Labidochromis Caeruleus) and maybe a Pseudotrophus. Would probably be three labs and only one pseudo (as they like killing eachother off), or I might forgo the pseudo and just have four labs. Think it's do-able?

 

[JDogg]

I was going to go with some Yellow Labs (Labidochromis Caeruleus) and maybe a Pseudotrophus. Would probably be three labs and only one pseudo (as they like killing eachother off), or I might forgo the pseudo and just have four labs. Think it's do-able?

i think crushed coral will be fine for labs

 

[greyboysix]

Much Appreciated

It's good to hear that. REALLY good. Thanks!