Changing my tank up.

[RonColle]

I'm thinking about changing my cichlid tank up. Maybe sand with some fake plants and a nice chunk of Texas holey rock. I'm using a aqueon quiet pro 50 in my 30 gallon tank. Would I need to use a different filter for sand? Anyone have a line on some not so expensive rock selection? Thanks in advance!!

 

[OsciTheOscar]

I use HOB and canister filters with tahitian moon sand and have zero issues. You should be fine

 

[RonColle]

Will my filter suck up the sand? Will it hurt it?

 

[nirbhao]

Your filter should be fine with sand. Unless you get sand that says it's already been rinsed, rinse it until the water runs clear.

 

[RonColle]

Ok thanks!

 

[OsciTheOscar]

I always got the sand that comes pre soaked in bags. Once you get the sand to sit, youll be fine. If you run your filters while moving around your sand, you may get a granule in there but its easy to manage as ive done it a few times

 

[omni024]

I'd get a prefilter just to be sure with your hob. my aqueon started getting really loud because my cichlids like to dig and then spit the sand directly into the filter but that also depends on how high your inlet is and if your fish like to root around in the substrate.

 

[RonColle]

I'd get a prefilter just to be sure with your hob. my aqueon started getting really loud because my cichlids like to dig and then spit the sand directly into the filter but that also depends on how high your inlet is and if your fish like to root around in the substrate.

I have a sponge pre filter rigged in my fry tank. It's kinda big and ugly but keeps the fry from getting sucked up in there. I could probably get one for this tank. I haven't really seen them root around in the gravel but I had live plants in there before and had them floating around the tank at times.

 

[omni024]

Yeah it's just a thought I have some geophagus that love to take a mouthful of sad and spit it out wherever they want to. And after losing my aqueon 55/75 I wasn't taking any chances with my AC 70. The problem with them is that the water goes through the motor before the media unlike most canister filters. But of course this is just my opinion and experience with my tank. I would keep an eye on it though when you switch over to see if you need one or not.