help: Will this work? Planted in Crushed Coral

[jason1985]

Hi guys I'm new to this forum. I am starting up a small cichlid 25 gallon tank. For the substrate I would like to go with something more tropical like crushed coral or similar. I am thinking of planting a few plants and having a nice rock setup.

Will plants grow in crushed coral? what are you suggestions?

My future goal is to go SW but I will slowly work my way up with experience.

 

[colematthewmalaka]

i`m thinking that the live plants won`t work because of how the crushed coral will buffer the ph and make it high. this is great for the cichlids but not for plants. Also i have a malawi tank and i use silk plants which still look nice in the tank. Cichlids do have a habit of eating and destroying live plants too.

 

[HN1]

What type of cichlids will you be keeping? I'd be more worried about the CC becoming a nitrate trap then the pH affect since most plants can handle a fairly wide range. I think sand may be a better option overall.

 

[jason1985]

What type of cichlids will you be keeping? I'd be more worried about the CC becoming a nitrate trap then the pH affect since most plants can handle a fairly wide range. I think sand may be a better option overall.

I will be keeping a few Labidochromis caeruleus and a few other Lake Malawi species.

What subtrare do you recomend. I am looking for the more tropical substrate feel

 

[HN1]

I'm a fan of CaribSea's cichlid substrates. They're a bit pricier than the regular aquarium gravel, but worth it if you're picky enough about the results IMO.

CaribSea African Cichlid Mix | Congo River | Sahara Sand |Iivory Coast Sand | Ivory Coast Gravel | Rift Lake Authentic

 

[Mystery]

If you use sand you can have a surface layer with larger particles that will naturally stay on top.

 

[jason1985]

I'm a fan of CaribSea's cichlid substrates. They're a bit pricier than the regular aquarium gravel, but worth it if you're picky enough about the results IMO.

CaribSea African Cichlid Mix | Congo River | Sahara Sand |Iivory Coast Sand | Ivory Coast Gravel | Rift Lake Authentic

I've seen these in my local fish sctore for $20 for a 15lbs bag. They Sahara Sand is nice but I'm looking for something more white

 

[HN1]

Have you looked at Pool Filter Sand? It's a bit whiter without looking "bleached", has a slightly bigger grain size than play sand, and is about $8-9 for 50lbs.

 

[jason1985]

I went with some SeaCarib Oolite Substrate