Bare bottom or sand?

[markiezzi]

Hey everyone,

I am going to start up another 55g cichlid tank. Not sure which river yet but my question is this. What are the advantages of pool filter sand over keeping it a bare bottom? I was thinking bare bottom would be easier to clean and may not hold in uneaten food causing nitrate to rise.

Looking for the opinion of other cichlid keepers should I got bare bottom or sand?

Like the look of the pure snow white type sand but don't know where to buy it.

Thanks
Mark

 

[Pauls Aquariums]

i have a sand bottom in my 55 and I think the cichlids love it. they're always digging I would definitely go with the sand bottom. I was never really sure what benefits a bare bottom give, ii never really looked into it tho

 

[Andrew McFadden]

I know this wasn't in the question but to give another option. I have used playsand from home depot in a couple tanks in the past including my 180 Malawi setup now. I have never had a problem with it and the food just lays on top its kinda tricky to clean up without sucking up some of the sand cause it is very fine and lighter then the type at pet stores. My Cichlids and turtle dig enough I don't really mix or stir it up to much.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

If you look in my avatar pic you can kinda see it and it is almost white

 

[Pauls Aquariums]

also i used pool filter sand, got 50 lbs. of it for ten bucks, great deal, filled my 55 and stll had some for my 30 gallon.

 

[markiezzi]

I have playsand in my other cichlid tank that I got from home depot. It's a darker tan color. Was looking at "sakrete" sand suppose to be a whiter color. I guess if cichlids like to dig then I should go with sand. My other cichlids don't seem to dig in the sand in their other tank.

 

[treym563]

My friend has lighter colored sand in his tank and I would never use it. I would have to be vacuuming constantly, fish poop is really visable. I use PFS because it hides the waste really well and my Mbuna's love it.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

My friend has lighter colored sand in his tank and I would never use it. I would have to be vacuuming constantly, fish poop is really visable. I use PFS because it hides the waste really well and my Mbuna's love it.

I'm with you on that one I wishor should of used black it hides more and makes the color of the fish show up more

 

[Ryleyman]

Don't get White sand poo shows so much I made that mistake:\

 

[Pauls Aquariums]

yeah the PFS hides the poop decently, alot better than the white sand