A no substrate tank is sterile. A thin substrate can increase BB population by 10 folds thereby degrading detritus quickly. A bare bottom tank is actually harder to look clean because detritus degrades slowly and is hard to hide. The substrate doesn't need to be thick, no more than 1 inch as only the top 1/4 to 1/2 inch is aerobic. I prefer 3 to 4 mm dolomite gravel, which provides buffer to the water yet not too fine to get sucked into the filters.
AGGRESSIVE CICHLID TANK WITH NO AGGRESSION
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A no substrate tank is sterile. A thin substrate can increase BB population by 10 folds thereby degrading detritus quickly. A bare bottom tank is actually harder to look clean because detritus degrades slowly and is hard to hide. The substrate doesn't need to be thick, no more than 1 inch as only the top 1/4 to 1/2 inch is aerobic. I prefer 3 to 4 mm dolomite gravel, which provides buffer to the water yet not too fine to get sucked into the filters.
I added 20kg of pool filter sand today, it gave me about 1cm across the bottom of the tank, is that enough?
Also how do you stand the intake and spray bar? I did have them at opposite ends with the spray bar angled down at the centre of the tank by it blew a hole in the sand that kept getting bigger.
So I moved the spray bar to the same side as the intake and angled it at the surface of the water....
(It is a pain in the ass to clean....I washed it so many times but water is still slightly milky! How do I stop this? Carbon?)
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In my opinion you should way over filter. I run an fx5 and an xp4 on my 220 it is over stocked too but it never crashes. I also have crushed coral as substrate. Substrate is important to hold bb and brake down poop. Also high powered canister filters give more water flow. To add more flow add a power head that moves a lot of water and that you can add an air hose to. When I did this the fish were more active and the water stayed clearer longer
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I don't understand your post?
Did you read why my tank crashed? I'm sure if anyone were in the situation I was, you would have completely chlorinated your canisters to.
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Actually when I got my 220 it was filled with 80% new water and new substrate. But mine didn't crash and my fish were fine. I guess the biggest difference is mine was planned and so I made sure my filters were dirty to cycle the water faster.
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Yes, did you read why my tank crashed? I'm in rainwater, my wife ran the tank dry and had the water board refill it with town water, didn't tell me,I did a 70-80% water change with no prime and had my filters running.
I only noticed something was wrong when my moving bed, within 15 mins changed from dark brown to polished white media.
I Started freaking out then.she told me it was town water.
That would most definitely break your cycle....washing your entire bio system with chlorine and chloramine for 15-20 mins....
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Ya I use town water. It has lots of chlorine in it. I read you posts earlier. Did you read mine? It was an opinion not telling you how to run your tank.
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If you want aggression then turn up the heat. At 80-82F mine were always at it, when I turned it down they were fine
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Do you add prime before water changes, or some form of dechlorinator
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Why would I want aggression? The idea is to keep these fish peacefully in a safe environment! Why would I want them belting the crap out of each other?
My temp is 27 degrees
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