I dont know what to get,I have a grey one that I got from a place that sells rocks and gravels for houses.I found some dark brown gravel at a lfs that I like but would my JD show good color with dark brown gravel???
Best substrate for cichlids
- Thread starter faststang1
- Start date
In my experience JD's show color most any way you do it... I have had excellent success with light and dark substrate and ranging from bare bottom now to sand then
I used gravel for decades. Now that I use pool filter sand, I would never go back to gravel. Sand is so much easier to clean, it's like night and day.
IMO there is no right answer here it is a matter of Personal prefrence. I prefer gravel light or dark depends on my inhabitants.
i would say a black substrate..it would bring out the greens and blues....but any gravel will do ..
Gravel = PROS its ok looking, can look exceptional if you do it right. fish love to dig and burrow in the gravel, especially cichlids. Easy to hold plants down.
Gravel CONS =GETS VERY DIRTY with extended use, i know u can vacuum the gravel, but my vacuum just didnt cleana s much as i would have liked. If you are breeding , the fry can be lost in the pockets in the gravel. Gets algae on it, discolors.
Barebottom-PROS = CHEAP
BArebottom CONS = CHEAP/boring/fish cant burrow, doesnt bring out colors
Sand PROS = looks ritzy IMO. Cleaner looking, and cleaner PERIOD. Dirt doesnt collect under the layers of sand AS MUCH as the layers of gravel. The fish can still dig and burrow. allows easier cleaning, just get a hose, start a siphon and just put the siphoning end about an inch or two away from any dirt,crap,other waste and the siphon takes it right down without a problem. Comes in all colors
Sand CONS= Price. way more expensive then gravel if you get a AQUARIUM sand. Can get into your filter and ruin your impeller. Did it to mine, but you get abhout 5-6 months without having to change your impeller.
I dunno, i just love sand, id go with a black and blue sand combination, i bet that would make a JD show up very nice!!!
Gravel CONS =GETS VERY DIRTY with extended use, i know u can vacuum the gravel, but my vacuum just didnt cleana s much as i would have liked. If you are breeding , the fry can be lost in the pockets in the gravel. Gets algae on it, discolors.
Barebottom-PROS = CHEAP
BArebottom CONS = CHEAP/boring/fish cant burrow, doesnt bring out colors
Sand PROS = looks ritzy IMO. Cleaner looking, and cleaner PERIOD. Dirt doesnt collect under the layers of sand AS MUCH as the layers of gravel. The fish can still dig and burrow. allows easier cleaning, just get a hose, start a siphon and just put the siphoning end about an inch or two away from any dirt,crap,other waste and the siphon takes it right down without a problem. Comes in all colors
Sand CONS= Price. way more expensive then gravel if you get a AQUARIUM sand. Can get into your filter and ruin your impeller. Did it to mine, but you get abhout 5-6 months without having to change your impeller.
I dunno, i just love sand, id go with a black and blue sand combination, i bet that would make a JD show up very nice!!!
I like the pool filter sand, its cheap like $6 at lowes, HD, local hardware ect for about 50lbs.
I use it in my cichlid set up and to add a splash of color to the front of my planted tank.
the only drawback that I have had was an ich scare from digging in it and seeing little white specks
no pick of the planted, but an old pic of the "beta bowl" I had a mix of gravel and sand
I use it in my cichlid set up and to add a splash of color to the front of my planted tank.
the only drawback that I have had was an ich scare from digging in it and seeing little white specks
no pick of the planted, but an old pic of the "beta bowl" I had a mix of gravel and sand
I found some rocks in the desert near my house,if I boil them in water will it be OK for my tank.