Sand, Gravel or Both?

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jag14

jag14

Candiru
MFK Member
May 27, 2012
498
47
46
knoxville tn
How well does sand work in a cichlid tank- ca/sa. I currently have a 75 with gravel, but am daydreaming about a 125 or 150 and how I would like to set it up. I have a Jaguar/Freddy hybrid that is over a foot long and he likes to move gravel overwhere. I thought sand might be kind of a different look, maybe mixed with some pebbles or a some gravel.

Is it harder to clean the bottom with sand then it is with gravel? Also is it possible to find black sand? I use dark substrate to set off my fish's colors.
 
I recently switched to sand substrate and I love it. The maintenance is so much easier. I just keep the water well circulated and there is rarely any waste sitting on the bottom because most of it is picked up by the filters. I never put the tube into the sand, I only skim it across the surface. I use pool sand, which is white in color, but I know they make aquarium-specific sand that comes in a variety of colors (black, red, ect)

I still have one gravel tank and I've grown to hate cleaning it. I have to make sure I get the cleaning tube down into every section of the tank to get all the waste out. This doesn't happen with my sand tanks.

As of yet, I have not mixed sand and gravel. It sounds like it might make cleaning a bit of a pain (not sure though).
 
I won't have to worry about sand getting into my filter too much. My critter won't leave the tubes on the filter! He likes to move things, maybe if I just kept mixing in shells, crystals, etc, to provide jag's toys. More I think about, I'm not real sure either about sand and gravel together. Kind of defeats the purpose. Pool sand would probably be cheaper than the colored types. I'm just tired of gravel and want something different. I think the lighter colored sand would bleach out his colors. He has the jaguar purple and green colors, looks really good under the lights.
 
I have sand and a small amount of gravel mixed in. Very easy to clean. I do push the tube into the sand just to mix things around a bit. The cichlids dig and move things around a lot so I like to move it around to give them something to do.
 
Makes them mad when you knock their mountain down. Jag follows the siphon tube, like he's gonna go after it. I have an idea in mind for a larger tank, but I don't know if I will try to change my 75 over to the sand. My jewels would probably like it too. They dig all day looking for bites. A geophagus would probably love it for sure.
 
I also think sand would be a more natural looking substrate than the mixed blue gravel in my jewels 30 gallon. I like natural looking when possible, but my husband picked out the gravel for the smaller tank. At least it isnt neon colors like some of the fish stores use.
 
I might switch to sand when I get a 55 for my jewels. Try it there first. If I do ever move up to a 125 for my jag mix, it will definitely be sand. I want a natural look with him. Just sand and a couple of things he can move around. Easy cleaning would be a nice thing too, make water changes faster and more effiecient. Gravel hides a lot of junk in it.
 
I really like sand and if you have good water flow in the tank it will stay really clean. I will never do rocks again. Another option - place tile on the bottom of the tank
 
Sorry forgot to add my cichlids love my sand and that they can move it around and setup the tank how they want. They move stuff around in the tank like crazy and I like it that they make it to fit the individual fishes needs. Example I'll place a rock in the tank and they dig out one end to make a cave.
 
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