Substrate Making Cichlids Stressed?

[Roger Mcfish]

If you don't have live plants 4-5 hours would be fine.

No live plants. Just rock and one big piece of driftwood

 

[Roger Mcfish]

I'll be saving up to change out the substrate. Man that's gonna you know what lol

 

[Sassafras]

I've never had fish over white or very light colored sand look their best or behave normally. They fade as pale as they can for the reason duanes gave, to avoid being spotted by predators. Change to a medium-colored sand, especially natural colors, and I'll bet you won't believe the difference in behavior and color.

 

[Roger Mcfish]

I've never had fish over white or very light colored sand look their best or behave normally. They fade as pale as they can for the reason duanes gave, to avoid being spotted by predators. Change to a medium-colored sand, especially natural colors, and I'll bet you won't believe the difference in behavior and color.

Yea that will be the best bet I believe also. Thank you. I'd honestly like a darker brown sand. I have pool filter sand in a few other tanks but it's not that dark. My local hardware store stopped selling the HTH brand which 20 grade and heavy and doesn't get blown around around.
Any suggestions?

 

[Roger Mcfish]

Plus I've heard bad experience with quik-crete brand from Lowe's and home depot for aquarium sand.

 

[Sassafras]

This looks kinda neat! It is one of Fluorite's offerings. Some of CaribSea's "Naturals" look pretty good too. Might be too pricey if the tank is large though. Play sand, PFS colors tend to be rather local depending on source.

 

[Roger Mcfish]

This looks kinda neat! It is one of Fluorite's offerings. Some of CaribSea's "Naturals" look pretty good too. Might be too pricey if the tank is large though. Play sand, PFS colors tend to be rather local depending on source.
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Does it effect pH? I have centrals in the 125 gallon