# African tank setup



## Carlo (Dec 28, 2007)

Hey guys, I have a 47gal tankfull of Malawi cichlids and im transferring them into a 75gal. I want to do a sandy bottom w/ maybe half the tank in rocky caves. Ive been checking out other forums and reading up on a sandy substrate. one guy mentions pool filter sand b/c it looks more "natural". just mentioned that i have to clean it out big time which i planned on. any other ideas for a sandy bottom?

-Carlo


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## Osiris (Jan 18, 2005)

I havent used pool filter sand. I use play sand purchased from Home Depot. Preferably the white stuff. 

Mainly want to give it a good washing outdoors prior to putting it in your tank. Your cichlids will thank you for it!


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## Carlo (Dec 28, 2007)

what would be a good measure for a 75gal? i want it kinda thick so they can dig where they wanna. 60lbs of sand?

-Carlo


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## Guest (Jan 8, 2008)

I have pool filter sand in what is going to be my shelldweller tank. I rinsed mine only a couple times and it was surprisingly clean, so I guess it depends on the brand. Pool sand isn't as nasty as play sand. Play sand has alot of debri and stuff in it, so you really do have to rinse it good. The pool sand is more beige/off white than play sand IMO.

I think around 50lbs _might_ be enough. You don't want too thick of a layer because you're more likely to get compaction. I'd go with maybe 3/4-1". Try a 50lb bag and see if thats enough for you. Pool filter sand comes in 50lb bags and I believe play sand does as well. I suggest Pool over play. Look at pool supply places. I found mine about a month ago, so some pool places are still open this time of year.


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## Carlo (Dec 28, 2007)

Just picked up 2 50lbs bags of filter sand for $7 a piece. so looks like I'm gonna have some extra =D. I like this better than play sand so far. The color is more natural, and u can tell the granules are bigger than play sand. should have everything up here soon! 

-Carlo


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## Carlo (Dec 28, 2007)

hey guys, just setting up my tank w/ the new sand....and maybe im just parnoid but i could swear this sand has a slight chlorine smell to it. I read the back of the bag and it said that its pure sand, no chem's added...but maybe im just over thinking it? so should i just toss in a bunch of prime and check my levels?

-Carlo


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## Eraserhead (Feb 1, 2007)

Carlo said:


> hey guys, just setting up my tank w/ the new sand....and maybe im just parnoid but i could swear this sand has a slight chlorine smell to it. I read the back of the bag and it said that its pure sand, no chem's added...but maybe im just over thinking it? so should i just toss in a bunch of prime and check my levels?
> 
> -Carlo



I did a sand tank for a little while in a 20 gallon. It was a huge pain in the a$$, mainly because I had a hang-on filter and sand kept getting sucked into the impeller and jamming it up all the time. I had to flush the thing out very frequently. I'd like to think that a canister filter (the only type I will EVER use again) wouldn't have this type of problem. I used some expensive reef sand crap in mine, because the guy at the LFS wanted to make a buck off me by feeding me crap about play sand being super poisonous. I've talked to several people who used play sand and nobody has had any trouble with it.


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## Carlo (Dec 28, 2007)

The filter sand is working out great so far. The grain size is big enough that when u pick it up, it drops back down right away. Isnt too rough that it may hurt the fish when they dig, and is this nice natural off-white color. Im loving it so far. Not to mention that its $7 for a 50lbs bag. The chlorine smell was in my head. Its a new place and my GF was cleaning the bathroom w/ a clorox based cleaner and the smell was gettin out and screwing w/ me. Go figure.

-Carlo


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## Guest (Jan 15, 2008)

Ohh thats good. I was gonna say that the smell might be from the bag, since pool places usually reak of chlorine.  Glad its not the sand.

Get some pics up when you can...we like pictures.


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## jschulst (Jan 20, 2008)

Play sand give more of a brown color, while pool sand, industrial sand or silicia sand (usually quickrete brand at Homedepot) are the way to go. They fall to the bottom quicky (palysand don't).

All my tanks use silicia sand. Sometimes I mix a bag of aragonite with the sand for better Ph buffers.


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## joe kool (Jan 24, 2005)

silica can wreak havoc in some tanks though. As long as you are aware and catch the signs early enough and are good about doing routine water changes you may not ever have problems. In this case with the tank being built specifically for a species of fish I'd recommend the Cichlid sand, it's a black and white mix that looks real goo in a tank. Anyone I know that's used it loves it and it's aragonite. While a bit more expensive at +/-$18 for a 20lb bag the buffering capacity and fact it's specifically made for these types of cichlid tanks far out weigh the cost difference. If someone else is looking at doing it and $$ is the issue I recommend getting everything tank all of the filters and what not then save for the sand if needed. a few weeks before getting the sand fill up the tank and get everything running throw that crappy fish food that usually comes with the "set up" in the tank a little every other day or so, just a pinch!, this will start the cycling process. After a few weeks of this or as $$ allows get the sand even if you have to do 1 bag at a time that fine. get 1 bag do about a 10 to 25% water change wash off the outside of the bag in your sink or tub ( no cleaner, warm water, you see why in a sec) cut the top of the bag all the way across and put the whole bag in the tank open the slit in the top pour the sand out as close to the bottom as you can get. it will cloud up a little but it will clear up in a day or so depending on your filtration. If you are having to get bag at a time as I said that's perfectly fine AND that lets the beneficial bacteria that it in the water with the sand get a head start especially if you have been putting that crappy fish food in there every other day or so like I said earlier. then repeat this until you have enough substrait in the bottom ... some like 1" some 2" some 3" it's taste really but don't go too crazy if you get it too deep you'll end up with dead pockets of bad bacteria will build up unless you keep the sand stirred manually with a gravel vac like I do. 2" or a bit more is usually good ... maybe a bit more as cichlids like to dig ESPECIALLY in sand ... like a playground for them.

If you find months down the road you wished you had a bit more sand you can do just like I said before (being a bit more aggressive cleaning the bag of course maybe a 10 or 15% vinagr solution and rinse well) then cut the bag and add, pouring out the sand at the very bottom of the tank then spread as desired ... again the tank will clear in a day or 2 at the most.


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## joe kool (Jan 24, 2005)

I understand it's too late for Carlo but for those interested in setting up an African tank that are reading this for insight and if Carlo decides to expand his tanks as most of us have over the years ... he'll have the 411 :mrgreen:


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## Carlo (Dec 28, 2007)

Thats it for now. I need a bunch more rock, but at $3 a pound...ima have to buy a little at a time. I also need some glass tops b/c w/ an open top, im gettin close to 5 gal's of evap a week!

-Carlo


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Your rock is pretty, but you can get cheaper, uglier river rock from Pike Stone Center. Put some saran over it until you get the lid.


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## joe kool (Jan 24, 2005)

also a lot of stone yards will have lace rock for around 75 cents a pound you just have to boil/serialize it to the best of your ability even a soak in a 10% bleach solution then copious rinsing followed by completely sun drying will work. Depending on the stone yard you may also find Texas holey rock (sometimes called honeycomb rock or estate boulders) which is really nice in African tanks and most yards have it at 25 cents a pound or so. Is that a 50/50 light on the tank or a straight blue. It's putting off a lot of light to be just antic but it is awfully blue tinted


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## Carlo (Dec 28, 2007)

joe kool said:


> Is that a 50/50 light on the tank or a straight blue. It's putting off a lot of light to be just antic but it is awfully blue tinted


its a 50/50 bulb and a antic bulb. its really not that blue in person, I just had the iris on my camera setup for the wrong light, so it looks totaly blue. I took some pics last night w/ better settings so u can auctally see the brown coloring in the rock and the sand looks white. I'll post them tonight. Ima have to start searching rock yards in lawrenceville. Ive only been here 2 weeks so if any of ya'll know of one in the area lemmie know =D

-Carlo
*EDIT*

Here's a new pic:


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## joe kool (Jan 24, 2005)

PIC didn't come through ... hit the folks up in the "Atlanta" section they may know some out your way or at least give you a couple places to start. 

Honestly for an African I'd just go with 2 50/50's or a full antic and full 10K not a 50/50 and an antic. I realize you just set this up and it's new but once the antic goes out I'd get a 50/50. that will brighten the tank more and still have the blue tint giving the blues in the fish a nice pop without drowning out the reds and some other colors as much


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## Moltenice (Mar 18, 2007)

I know you've already added the sand, but I thought I would throw this in there anyways.
This is what I used, approx 30lbs. It's been in there for 8months and they love it. THey constantly move it around, one fish I named bulldozer grabs big mouthfulls and takes it and spits it out in different areas. They take a smooth bottom and make it into little hills. Kinda cool.


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