I started a CA cichlid tank with playsand a few monthes ago. 125 gallon 6 foot tank.
I read up on differant sands and decided I would try playsand.
Now we are talking 6 feet of tank and cichlids. I was very happy with the look and the fish seemed to enjoy digging and sifting through it.
Let me tell you why I do not like it in this tank.
It shows the dirt and poop very clearly.
For me..I could take all day trying to hoover over the poop and debris and try to get it all out w/o sucking up sand. Some debris was no problem..but some was annoyingly not comming out w/o some sand.
I guess I like how when I clean gravel..it is clean. Where the sand was not as clean. You think the dirt wont penetrate but with cichlids digging it does.
I also tried power heads pointing down in differant angles to possibly lift the dirt and poop off and allow it to be filtered. All i did was cause the sand to blow in that direction.
Perhaps the sandblaster sand with larger granules is a better option. For me..the sand it done.
SO I am sure many are quite happy with their sand..I wont recommend it over gravel for a cichlid tank.Honestly..I wont even for a regular tank over gravel.
I read up on differant sands and decided I would try playsand.
Now we are talking 6 feet of tank and cichlids. I was very happy with the look and the fish seemed to enjoy digging and sifting through it.
Let me tell you why I do not like it in this tank.
It shows the dirt and poop very clearly.
For me..I could take all day trying to hoover over the poop and debris and try to get it all out w/o sucking up sand. Some debris was no problem..but some was annoyingly not comming out w/o some sand.
I guess I like how when I clean gravel..it is clean. Where the sand was not as clean. You think the dirt wont penetrate but with cichlids digging it does.
I also tried power heads pointing down in differant angles to possibly lift the dirt and poop off and allow it to be filtered. All i did was cause the sand to blow in that direction.
Perhaps the sandblaster sand with larger granules is a better option. For me..the sand it done.
SO I am sure many are quite happy with their sand..I wont recommend it over gravel for a cichlid tank.Honestly..I wont even for a regular tank over gravel.
