Picking up 150gal. today

[Jess Puff]

What do you guys think for a substrate? I am probably going to do a male peacock show tank. Should I go with black diamond sand or should I go with crushed coral? Opinions please!!!

[fuzzylogic]

What decorations or rock do you plan on going with?

[rickl]

I have never been a fan of black sand, but lots of folks love it. Of those two choices I'd probably go crushed coral -- PFS would be alot cheaper, but not quite as white.

-Rick (the armchair aquarist)

[Jess Puff]

I already have a stock of about 3 - 5gallon buckets of the crushed coral (Huge thanks to Brian). But I like the way the black sand looks. I'll probably put a large piece of holy rock and some other rocks in there.

[rickl]

The black-and-white background (black sand, white rock) might make a nice contrast, especially when you put some "pop" color in with those male peacocks.

-Rick (the armchair aquarist)

[Jess Puff]

Yea, I'm thinking I'm going to run out to Tractor Supply and pick up a couple 50lb bags of that black diamond stuff. It's only $7.99 for a 50lb bag. Woot! I like cheap!

[fuzzylogic]

I currently don't use it but tested it and put it in my Girlfriends Dad's tank. The look was stunning. The only negatives he found were some of the smaller particles would float and he had to clean it quite often. He just ran one HOB filter and currently upgraded to a nice canister filter. Since then I have noticed a huge difference in the amount of junk sitting on the substrate. If it were me I would go black substrate and black background. I feel like it brings out the color of the fish more.

[fuzzylogic]

forgot to mention I use black gravel with heavy Texas Holey rock and I love the contrast. The downside of the gravel is the black coloring comes off of it. If I had to do it over I would go black diamond all the way. Cichlids have a hard time digging and moving around gravel.

[Jess Puff]

Yea, I've used the black diamond before and you have to rinse, rinse, rinse, and rinse again! But the overall look is AWESOME! I think. The only problem I see is it doesn't raise the PH like the crushed coral does.

[plecoman]

I don't know how your water is, but here in Columbia we don't have to use anything to raise the ph for Malawi fish. The labs and peacocks breeders that I had would breed at the drop of a hat, in water right out of the tap. I used regular small to med gravel and some lime stone rock.

[Jess Puff]

I know I tested it right after we moved up to Paducah but I can't remember what it tested at...

PS - I HATE testing water.

[Jess Puff]

How much holey rock would I have to use to keep the PH up? I've always been curious about that...

[fuzzylogic]

I don't think there is a formula out there. It depends how high your tapwater already is. Id get the look you want then test the tank. If you aren't breeding I would imagine constant ph would beat out one that fluctuates even if its on the low side. meaning for me if that brought you close to in range I would leave it alone versus dosing with baking soda or chemical but that's just my opinion

[Jess Puff]

Oh yea, I totally agree with you Steve. I don't mess with that crap b/c I know I'd screw it up and kill all my fish. Plus, I hate testing my water. HAHA! Yea, I'll probably be in the market for some more holey rock if anyone has any.

[rickl]

Honestly if you want to raise the pH of your water, I'd test the tap, and figure out a baking-soda dosing regimen for the water you put into the tank both initially and at water changes. Holey rock, crushed coral, etc etc can help raise the pH, but they can lose effectiveness over time as biological films cover the surface, which might not be reliable in the long term.

As much as you hate it, you really aught to take some tap water, let it stand in a bucket for several hours (I'd just wait a whole day), then run pH, gH, and kH tests on it.

I'm with fuzzy though -- unless you absolutely must play the water chemistry game (i.e. adding stuff to your water), don't! My water down here in huntsville isn't nearly as hard as lake tanganyika, but neither my multies nor my julies are complaining! (and both are breeding!)

-Rick (the armchair aquarist)