How much?
- Thread starter daddynemo
- Start date
Play sand is fine, as is pool filter sand. Just make sure you wash that up before it goes in the tank, or it will cloud up massively!
For me, the easiest way to do this is put all your sand in a bucket, take it outside next to a drain, stick a hose pipe in, and leave it for half an hour or more. It will keep overfilling and all the dust etc will come out with it - easy!
I'd also recommend crushed coral as a substrate; buffers the PH and looks great!
For me, the easiest way to do this is put all your sand in a bucket, take it outside next to a drain, stick a hose pipe in, and leave it for half an hour or more. It will keep overfilling and all the dust etc will come out with it - easy!
I'd also recommend crushed coral as a substrate; buffers the PH and looks great!
oh and for a 55g, maybe a 20kg bag of sand/crushed coral? depends how deep you want it really, cichlid like to dig in it, making breeding areas under rocks etc
I agree.
And as regards the rockwork, basically you want enough to stack it up to almost the water level in at least a couple of big stacks - some people will stack all the way along the back wall of the tank. You need to leave plenty of caves and swim ways through it as well of course. I personally like a couple of large formations placed irregularly in both dimensions (length, breath) and some smaller pieces stacked up in between.
And as regards the rockwork, basically you want enough to stack it up to almost the water level in at least a couple of big stacks - some people will stack all the way along the back wall of the tank. You need to leave plenty of caves and swim ways through it as well of course. I personally like a couple of large formations placed irregularly in both dimensions (length, breath) and some smaller pieces stacked up in between.
Pool filter sand or a fine grade of gravel (not much larger than sand) would be better than playsand, Make sure the rocks are placed on the bottom of the tank or eggcrate to prevent fish from undermining them when they dig in the sand. A falling rock can break glass...
I want to clarify that 20kg are 44 pounds (lbs); and I agree, 40 to 50 lbs of crushed coral or sand is enough for a good substrate bed of 2 to 3 inches deep in a 55gal tank.
I wouldn't worry too much on the limestone i would do the aragonite sand or crushed coral as a substrate will be a better buffer than limestone will be, limestone takes a long time to release and will not effect water quality as a buffer like you want it too, i would do the substrate and the linmestone altogether..