tank recommendations for new malawi tank

[graysilm]

Hello...its been a really long time since i have had an aquarium and I have decided its time for me to get back into the hobby. I want to do a Malawi tank and im hoping to score a good deal on black friday. Petsmart has 2 large tanks that are on black friday special. I am looking for opinions on which tank you guys think would make a better Malawi tank. The tank/stand combos in the links below are on sale for $300 on black friday. All opinions, knowledge, and thoughts are greatly appreciated. Also, what kind of filtration system do you think would be best for these tanks? External canister or hang on back power filters? Thanks in advance for taking the time to read this and share your opinions and knowledge.

http://www.petsmart.com/fish/suppli...llon-aquarium-ensemble-38201.html?cgid=300013

http://www.petsmart.com/fish/suppli...lon-aquarium-and-stand-28285.html?cgid=300013

 

[FreshyFresh]

Yeah, that 6ft, 125g combo is a sweet deal. If it were mine, I'd filter it with a mail-order Sunsun 304b or two. Or a pair of AC110s, or a combo of the two. Depends what you prefer.

 

[tanker]

For African Cichlids, I would also get the longest tank possible.

 

[graysilm]

Thank you for your opinions. I just purchased the 125 gallon 6 footer online for $330. Any recommendations on what type of sand/gravel and what quantity I will need for this tank?

 

[graysilm]

Thank you for your opinions. I just purchased the 125 gallon 6 footer online for $330. Any recommendations on what type of sand/gravel and what quantity I will need for this tank?

After some research I have decided I'm going to use pool filter sand and crushed coral for my substrate. What I dont know is if I should do a bottom layer of crushed coral with a top layer of crushed coral, or vice versa, or if i should just mix it all together. Any thoughts or opinions on this?

 

[tanker]

If it was me, I would not mix the PFS and CC. I would just get a bag of CC and put it in the filter, and just use the PFS for substrate.

 

[myswtsins]

I agree CC as a substrate is not ideal. A bag added to the filter is a much better approach. 100% PFS is a good choice as it is uniform and small so it will not allow detritus to settle into it plus it is fairly smooth making it safer for the fish if they suck some up.

What kind of Malawis are you planning to keep?